I shared a super easy one pan meal last year, and it quickly became a reader favorite weeknight dinner.
These one pan gochujang chicken bowls take just 30 minutes to make and are seriously packing the flavor. All you have to do is whisk up that sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, stir fry your veggies and ground chicken, and simmer it all together until it’s nice and saucy and delicious.
A few mix-ins and garnishes like fresh basil and cashews take this meal to the next level. I love serving it with fluffy rice, but I included tons of options below. Get ready for this to be your dinner staple if it isn’t already!
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What is gochujang?
If you’ve never cooked with gochujang before, get excited because it’s SUCH an amazing flavor add-in. Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste that’s sweet, spicy, and savory all at the same time. It’s perfect for sauces, marinades, and more!
Everything you’ll need to make these gochujang chicken bowls
Get ready for a lick-the-plate delicious, sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, protein-packed chicken, stir fried veggies, and plenty of beautiful garnishes. Here’s what you’ll need to make these chicken bowls:
- For the sauce: you’ll whisk together water, low sodium soy sauce, gochujang, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar (or coconut sugar), freshly grated ginger and garlic, and a little arrowroot starch or cornstarch to help the sauce thicken up.
- Veggies: we’re adding garlic, green onion, and bell pepper for a boost of veggies.
- Chicken: you’ll need some lean ground chicken in this recipe. See below for even more options!
- Mix-ins: I love mixing in roasted cashews and fresh basil for extra texture and flavor.
- To garnish: top your bowl with toasted sesame seeds, reserved scallions (the green part from your green onion!) and extra fresh basil.
Make these chicken bowls your own
These sweet and spicy basil chicken bowls are great for customizing to your taste preferences (and using what you have on hand):
- Pick your protein: feel free to use ground turkey in this recipe, or add in some cooked, cubed chicken instead of ground chicken. Simply cube your chicken, then cook in sesame oil over medium heat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl and keep the heat in the skillet to cook your veggies. Add the chicken back to your skillet with the cooked veggies before you add the sauce!
- Choose veggies: I think broccoli, green beans, snow peas, or even spinach would be great in this dish.
- Add a kick of heat: if you love extra spice like I do, use 3 tablespoons of gochujang instead of 2!
Can I make it vegan or vegetarian?
Sure! Simply swap the ground chicken for a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas, or crumble extra firm tofu and cook it the same way you do with the ground chicken.
Keep it paleo-friendly
These gochujang chicken bowls are also paleo-friendly! Simply use coconut sugar and arrowroot starch, and serve with cauliflower rice or extra veggies instead of regular rice or noodles.
Our favorite ways to serve these basil chicken bowls
Feel free to serve these chicken bowls with:
- White or brown rice
- My famous coconut rice
- Fluffy quinoa
- Cauliflower rice
- Rice or ramen noodles
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: store any leftover gochujang chicken and vegetables in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze & reheat: let the chicken and veggies cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight glass container or reusable silicone bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the meal in the fridge and then reheat everything on the stovetop. I recommend waiting to cook your rice (if using) until you’re ready to eat the chicken bowls!
More one pan meals you’ll love
- Sheet Pan Herby Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes
- One Pan Southwest Chicken and Rice Fajita Skillet
- One Pan Sazon Skillet Chicken
- 30-Minute Sesame Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry
- Sheet Pan Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower
Get all of my one pan meals here!
I hope you love these sweet and spicy gochujang chicken bowls! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
- 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
- 1 pound lean ground chicken (or turkey)
- ⅓ cup roasted or toasted cashews
- ½ cup fresh Thai basil or sweet basil, torn
- To garnish:
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Reserved scallions (green part only)
- Extra fresh torn basil
- For serving:
- Cooked white or brown rice
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, soy sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and arrowroot starch (or cornstarch). Set aside.
- Cook the chicken and vegetables: Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add in scallion (white part only), peppers and garlic and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, then move peppers to the sides of the pan and add in the ground chicken. Quickly begin to break up the meat and cook, until it is no longer pink, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in sauce: Once meat is cooked, turn heat to low and add in the roasted cashews and the sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes more to allow flavors to develop and sauce to thicken up. Remove from heat and stir in basil, or reserve the basil for garnishing (up to you!)
