Honey Gochujang Chicken with Homemade Pickles
Honey Gochujang Chicken with Homemade Pickles
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, enough to coat
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
For the Pickles
- 1 cucumber, large, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch salt
For Serving (Optional)
- 4 cups white rice, cooked
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Pickles: Thinly slice the large cucumber into rounds. Place the sliced cucumbers into a jar. Add the 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves to the jar. Pour in 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup hot water, and a pinch of salt. Close the jar and gently shake to combine all ingredients. Set aside to pickle for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the Chicken: Cut the 1 pound of chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken pieces into a bowl. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to the chicken and toss thoroughly to ensure all pieces are evenly coated.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Prepare the Sauce: In a separate medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1/4 cup of honey, and 2 teaspoons of mirin. Grate the 2 garlic cloves directly into the sauce mixture. Stir all sauce ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. You may need to cook the chicken in batches. Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown and crispy on all sides and cooked through.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Combine Chicken and Sauce: Once all the chicken is cooked, return all chicken pieces to the pan (if cooked in batches). Pour the prepared honey gochujang sauce directly into the pan with the chicken. Toss the chicken with the sauce until every piece is thoroughly coated and the sauce has slightly thickened and caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Serve: Serve the honey gochujang chicken immediately over a bed of cooked white rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired. Serve the homemade pickles on the side.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Honey Gochujang Chicken with Homemade Pickles
For the Chicken
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, enough to coat
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
For the Pickles
- 1 cucumber, large, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch salt
For Serving (Optional)
- 4 cups white rice, cooked
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Pickles: Thinly slice the large cucumber into rounds. Place the sliced cucumbers into a jar. Add the 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves to the jar. Pour in 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup hot water, and a pinch of salt. Close the jar and gently shake to combine all ingredients. Set aside to pickle for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the Chicken: Cut the 1 pound of chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken pieces into a bowl. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to the chicken and toss thoroughly to ensure all pieces are evenly coated.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Prepare the Sauce: In a separate medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1/4 cup of honey, and 2 teaspoons of mirin. Grate the 2 garlic cloves directly into the sauce mixture. Stir all sauce ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. You may need to cook the chicken in batches. Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown and crispy on all sides and cooked through.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Combine Chicken and Sauce: Once all the chicken is cooked, return all chicken pieces to the pan (if cooked in batches). Pour the prepared honey gochujang sauce directly into the pan with the chicken. Toss the chicken with the sauce until every piece is thoroughly coated and the sauce has slightly thickened and caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Serve: Serve the honey gochujang chicken immediately over a bed of cooked white rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired. Serve the homemade pickles on the side.