Korean Chicken Rice Bowls
These Korean Chicken Rice Bowls take less than 15 minutes to make, so they’re a great option for quick weeknight meals or in the summertime when you want to limit having the stove on.
Lean ground chicken gets tons of flavor from Korean ingredients like gochujang, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and scallions. It’s flavor city!
I’m on a personal mission to love ground meat more.
(I know that sounds weird, but it’s true).
Ground meat has so many merits, yet admittedly it has never been a “cut” that excites me.
When I think ground meat, I primarily think of burgers, meatballs (or meatloaf), or ground beef tacos. And though I do like those dishes a lot, sometimes I get tired of them.
I’ve determined that succeeding in my mission really comes down to having a bigger collection of recipes that use ground meat, and this is a good one to add to the arsenal.
In some ways, I think ground meat needs to be treated like tofu. Meaning, it needs lots of flavor added to it.
People typically aren’t eating ground meat cooked in oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Rather, they’re eating it in a taco with tons of spices added to it, or in a burger that’s well-caramelized and paired in a bun with other ingredients.
This Korean chicken mixture has lots of different flavors added to it that make it umami, savory, a little sweet, and a little spicy. Then I like to add a little fresh shredded cucumber and steamed rice to add a veggie and a starch. Let me show you how to make it!
For the sauce, mix together soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes:
What is gochujang? It’s a Korean red chili paste condiment that’s savory, sweet, and spicy (though I’ve found that the spiciness really varies).
In terms of where to find gochujang, I’ve found that it has actually become pretty widely available. My local Whole Foods carries it and it’s also in most Asian sections of the grocery these days. It’s worth finding!
Whisk the sauce ingredients together to combine:
Next, cook one pound of lean ground chicken in a skillet for about 5 minutes, until cooked through, then add grated ginger, minced garlic, and scallions:
Stir it all around for one minute, to wake up the garlic and ginger.
Next add the sauce:
Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes:
Then it’s done!
It’s so easy.
To serve, I love pairing this with steamed rice and some shredded cucumber:
I use a mandolin to quickly shred the cucumber into small sticks.
The cucumber adds a nice freshness to offset the rich umami flavors in the meat and sauce. Don’t skip it!
You now have dinner on the table!
If you have leftovers, they will keep well for a few days. Enjoy!
Korean Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 pound 92% lean ground chicken
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 cucumber shredded
- steamed white rice for serving
Instructions
- Whisk to combine the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot, add the grapeseed oil and ground chicken. Use a spatula to break the meat up into small pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.
- Add the scallions, garlic and ginger to the pan, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the sauce to the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until it coats the ground meat well.
- Serve the chicken in bowls with the shredded cucumber and rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce: As made per the recipe, the meat mixture on it own is salty, but when eaten with the plain rice and plain cucumber, I find it works. If you’re concerned about salt, I suggest using a low-sodium soy sauce.
- What is gochujang? It’s a Korean red chili paste condiment that’s savory, sweet, and spicy (though I’ve found that the spiciness really varies).
- Where to find gochujang: I have found it in many Asian sections of the grocery store, and I know Whole Foods carries it.
- How to reheat this dish: Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, with a few tablespoons of water added, stirring often. Or microwave it.
- Storing leftovers: This dish will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, and reheats well.
- Freezing leftovers: The meat mixture and rice both freeze well, and will keep for 1-2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
29 Comments on “Korean Chicken Rice Bowls”
This was a great dish! We loved it.
Always delicious. I add broccoli roasted with salt, pepper, chili flakes/olive oil. Double the sauce.
This was so good! Quick and easy too. Can also be used as a base for kimchi fried rice by just adding the rice and some chopped kimchi to the pan at the very end.
this was amazing! the perfect amount of spice. I added about a cup of chopped up carrots that i put in a food processor (about 5-6 baby carrots) and also chopped up zucchini (1 zucchini). i had to double the sauce for the recipe because of the added veggies. I also pickled the cucumber (add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar , 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt) in a bowl with shredded cucumber..leave it in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Just made this with ground turkey and it was delicious. I had gochujang in a powder and skipped the cucumber- just can’t take the taste. So just paired this with cauliflower rice, and my boyfriend and I loved it! He likes spicy so he added chili sauce, so it can be adjusted. Thanks!
Thanks so much Joanne, I will definitely check that out. If I am in a bind, would Sriracha sauce work?
I think Sriracha in place of gochujang would not taste good, unfortunately. It’s typically best as a condiment. Good luck!
This is a great recipe Joanne! Thank you.
I’ve noticed that the gochujang has MSG in it. Is there anything else that I can substitute for gochujang? Would the garlic chili sauce that you find in Chinese grocery stores work?
thanks
Hi Michelle, if you get gochujang at places like Whole Foods or even a place with more options, there are many brands that do not have MSG. I definitely want to avoid that too! Garlic chili sauce is not an ideal substitute here, unfortunately. Hope that helps!
I made this 4 times (including tonight) & it always is fantastic! It’s a keeper. Thanks Joanne!
Hi Debra, that’s fantastic! So happy to hear it.
I love trying new ingredients to make a recipe have more flavor. I love korean steak bowls but we often buy ground beef/chicken/pork because its cheaper and goes farther with our family. I would love to try this out. Thanks for the introduction to the new ingredients!
Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this since it was posted. It is SO GOOD and I love how quick it is too. I printed out copies and sent them to all five of my sisters via snail mail. They enjoyed getting both mail and an awesome recipe!
That is so fantastic to hear!!! It’s such an easy one too. YAY!
This was my first time trying gochujang. What a great ingredient. This recipe was a hit!
This was delicious!! Already made it twice and shared the recipe and special ingredients with my son and daughter. Really a quick and healthy dinner that makes great leftovers
I finally decided on a small dice for the cucumber making it easy to fit on a spoon. This dish needs the cucumber to me.
Thanks for another great recipe!!
I found a Korean chili paste at my local grocery store. Is that the same as gochujang?
Hi Paige, it sounds like it probably is. Is it in a red plastic container?
My family LOVES dishes like this. Just printed this off!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was SO fabulous! And so quick! Husband and kids loved it; it’s definitely going into my permanent rotation. Thanks, Joanne!
I found some gochujang at Target. Reviewers said it wasn’t hot enough, and that’s how I knew it was the right one to ease myself into! LOL
Hi Jennifer! I’m so glad to hear that it was a hit with your family. YAY!!
I can’t wait to try those recipes