- Garnish and serve: Serve warm in shallow bowls over rice of choice and garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onion (green part only) and a little extra torn basil.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on February 20th, 2024, and republished on May 12th, 2025.
This is so good! Quick and easy. It was so nice to have a nourishing lunch in the newborn trenches. I added spinach to it as well. Definitely will be making it again!!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed (and I totally relate to being in the newborn trenches!)
Amazing flavor. One of my family’s favorite meal
So happy to hear that!
Would tamari work as a sub for soy sauce?
Yes!
So fast and easy to make, delicious and healthy!
Absolutely!
Delicious 🙂 and great leftovers
Absolutely 🙂
This only took 30 minutes start to finish and turned out delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Easy and delicious! Glad you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious and so easy! 10/10
We really enjoyed this! I served it with rice and steamed broccoli. I only used two Tbsp of Gochujang because a teen who doesn’t love spicy foods. It still had a little zing and good flavor. I will definitely make it again.
Perfect! Glad it was a hit!
This was delicious and very easy. Followed the recipe as written but also added mushrooms. The flavor is great – it’s a great meal and I will definitely make this one again
Great idea to add mushrooms! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I loved this!! Made exactly as written except used raw cashews and it was wonderful. So flavorful! Thank you for an amazing recipe
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Wow! It’s hard to find a word to describe this meal. Sweet and spicy and so full of flavor. Who needs take out when you can make it better at home! 10/10. Caution.. it is a little spicy. Leave this recipe for the adults.
So glad you loved this one!
One of my favourite recipes ever! Saved in the vault as an easy, super flavourful weeknight meal. It was simple but definitely not boring. Will make again and again! Perfect for meal prep.
So happy to hear that! It’s one of my favs, too 🙂
This was just sooooo good. Definitely a keeper. I didn’t have the thai basil or the scallions but did add broccoli. Husband loved it and asked when I was going to make it again. Monique, another winner!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
Everyone loved this but me! Haha the flavor was good but I made it a little too spicy for my taste. However it was great for everyone else. I used chicken breasts diced small because I didn’t have any ground chicken. And I made a separate batch of tofu with the sauce for my vegan daughter. It was a hit all around but my mouth is on 🔥.
Feel free to reduce the gochujang next time! That will help 🙂
Daughter in law made this last night. Out of this world.
5 star for me!
Absolutely incredible will make this on going loved the sweet and spicy was perfectly balanced
So delicious! Glad you enjoyed!
My daughter is an elite athlete and this is one of her favorites! Easy to make on those busy week day nights and full of protein and good carbohydrates!
So happy to hear that! This is perfect after a long practice or game 🙂
Made this tonight and declared it a keeper! Used 3Tb of gochujang and that added quite a kick. Subbed chicken thighs (cut into bite size pieces) for ground chicken, marinated it in the sauce while I prepped everything else. Was definitely light on chicken (I don’t think my pack was a full lb) so added broccoli. Served with cauli rice. No cashews so topped with chopped peanuts. Yum yum yum.
Delicious! Glad you enjoyed!
You deserve a 2025 review for this one – it’s fantastic!! My husband and I are on a gochujang kick lately, and both loved this. We will absolutely repeat. We went a little ham on the basil, and used peanuts instead of cashews because that’s what we had around. Thank you!
So good!! One of our all-time favs 🙂 thanks for your note!
Reminded me of PFChangs lettuce wraps. Everyone loved the recipe. Thank you
Exactly!! Glad these bowls were a hit!
Absolutely yummy! Was a bit time consuming but worth it! I added fresh chopped cilantro and squeezed half a lime over it😋!
So happy you loved it!
This recipe is delicious !!!!!!
Delicious. I used the left overs for lettuce cups.
Love that idea!!
This was really good! I used cilantro instead of basil because that’s all I had and I put carrots in and it was delicious! It got the thumbs up from the whole family and was put one the “make again “ list!
