This is my healthy take on gochujang chicken that is sticky, sweet, spicy and savory. It naturally sweetened and made with chicken breast and baked on a sheet pan in the oven, all in under 25 minutes.
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The Star Ingredient
Gochujang often comes in a red rectangular tub. Sometimes there is a spice level indicator on the packaging to give you an idea of how hot it is and sometimes there isn't. Here's the one I bought recently which doesn't have a spice rating.
So, What's it taste like?
Gochujang, is a Korean chili paste and its spicy and savory and adds lots of flavor and richness, especially to chicken! A tub of this stuff lasts ages in the fridge and you only need a small amount when using it with other ingredients to make a sauce. I use this in my Korean Gochujang Prawns recipe and both these pair well with my kimchi noodle salad!
Spicy chicken dishes are one of my favorites and this one doesn't disappoint. It also under 400 calories per serve, including jasmine rice.
Recipe Highlights
- Its sweet, spicy and savory all in one
- This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make
- No Deep Frying, no excessive oil, no honey or sugar!
- Its baked in the oven - pop it into the oven and set the timer!
- Just add more gochujang if you like it extra spicy!
Ingredients
Where to find gochujang paste? it is usually in the Asian aisle of most major supermarkets.
Is it hot? If I were to compare sriracha to a classic gochujang (that doesn't have a spice rating) I'd say the sriracha is hotter!
While using gochujang on its own isn't really my thing, making it into a sauce with a little garlic, black pepper and sweetener is pretty hard to resist. The gochujang has sweet, spicy, and savory vibes, while the garlic adds an earthiness. If you aren't into garlic, you can use grated ginger instead.
And then there's the sugar-free maple syrup…It adds the sweetness without the sugar.
How To Make
- Prepare and Cook Chicken: Cut chicken in bites, place in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and cornstarch. Toss to cover the chicken. Place on the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Shake the baking tray to coat the chicken with oil. Transfer to a preheated HOT oven and cook for 15 minutes, checking and turning halfway.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, stir honey, minced garlic and chili paste together. Drizzle on the chicken. Toss with a spoon. Cook chicken for 5 more minutes and remove from heat.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with green onions, and serve with your favorite rice, fried cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Top Tip
Everyone has a different tolerance for sweetness and heat, so I recommend to taste test the sauce mixture before putting it onto the chicken. This will tell you whether you need more sweetness or more heat and you can adjust accordingly.
Typically gochujang chicken is deep fried in oil, or the sauce includes loads of brown sugar or honey, or even both. This recipe is naturally sweetened with zero calorie maple syrup. Its one of the ways I manage to make healthy Asian takeout dishes without all the sugar. Monkfruit Maple Syrup is my go to syrup for sauces!
The unique thing about this sweet and spicy gochujang chicken, aside from it being sugar free is that its oven baked on a sheet pan. Whilst this dish is often made like a stir fry, this is a lower effort version! No need to stand at the stove, stirring and keep watch. After 5 minutes of prep, I load it into the oven, set the timer and come back when its ready.
Healthy Gochujang Chicken Bites
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 500 grams /1 Pound Boneless and Skinless chicken breast
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup Sugar free maple syrup - 2.02 oz | 60 ml
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang
Garnish and serving
- ¼ cup Green Onions - sliced
- 4 cups Jasmine rice, cooked
Instructions
- Prepare and Cook Chicken: Cut chicken in bites, place in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and cornstarch. Toss to cover the chicken. Place on the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Shake the baking tray to coat the chicken with oil. Transfer to a preheated HOT oven and cook for 15 minutes, checking and turning halfway.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, stir honey, minced garlic and chili paste together. Drizzle on the chicken. Toss with a spoon. Cook chicken for 5 more minutes and remove from heat.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with green onions, and serve with your favorite rice, fried cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
Common Questions
Yes, cook the chicken pieces in a wok/pan for a few minutes, then add the sauce and cook for an few more minutes until is reduces slightly.
I find it to be a medium level of heat.
Yes, if using chicken thigh, I recommend skinless and chopped into bite sized pieces. The cooking time may be a little more as the meat will be thicker.
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