Description

Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Bowls feature tender ground chicken cooked with vibrant bell peppers and scallions in a bold, flavorful sauce made from gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Served over steamed rice and garnished with toasted sesame seeds, fresh basil, and scallions, this dish delivers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and umami with a satisfying crunch from toasted cashews.

Ingredients

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For the Sauce:

½ cup filtered water
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch

For the Chicken:

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts divided)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound lean ground chicken (or turkey)
⅓ cup roasted or toasted cashews
½ cup fresh Thai basil or sweet basil, torn

For Garnish:

Toasted sesame seeds
Reserved scallions (green part only)
Extra fresh torn basil

For Serving:

Cooked white or brown rice

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Instructions

Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the filtered water, low sodium soy sauce, gochujang, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and arrowroot starch or cornstarch until smooth. Set the sauce mixture aside to allow flavors to blend.
Cook the chicken and vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the white parts of the sliced scallions, chopped red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Push the peppers to the sides of the pan and add the ground chicken. Break up the meat quickly with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sauce: Reduce the heat to low and add the roasted cashews along with the prepared sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld. Remove from heat and stir in the torn basil leaves, or alternatively reserve some basil for garnishing later.
Garnish and serve: Serve the saucy chicken mixture warm in shallow bowls over cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, the green parts of the scallions, and extra torn basil for a fragrant and colorful finish.

Notes

To make these bowls vegetarian, substitute the ground chicken with a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas, or crumble extra firm tofu and cook it similarly.
For chicken breast instead of ground chicken, cube the breast and cook in sesame oil over medium heat seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove cooked chicken from the skillet, cook veggies as directed, then add the chicken back before adding the sauce.
See the full recipe post for additional tips, variations, and customization ideas.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1/4 of recipe with rice)
Calories: 420
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: thirty-five g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: thirty g
Cholesterol: 75 mg