Perfect! Glad to hear it was a hit 🙂
Very tasty! Only change I made is that I started by frying some chopped regular onion (because I only had 1 spring onion) also I reduced the soy sauce by half to 1/8 cup. Super dish that I will certainly make again! Thank you!!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Really great flavor! My sauce never really thickened up and was way too watery, Next time e I will drain the meat before adding the sauce and that should help. This recipe was easy and I will ne trying it again!
Yes let me know if that helps! Glad you enjoyed regardless!
This is amazing. We’ve made this a coupes times in the last month and tweaked the amount of gochujang to suit our tastebuds. With 1 Tbs, it was perfect for our 4 year old who gobbled it up. We will be making this again soon. Also nice how quickly it comes together on a weeknight
Love it! One of our fav weeknight meals, too 🙂
This was excellent! Made it for dinner tonight and it was highly approved by all, even my picky teenagers! It’s quick and easy to make after a busy workday. Will definitely add this to my rotation.
So happy to hear that!
This was great! I used almonds instead of cashews and regular onion instead of green onions. We don’t like too much heat so I used 2 tablespoons of the koguchang and it was just right. I will definitely add some broccoli next time for extra veggies
Perfect! Great idea to add veggies 🙂
Hi. Really want to try this recipe but not very keen on the gochujang sauce and kiddos either. Is there any substitute for the gochujang sauce.
Thanks
Hi! I tested this recipe specifically for gochujang, so I wouldn’t suggest swapping it out. Feel free to try this stir fry instead!
Okay yumm!! I did udon noodles with this and it was so delicious, perfect kick of spicy and sweet, will be on dinner rotation for sure 🙂
Love that! Great idea to use udon 🙂
I used chicken breasts instead of ground chicken (just misread the recipe) -followed everything else to a T but for some reason I didn’t find this very flavourful. I don’t taste any of the garlic or ginger or brown sugar, just the gochujang comes through – which I reduced to 2 tbsp because some crazy people in my family don’t like anything too hot or spicy). I don’t think the chicken would change the taste of the sauce but you never know. I may try again with the ground chicken but add in more brown sugar and ginger, that may do the trick.
So strange! I’m not sure how the flavors didn’t come through. How did you cook the chicken breast? The sauce may just work better with ground meat as it simmers in it and gets in every bite.
I made a double batch of this tonight and served over rice. Mixed in some yogurt in my kids’ portions so they could handle the spice , and my husband and I loved it. I added extra peppers and a zucchini for more veggies
The perfect dinner!!
Very yummy sauce. I made this tonight, added broccoli that needed to be used, and added red curry paste in lieu of gochujang and it turned out great. This recipe will be saved to be used again!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
Make this!! Absolutely delicious. My family loved it. Wish I would have doubled the recipe. I normally tweak recipes, but not this one! Excellent!
Love that! Great idea to double it next time 🙂
I have made this recipe multiple times and figured I was due for a review! This is an absolute favorite for me — It is easy, quick, absolutely delicious, makes great leftovers, and is easy to bring to work for lunch. I pair this with the AK coconut rice and it tastes like something I would order from a restaurant. I can’t decide if I like this or the Sweet & Spicy Sesame Chicken Meatballs more!
Love that! Both of those recipes are a staple in our house, too 🙂
Excellent. Delicious. My 13 year olds eyes popped out of her head at first taste. I used ground turkey.
So good!! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂
Seriously great sauce. I added vegetables (broccoli and mushrooms) to make it more of a one dish meal and I only had regular onion, but it turned out GREAT. So quick and easy too.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
So good with that small kick of spice and the leftovers were almost even better!
Absolutely! One of our fav dinners 🙂
Absolutely delish! I wish I had doubled the recipe! Everyone wanted seconds (including my teenagers!). I added broccoli and it was perfect. Also, I was happy to find that Trader Joe’s had everything I needed for this recipe:)
Love that! Perfect dinner for the whole family 🙂
Made this just as written and used 2 T. gochujang. The next time I make it I will do the ingredient prep earlier in the day so I can just throw it all together at dinnertime. It was DELICIOUS!!
Great idea! Glad you enjoyed!