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! Delicious as a main dish with rice and veggies or for meal prep on busy weeknights.
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This quick chicken stir-fry recipe is inspired by my love for Korean fried chicken but my version is shallow-fried and less labor intensive (woo hoo!) so you're going to love it!
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a delicious Korean red chili paste that tastes spicy, smoky, sweet and savory. The texture of this paste is thick and sticky. It also has different spice levels ranging from mild to very hot, so pick wisely!
What is gochujang sauce made of?
Gochujang is a red paste made of Korean chili flakes, sticky rice (or glutinous rice), salt and soybeans that have been through a fermentation process.
Where do I find gochujang?
Korean grocery stores will carry gochujang paste in the sauce aisle and it comes in a red rectangle tub, with the spice level indicated. Once you open the package, store it in the fridge and it'll last several months or before expiry.
Ingredient & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: I prefer using skinless boneless chicken thighs for that tender dark meat and to make the preparation process easier. But feel free to substitute with chicken breast for a leaner alternative. If you do, please reduce the cooking time.
- Onion or red onion
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch to make our chicken crispy and golden. Avoid using rice flour or tapioca starch as these will make the chicken stick together in the pan.
- 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 onion or spring onions: optional but recommended for color and flavor
- Toasted sesame seeds: optional so feel free to omit if you're allergic
Gochujang Stir-Fry Sauce
- Garlic cloves
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. The sugar is necessary for that sweet flavor.
- Gochujang paste: a Korean red chili paste that offers a spicy, sweet and smoky flavor. The Korean market will carry this ingredient.
- 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: omit if allergic as this is optional
- Toasted sesame oil: to add a nutty flavor. If you're allergic, omit altogether.
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch. This helps thicken the sauce.
- Room temperature water
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Expert Tips
Follow these helpful tips for success:
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time as the cooking process is fast.
- Do not 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 leading to less crispy chicken or possibly 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
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
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.
Yes! To air fry, follow these instructions:
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.
There are different ways to use this versatile red chili paste in Korean cooking as it's key ingredient in Korean cuisine. You can use it in spicy sauces, in Korean BBQ to marinate meats 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!
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Gochujang Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs or skinless boneless chicken breast
- ½ onion diced
- ⅓ cup cornstarch or potato starch
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 green onion finely chopped (optional garnish)
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted (optional garnish)
Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar or sub with honey or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Gochujang
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce (not dark soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- 1 cup water cold or room temperature
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Alex
I made this delicious recipe tonight.. wonderful! My mum and I loved it. I used chicken breast but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Served with steamed rice and roasted broccolini. Will definitely be making again - this is a great recipe that is so simple to prepare. Thank you!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Alex! So glad it all worked out 🙂
Christine
I made this last night. It was excellent. I used chicken breasts because that's what I had. I reduced the amount of Gochujang by half and threw in a handful of frozen veggies. I doubled the sauce but it wasn't necessary. This will be in my regular rotation.
christieathome
So happy it worked out excellently, Christine! Thanks so much for making it and happy it'll be apart of the rotation now 🙂
Cut I Mariska
Hi Christie, I just made this dish for our early dinner. No fussy to make but it tastes amazing! I added red capsicum in to the dish as I really like capsi. My hubby is a picky eater. But he approved it and he quite liked it! Definitely gonna make it again. Thanks a lot, Christie! Good luck for everything you do 💗
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for such kind wishes!! I truly appreciate that. So glad you and your husband liked it and happy it tasted amazing with red bell peppers!
Valerie
Perfection! The chicken was tender, the sauce wasn’t extremely spicy, but the flavor was amazing!
christieathome
This is music to my ears, Valerie! Thank you so much for making my recipe! I am really glad it turned out well and the flavor was amazing!
W
SOOO good and simple! I thought it was lacking something, so I sprinkled on a little ground ginger. Wonderful. I'm making it again tomorrow but loading it with veggies.
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, W 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it with some grounded ginger.
Alex D.
Thanks so much for this recipe. It was easy and delicious, as promised! My picky 14 year old devoured it.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Alex! Very happy to read this comment and glad your child enjoyed it!
Emily
Delish. All of these recipes are so easy to follow and turn out how you expect! Thank you for giving us such a great resource for asian dishes
christieathome
I am so happy to read this Emily, thank you for leaving such a kind review! Have a wonderful day!
Sharon H
I tried this for lunch today, knowing I would have great leftovers! I'm going to take some to my daughter and share it with her for lunch tomorrow. I like spicy with a little heat, but not burning hot so I was cautious when adding the Gochujang. I started with 1/2 tbsp and tasted it after it was all mixed together in the skillet. I added about another scant tsp, and it's pleasantly spicy but not hot. I will make this again and keep increasing the Gochujang until I know I can still handle it! LOL I put mine over brown rice but I don't have any green onions. I will get some though!
christieathome
Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed my recipe! It's always great to start with a little spice to see if it's tolerable and work your way up. Thanks for making my recipe!
K Beitel
Easy and super delicious, will definitely be making this again. I used chicken breasts and added a chopped carrot. I stir-fried the carrot in the wok as a first step before the chicken, transferred it to a plate, then added it back I transferred fried chicken to the sauce. Thank you for this recipe!
christieathome
So thrilled to read this! Thank you so much for making my recipe and really happy you enjoyed it with chicken breast and carrots 🙂
Erin
I finally found gochujang at a local grocery here in northern Alberta after searching for it for another recipe. I had lots leftover and was glad to find this recipe, too! It was delicious and presented beautifully. We served over rice with thin-sliced carrots and peppers. Was a hit with everyone!
christieathome
Thank you so much for these kind words and for making my recipe, Erin! I'm so glad you enjoyed the dish 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Christine Johnston
Made this a couple of times now....just gorgeous!! I had some pomegranate seeds leftover and added them to our brown rice...I added store bought kimchi to the meal. Also added teaspoon of chipotle dried flakes.. . Fabulous meal.......my guess is it cost about no more than around £3.00 per portion😍
christieathome
Amazing! I love the addition of pomegranate seeds to your brown rice! What an incredible sounding feast! Thank you for making my recipe and sharing these kind words with me! 🙂
WWhite
Looks like a great recipe. If I use chicken breasts, which aren't as flavorful as thighs, are there any changes you would recommend in the ingredient amounts?
christieathome
Thank you so much! I've had a few people sub with chicken breast and it worked out well for them. I would only advise not to fry the meat for too long since breast dries out faster than thigh. Hope this helps! - Christie
mavee125
I love the sweetness and spiciness of this Gochujang chicken recipe! It is so good, so delicious, and very flavorful! My new fave dish! Glad Karman Foods has got the gochujang paste that I really want. It was the best dish! Will surely make another one for the weekend.
christieathome
I am truly so happy to read this wonderful comment! Thank you so much for making my recipe and glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Charmaine
Made this recently with a few changes (substituted gochuchang for another chinese spicy paste) and it was delicious. Thank you!! 🙂
christieathome
I am so glad you enjoyed it Charmaine! Thanks for making my recipe!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I always love your homemade sauces and that was a great tip for using chicken thighs... bring on the flavor!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
I love the sweet and spicy in this dish. The chicken is just perfectly crisp too, definitely a winner at my house!
James McCloskey
Tried this for the first time, looked delicious and tasted fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, James! So happy you enjoyed it!