Flavor-packed, spicy-sweet gochujang elevates a couldn’t-be-simpler, 30-minute chicken stir-fry. Gochujang is a fermented chili paste used widely in Korean cooking. Made the traditional way, it ferments in clay pots for months or years to create a concentrated paste with tremendous depth and complex chili heat.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” the complexly flavored Korean refrigerator staple is balanced by the pepperiness and pungency of ginger and garlic, plus a splash of salty soy sauce and a spoonful of sugar to round everything out.
Many brands of gochujang are available in the U.S., though quality varies widely. When shopping, start by reading the ingredient list. Traditional gochujang should contain little more than gochugaru (red chili flakes), glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt. The product’s label also should specify its heat level.
Cooking the chicken on on each side creates deeply flavorful browning, so resist the urge to flip it more than once or stir it in the pan. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with steamed rice and a chilled beer.
Stir-Fried Gochujang Chicken
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
¼ cup gochujang
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 tablespoons neutral oil
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce and sugar; set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Reduce to medium, then flip the chicken and cook without stirring until browned on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the gochujang mixture and cook, scraping up any browned bits and occasionally turning the chicken, until the sauce has thickened lightly and coats the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
Optional garnish: Toasted sesame seeds OR sliced scallions OR both.