Name: Spicy Gochujang Chicken Bowls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons gochujang; 6 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon corn starch; 2 inches fresh ginger root, minced or grated; 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated; 2 tablespoons water; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless; 1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked; 1/2 cucumber, julienned; 1 carrot, peeled and julienned; 1 green onion, thinly sliced; Sesame seeds, to serve

Layered with rice, tender chicken, veggies, and covered in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, these gochujang chicken bowls are a delicious and nutritious meal. They’re also ready in 30 minutes, perfect for a high-protein weeknight dinner.

Close up of two spicy gochujang chicken bowls in a dark grey bowl with sliced green onions on top and a small bowl of gochujang sauce in background.

If you’re looking for a dinner that beats boring weeknight meals, this gochujang chicken recipe is for you! It’s full of flavor, colors, and texture while using pantry ingredients to keep prep and cleanup to a minimum. This recipe is perfect for a quick and easy dinner or a simple meal prep idea that is high in protein, full of healthy fats, and lots of veggies.

Two gochujang chicken bowls with rice on a white background with a grey and white tea towel, bowl of gochujang sauce, fork and knife, small bowl of black and white sesame seeds on the side.

Why You’ll Love Them

Ready in 30 Minutes – These gochujang chicken bowls are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an easy meal prep idea.
High in Protein – These bowls are loaded with 30 grams of protein per serving.
Full of Flavor – The mixture of soy sauce, honey, and gochujang paste ensures every bite is absolutely delicious.

Plate of raw chicken thighs, bowl of corn starch, bowl of rice vinegar, bowl of gochujang paste, bowl of soy sauce, bowl of honey, garlic cloves, ginger root, carrots, green onion, cucumber, and a bowl of white rice on a white background.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Chicken Thighs – To add some protein. The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Gochujang Paste – To flavor the chicken and add some heat. Gochujang is a Korean chili paste and works best in this recipe; however, you can use an alternative chili sauce, such as garlic chili paste, sambal, or sriracha if needed.
Soy Sauce – To add some saltiness to the sauce. You can use regular or low-sodium soy sauce, or swap it for tamari or coconut aminos if needed.
Honey – To add a hint of sweetness to the sauce. The recipe calls for honey, but brown sugar will also work.
Sesame Oil – To cook the chicken and add some healthy fats. The recipe calls for regular or toasted sesame oil, but olive oil or avocado oil will also work.
Corn Starch – To thicken the gochujang sauce.
Ginger – To flavor the sauce. The recipe calls for fresh ginger, but you can use ground ginger if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Garlic – To flavor the sauce. The recipe calls for garlic cloves, but you can use garlic powder if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Rice – To add some complex carbohydrates. While any white rice will work, a medium-grain glutinous rice, such as sushi rice, works best.
Vegetables – To add some fiber and color. The recipe calls for cucumber and carrots, but green cabbage, bok choy, and bean sprouts would also work well.
Green onions – To add some crunch and color, although optional.
Sesame Seeds – Some toasted sesame seeds to serve, although optional.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Gluten-Free: Swap the soy sauce for gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.

To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed; this recipe is dairy-free.

Cast-iron skillet with seared boneless chicken thighs.

Cast-iron skillet with seared chicken thighs covered in gochujang sauce.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

I opted to use chicken thighs for this gochujang chicken, as I think they provide better flavor. That said, you can certainly use chicken breasts if preferred. In fact, the nutritional differences between chicken breasts and chicken thighs are much fewer than most people think.

Serving Suggestions

These gochujang chicken bowls are a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. It can be enjoyed on its own or adapted to suit your personal calorie or macro needs. For example:

To make it higher in protein, add an additional 1/2 pound of chicken thighs to the recipe.
To make it lower in fat, swap the chicken thighs for chicken breast or lean ground chicken.
To make it lower in carbs, swap the white rice for cauliflower rice.
To make it higher in fiber, swap the white rice for brown rice, and add some more high-fiber vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage.

Close up of gochujang chicken thighs on a bed of white rice with sliced carrots, cucumber, green onion, and sesame seeds in a dark grey bowl on a white background.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Once cooled, the chicken, rice, and extra sauce can be stored together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The veggies can be stored in a separate airtight container for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled, the chicken, rice, and extra sauce can be stored together in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. The veggies cannot be frozen.

To Reheat: Once thawed, the rice and chicken can be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warm. The veggies can be added to the bowls once reheated.

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