Spicy Korean Chicken Stir Fry (Gochujang)
The day I discovered gochujang, my spice cabinet filed a noise complaint.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for coating
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for serving
- Optional: fresh chilli slices for extra heat
Method
Mix the Sauce
- Whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Taste it. It should be spicy, sweet, tangy, and savoury. If it's too spicy for your crew, add more honey. If it's not spicy enough (unlikely, but I respect the ambition), add more gochujang. Set aside.
Cook the Chicken
- Toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. The cornstarch creates a light coating that crisps in the pan and helps the sauce cling. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer — don't crowd or it'll steam. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Work in batches if needed. Crispy chicken is non-negotiable. It's what gives the final dish that contrast between crunchy coating and sticky sauce.
Glaze
- Pour the gochujang sauce over the crispy chicken. Toss constantly for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats every piece in a glossy, sticky lacquer. The sauce reduces fast over high heat, so keep everything moving. Remove from heat. Top with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and fresh chilli if you're feeling brave.
Serve
- Over steamed jasmine rice is the classic way. The rice absorbs the extra sauce and every grain turns slightly pink and flavourful. I also love this over kopytka — Polish potato dumplings with Korean gochujang chicken is a fusion combination that sounds insane and tastes incredible. My babcia would have questions. My taste buds have answers.