You’ll love this food, baked and tossed with a sweet, spicy, slightly funky sauce that makes this chicken gochujang addictive. The chicken bites are coated in cornstarch and baked until crispy without deep-frying.
This easy Korean gochujang chicken recipe has an easily adjustable heat level, so it’s perfect for spice lovers and is easy to make at home in less than 45 minutes.
This Korean Gochujang chicken recipe is baked, not fried, sweet and spicy, but not too spicy, and loaded with umami flavor that will have you making chicken gochujang over and over again. If you love discovering new flavors and adding spice to everyday staples like chicken, you will love these Crispy Baked Gochujang Chicken Bites.
Table Of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s quick and simple. This recipe comes together in about 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknights.
- It’s a crowd-pleaser. Get the flavors of take-out without the cost in this easy-to-double crowd-pleasing recipe.
- It’s sweet and spicy. The gochujang sauce has a heat level balanced by a sweetness that makes this chicken appealing.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Cut chicken breast into cubes. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Cornstarch: for dredging the chicken pieces.
- Seasoning: season the cornstarch with paprika, salt and ground black pepper.
- Eggs: Beat two room-temperature eggs and season with salt and pepper to coat the chicken pieces.
For the Gochujang sauce
- Gochujang: This popular Koren paste/sauce is sweet and spicy and can be found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store or in specialty markets.
- Sweeteners: Light brown sugar and honey provide a mild sweetness. If desired, use dark brown sugar and substitute the honey with agave or maple syrup.
- Soy Sauce: for a rich, umami falvor.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is mild and sweet. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: This nutty oil is used in many Asian recipes.
- Aromatics: Grated ginger and minced garlic provide aroma and flavor.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: For a little more heat. Omit for less spice.
- Sesame seeds and Chopped Green Onions: to garnish
How To Make Gochujang Chicken
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over a baking tray and keep it aside.
Cube and dredge the chicken.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and keep it aside.
- In a wide bowl, combine cornstarch, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Combine eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in another bowl.
- Add the chicken cubes and coat them well in the cornstarch mixture and then dip into the egg mixture and coat again with the cornstarch mixture.
- Shake off the excess flour and place it in the prepared baking tray.
Bake. Bake the chicken pieces for 20-25 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Prepare the Gochujang chicken sauce. Meanwhile, prepare the Gochujang sauce by combining the ingredients in a skillet; Gochujang, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat on medium for a couple of minutes.
- Toss chicken and sauce. Add the baked chicken bites to the sauce and toss along with the sauce.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish the Gochujang chicken with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve Gochujang chicken with rice while it is still warm.
Expert Tips
- Cut the chicken into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breast.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature, which will be easier to beat.
- Turn the chicken halfway through cooking.
- Cook the chicken on an oven-proof wire rack over a baking sheet for crispier pieces.
- For a thicker, stickier sauce, cook the sauce longer and let it reduce more.
- Toss the chicken with the sauce just before serving.
- You can also serve the sauce as a dip.
- Garnish with sesame seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is gochujang chicken spicy?
Yes. Gochujang paste has quite a bit of heat. You can lessen the heat by reducing the paste to ½ – 1 tablespoon to begin and adding more if you can handle the heat.
Can I use other chicken cuts?
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is convenient, affordable, and something most people keep on hand. If you prefer, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Where do I buy Gochujang paste?
Gochujang paste or sauce is a typical Korean condiment. It is sweet and spicy but also a little funky, thanks to the fermentation process used to make the sauce. Jars of the paste can be found in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores or in Asian markets or specialty stores.
How do I store and reheat Chicken Gochujang?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and consume them within four days. To reheat, use a skillet or heat in the oven. You can microwave the chicken, but it tends to become mushy.
Can I freeze Korean Gochujang Chicken?
Freeze the leftovers in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake until warmed through and crispy.
Best Gochujang Chicken Bites
Instructions
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken breast, cut into cubes
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 2 whole eggs
For the Gochujang sauce
- ¼ cup Gochujang sauce, sauce or paste
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, to garnish
- Chopped green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a parchment paper over a baking tray and keep it aside.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and keep it aside.
- In a wide bowl, combine cornstarch, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Combine eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in another bowl.
- Add the chicken cubes and coat them well in the cornstarch mixture and then dip into the egg mixture and coat again with the cornstarch mixture. Shake off the excess flour and place it in the prepared baking tray.
- Bake the chicken pieces for 20-25 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Gochujang sauce by combining the ingredients in a skillet; Gochujang, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat on medium for a couple of minutes.
- Add the baked chicken bites to the sauce and toss along with the sauce.
- Garnish the Gochujang chicken with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Serve Gochujang chicken with rice while it is still warm.
Notes
- Cut the chicken into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breast.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature, which will be easier to beat.
- Turn the chicken halfway through cooking.
- Cook the chicken on an oven-proof wire rack over a baking sheet for crispier pieces.
- For a thicker, stickier sauce, cook the sauce longer and let it reduce more.
- Toss the chicken with the sauce just before serving.
- You can also serve the sauce as a dip.
- Garnish with sesame seeds.
