Quick & Easy Gochujang Chicken

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Crispy chicken coated in a spicy, sweet, smoky sauce packed with gochujang flavor! This easy spicy gochujang chicken recipe is ready in 30-minutes with simple ingredients! Great as a main dish or meal prep with rice and veggies!

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Ingredient & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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My gochujang chicken features shallow fried diced chicken thighs tossed in a spicy, sweet, smoky gochujang sauce. It's inspired by Korean fried chicken and the best part is there is no deep frying or wasting a lot of oil!

Furthermore, Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste that is spicy, smoky, sweet and savory. It's thick, sticky and ranges in various spice levels, from mild to very hot, so pick wisely!

It's made of Korean chili flakes, sticky rice (or glutinous rice), salt and soybeans that have been through a fermentation process. Korean grocery stores will sell this in a red rectangle tub. Once the package is opened, it can last for months stored in the fridge.

Ingredient & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: or substitute with skinless boneless chicken thighs but reduce the cooking time by a couple minutes so it doesn't dry out.
Onion: or substitute with red onions or shallots.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch. Avoid tapioca or rice flour.
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
Green Onions
Toasted Sesame Seeds: optional garnish, so feel free to omit if you're allergic.

Gochujang Stir-Fry Sauce

Gochujang Paste: a fermented Korean red chili paste that is spicy, sweet and smoky flavor that is sold at many Korean grocery stores ranging in different spice levels.
Garlic Cloves
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with honey, maple syrup, brown sugar or cane sugar.
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
Toasted Sesame Seeds: optional garnish
Toasted Sesame Oil: to add a nutty flavor. If you're allergic, omit altogether.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
Water: cold or room temperature.

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Expert Tips

Prepare ingredients ahead of time as the cooking process is fast.
Don't pat dry the chicken! You need some moisture on the chicken so the starch can adhere to it.
Evenly dice the chicken so they fry consistently.
Use a heavy bottomed pan if possible as this maintains the oil temperature.
Make sure oil is hot enough before frying, around 325-350 degrees F. To check if oil is hot, use a digital instant read thermometer or insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot.
Fry in small batches and do not overcrowd the pan because this reduces the oil temperature causing less crispy chicken or undercooked chicken.
Spread chicken apart after tossing into pan. This allows for each piece to develop a crust.
Avoid stir frying the chicken. This prevents it from getting crispy.
Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack or paper-towel lined plate to remove excess oil which leads to soggy chicken.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make this gochujang chicken:

First dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch-wide pieces. Then transfer chicken into a large bowl.

Dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces. Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed. Set aside.

Into your large bowl of diced chicken, add cornstarch. Toss until chicken is evenly coated in starch.

Into your large bowl of diced chicken, add cornstarch. Toss until chicken is evenly coated in starch.

In a large pan on medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil. Fry coated chicken until golden brown and crispy, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

In a large pan on medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil. Fry coated chicken until golden brown and crispy, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

On medium-high heat, fry onions until translucent, about 30-45 seconds. Pour in sauce to simmer to thicken.

On medium-high heat, fry onions until translucent, about 30-45 seconds. Pour in sauce to simmer to thicken.

Once the sauce has thickened, reduce to medium heat. Toss in fried chicken to coat evenly. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Once the sauce has thickened, reduce to medium heat. Toss in fried chicken to coat evenly. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? Gochujang chicken can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.

Pairing Suggestions

Gochujang chicken serves well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans, stir fried snow pea leaves, or zucchini, mushrooms, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, or bell peppers.
protein dishes like Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Gochujang Chicken, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.

Can I air fry the chicken?

To air fry the chicken: Line the air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper or lightly spray the basket with neutral oil. Place coated chicken in a single layer giving each piece enough space. Do not overlap. You may need to air fry in small batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Lightly spray the coated chicken with neutral oil. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 10-14 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Other ways to use gochujang?

There are different ways to use this versatile red chili paste in Korean cooking. You can use it in spicy sauces, meat marinades like in Dak Galbi or Jeyuk Bokkeum, Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew), noodles like Bibim Guksu, Korean rice cakes or tteokbokki, Kimchi Fried Rice and more!

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