Creamy Gochujang Chicken Rice Bowls Recipe
Crispy ground chicken served with fluffy jasmine rice and a creamy, spicy gochujang broth. This bowl delivers a harmonious blend of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors with a rich, silky broth enhanced by caramelized chicken bits, finished with sesame seeds and a refreshing cucumber-avocado salad for texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Rice
- 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1.1 pounds ground chicken
- 3 garlic cloves – grated
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 scallions – chopped, white and green parts separated
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Sauce and Broth
- 2 tbsp gochujang sauce (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
Garnish and Serving
- Sesame seeds – for serving
- Cucumber-avocado salad (optional, served on the side)
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Boil the jasmine rice following the package directions until fluffy and tender, then set aside.
- Prepare Aromatics: Grate the garlic and ginger. Chop the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate for layering of flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ground chicken and break it into small pieces. Cook until it starts to brown and crisp around the edges.
- Add Flavorings to Chicken: Stir in the grated garlic, ginger, the white parts of scallions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Cook everything together for 2 minutes to integrate flavors.
- Crisp the Chicken: Add the green parts of the scallions and continue cooking until the chicken is deeply browned and crisp. Transfer the chicken to a bowl, cover, and set aside to maintain crispness.
- Cook Gochujang: In the same skillet, add the gochujang sauce and cook for about 30 seconds to mellow its raw flavor and deepen its aroma.
- Make the Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream while scraping up all the browned bits from the skillet bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 3 minutes to thicken slightly and develop flavor.
- Assemble the Bowl: Divide the cooked rice equally among serving bowls. Pour the creamy gochujang broth over the rice, then top with the crispy chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve alongside a refreshing cucumber-avocado salad.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately for the best balance of crispy chicken, silky broth, and fluffy rice.
Notes
- To keep chicken crispy, remove it from the skillet after browning and add it back only when assembling the bowls.
- Cook gochujang before adding liquid to eliminate its raw edge and enhance complexity.
- Scrape browned bits from the skillet when adding broth to maximize flavor.
- Control spiciness by adjusting gochujang quantity between 1 to 3 tablespoons depending on heat tolerance.
- For dairy-free option, substitute heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk for a slightly different but delicious broth.
- Ground pork, turkey, or beef can be used in place of chicken as alternatives.
- Serve over cauliflower rice or noodles if preferred instead of jasmine rice.
- Store rice, chicken, and broth separately for up to 2 days in airtight containers. Freeze chicken and broth up to 2 months.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with added splash of water or broth if necessary.
- Pour broth over rice just before serving to maintain brothy texture; prolonged sitting will soften the rice too much.
Keywords: gochujang chicken rice bowl, spicy chicken bowls, creamy gochujang broth, Korean-inspired rice bowl, sesame chicken, ground chicken recipe
