Description
This Korean Spicy Chicken Stir Fry is a fiery and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs marinated in a vibrant gochujang-based sauce, stir-fried with crisp vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and onions. Perfectly balanced with a blend of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors, it’s an easy-to-make meal that delivers authentic Korean taste in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, optional)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp non-alcoholic sweet cooking liquid (apple juice or 1 tsp sugar/honey)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sugar or honey (if not used above)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cabbage (Napa or green), cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
- 3 green onions (scallions), white and light green parts separated from dark green tops, chopped
Cooking and Garnish
- 1-2 tbsp neutral cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or grapeseed)
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs completely dry and cut them into uniform 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Make Marinade: In a medium bowl, combine gochujang, gochugaru (if using), soy sauce, your sweet cooking liquid (apple juice or sugar/honey), sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, sugar (if needed), and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and vibrant red.
- Marinate Chicken: Add chicken pieces to the marinade and toss until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare Vegetables: While chicken marinates, thinly slice onion, chop cabbage into 1-inch squares, julienne or thinly slice carrots, and separate and chop green onions into white/light green parts and dark green tops.
- Heat Pan and Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil. Once hot, add the marinated chicken in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until browned and mostly cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Cook Vegetables: Add more oil if needed. Add sliced onions and carrots to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Then add cabbage and the white/light green parts of the green onions and stir-fry another 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Combine Chicken and Vegetables: Return chicken to the pan with vegetables. Toss to combine and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and sauce coats everything well.
- Finish and Garnish: Remove from heat, garnish with the dark green parts of the green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve: Serve immediately with steamed white rice for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for longer than 30 minutes enhances flavor but avoid exceeding 2 hours to prevent the marinade’s acidity from making the chicken mushy.
- Adjust spiciness by varying the amount of gochujang and gochugaru according to your heat preference.
- For added depth, consider adding a splash of rice vinegar or a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil at the end of cooking.
- This dish pairs well with steamed jasmine or short-grain rice.
- If unavailable, substitute gochugaru with red chili flakes but reduce quantity for milder heat.
