Gochujang chicken rice bowl

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 2
Dietary: Dairy-free Nut-free Pregnancy-friendly

A really easy, tasty dinner of spiced and tender chicken pieces with quick-pickled cucumber, rice and a moreish gochujang mayo.

Each serving provides 831 kcal, 45.4g protein, 55.1g carbohydrate (of which 12.3g sugars), 47.1g fat (of which 10.6g saturates), 1.8g fibre and 2.67g salt.

By Rachel Phipps

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Ingredients

For the gochujang mayo

2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1½ tsp gochujang
1½ tsp rice vinegar

For the quick pickled cucumber

1 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped into chunks
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp black sesame seeds
sea salt

For the gochujang chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
50g/1¾oz cornflour
¼ tsp salt

For the sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp gochujang
2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For the rice

120g/4¼oz cooked jasmine rice

Recipe tips

How-to videos

Method

To make the gochujang mayo, mix all the mayonnaise, gochujang and rice vinegar together in a small bowl and set aside.
To make the quick pickled cucumber, put the cucumber into a disposable freezer bag. Add the rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and a very generous pinch of sea salt, then tie a knot in the top of the bag. Use the heal of your hand to bash the cucumber into just larger than bite-sized chunks. Toss the bag to make sure the vinegar and salt soak into the cucumber, then set aside.
To make the gochujang chicken, put the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and the beaten egg. Sprinkle over half the cornflour, toss, then add the rest of the cornflour.
Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once it is shimmering, cook the chicken pieces, working in batches, until they’re cooked through and golden all over. Set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Meanwhile, cook the rice to the packet instructions.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl or jug whisk together the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Set aside.
Wipe the frying pan clean and return the chicken pieces over a high heat. Add the sauce and stir for a few minutes until it has thickened and coated the chicken.
Serve the chicken with the rice and cucumber salad (discarding the excess liquid in the bottom of the bag), drizzled generously with the gochujang mayo.