Gochujang Ginger Garlic Chicken has quickly become an everyday favourite in my home. This dish is not only quick and easy, but it is packed with flavour that satisfies every taste bud. It is centered around gochujang, a thick red chilli paste. And the flavours of this condiment are a perfect mix of sweet, savoury, and spicy.
Gochujang
Gochujang is a Korean condiment that brings a unique flavour palette. The spiciness of the paste comes from the dried chillies, specifically gochugaru (dried chilli powder). You can always check the packaging, as often times the spice levels vary and are labelled as such on the packaging. The spiciness of the chillies are counteracted by the subtle notes of sweetness in the paste that comes from the fermentation process, wherein the starches from the rice convert to sugar over the several years it takes to ferment. The intricacies of all these ingredients balance each other to create gochujang- which is often a staple in Korean cooking.
Ginger and Garlic
Two commonly used ingredients in Asian cooking is ginger and garlic. They help bring out the flavours of other ingredients in the dish, as well as act as vital components to bring the dish together as a whole. I often use a grater to finely grate the cloves of garlic and ginger for this dish as it allows for seamless integration with the sauce.
And a tip to ensure you are preserving your ginger- I tend to freeze my ginger and take it out a few minutes before cooking prep. That way the ginger stays fresh for longer and I’m still able to easily grate it for use in the dish.
Cornstarch and Wok
Tossing the chicken in cornstarch allows for a crispy chicken dish because when the cornstarch covered chicken is placed in the sizzling hot wok, the high heat crisps up the chicken and creates a delicious outer layer.
I typically heat my wok on high heat and once the wok starts smoking, I will reduce the heat to medium, add oil and then add the chicken for shallow frying.
I use a carbon steel wok that is ideal for most pan-, deep-, and stir-frying. When adding the sauce after crisping up the chicken, I ensure that I frequently stir and reduce to low/medium heat to prevent the sauce from burning and anything from sticking to the wok.
Served Best With Rice
I typically serve this dish with rice. The light airiness of the rice, along with its fluffiness allows for it to soak up the sauce readily. The rice itself is plenty flavourful and aromatic, and delicious on its own as well. While I prefer jasmine rice with this dish, short or medium grain rice that are of sticker consistency also make a great pairing.
Perfect Work Lunch
My husband has always enjoyed Korean dishes, and this was one of the first dishes I experimented with. Every week I’d make a variation of this dish for his work lunch, and he absolutely loved it. I recently felt as though I had perfected the recipe and I’ve included it for you to try out as well.
Storage and Reheating
If stored in a tightly sealed container in the fridge, this dish can be enjoyed readily over the next few days. I personally enjoy the dish best as leftovers the next day, either by reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or on a pan on low-medium heat.
Ingredients
-250g of chicken breast
-2 tsp salt
-1 tsp black pepper
-2 tbsp cornstarch
For Sauce
-1 tbsp Gochujang
-2 tbsp light soy sauce
-1 tsp Gochugaru
-2 tsp sesame oil
-1 tsp mirin
-4 cloves garlic (minced/grated)
-1 tbsp ginger (minced/grated)
-2 tsp brown sugar
-3 tbsp water
Method
1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Toss the chicken in cornstarch
4. Make sauce by combining Gochujang, light soy sauce, Gochugaru, sesame oil, mirin, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and water
5. Shallow fry the chicken using wok on medium/high heat
6. Remove chicken from wok
7. Add sauce and cook on low/medium heat for 1-2 minutes
8. Add chicken back into wok and toss with sauce
9. Serve with rice