One Pot Gochujang Chicken & Rice — 490 Calories, 35 Minutes
April 13, 2026 · Plateful of Joy · 19 min read
One Pot Gochujang Chicken & Rice
Spicy, sticky, deeply flavourful — and better than any Korean takeout. One pan, 35 minutes, under 500 calories.
If you’ve ever ordered Korean fried chicken or a gochujang bowl from your favourite takeout spot, you know that flavour — sweet, spicy, sticky, with that deep umami kick that makes you scrape the bottom of the container. This one pot gochujang chicken rice recipe is now a weekly staple in thousands of Western & Asian kitchens — and once you make it, you’ll understand why. This one pot gochujang chicken and rice delivers exactly that, in your own kitchen, in 35 minutes.
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chilli paste that you can now find in most Walmart, Whole Foods, Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores — or on Amazon. It’s the secret to that bold, complex heat that tastes like it took hours. Combined with soy sauce, honey and garlic, it creates a sauce that coats every grain of rice.
💡 Why this works for busy weeknights: Everything cooks in one pot — the chicken, the sauce, and the rice all together. Less washing up, more flavour from the fond at the bottom of the pan.
Nutrition Per Serving
Values are estimates based on standard ingredients. Use our Recipe Calculator for your exact version.
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Calculate My Calories →Ingredients
All ingredients are available at Walmart, Whole Foods, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or on Amazon. See substitution table below if you can’t find something.
For the Chicken & Rice
For the Gochujang Sauce
CJ Haechandle Gochujang — Hot Pepper Paste (500g)
The most widely available gochujang brand in Western supermarkets and online. Mild enough for beginners, bold enough for flavour lovers. One tub lasts months.
Find on Amazon →*As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
How to Make One Pot Gochujang Chicken Rice
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar and gochugaru (if using). Set aside. The sauce should be thick, glossy and smell incredible.
Sear the chicken
Heat sesame oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Sear 3–4 minutes without moving until golden. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Don’t crowd the pan — work in batches if needed.
Add aromatics
Push chicken to the side. Add garlic and ginger to the centre of the pot. Cook 60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so they don’t burn.
Add sauce and rice
Pour the gochujang sauce over everything and stir to coat the chicken. Add rinsed rice and pour in chicken broth. Stir once to combine. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
Simmer covered
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and cook 18–20 minutes until rice has absorbed all the liquid. Do not lift the lid during this time!
Rest and serve
Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, taste and adjust seasoning. Top with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve straight from the pot.
✅ Pro tip: The bottom layer of rice will get slightly crispy — this is called nurungji in Korean and it’s the best part. Scrape it up and mix it through for extra texture.
Lodge 6-Quart Enamelled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Perfect for one-pot Asian recipes. Retains heat evenly so rice cooks perfectly without burning. Comes in 12 colours and lasts a lifetime. Our #1 recommended pot for this recipe.
Find on Amazon →*As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
One Pot Gochujang Chicken Rice — Swaps & Substitutions
Can’t find something? Here are tested swaps that work just as well.
| Original Ingredient | Easy Swap | Where to Find Original |
|---|---|---|
| Gochujang paste | Sriracha + 1 tsp white miso paste (mix together) | Walmart Asian aisle, Whole Foods, Amazon |
| Chicken thighs | Chicken breast (reduce cook time by 3 mins) or tofu | Any supermarket |
| Jasmine rice | Long grain white rice or basmati (adjust liquid by ¼ cup) | Any supermarket |
| Rice vinegar | Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar | Any supermarket |
| Sesame oil | Any neutral oil — but sesame adds huge flavour | Walmart, Whole Foods, Amazon |
| Gochugaru flakes | Red chilli flakes (use half the amount) | Amazon, Korean grocery stores |
🛒 Finding Asian ingredients at Western supermarkets: Look in the “International Foods” or “Asian Foods” aisle. Walmart, Kroger, Tesco and Sainsbury’s all stock gochujang, sesame oil and soy sauce. If not, Amazon delivers everything you need.
Made this with different ingredients?
Plug your exact quantities into our free Recipe Calculator to get the precise calorie and macro breakdown for your version.
Calculate My Version →Storage & Meal Prep
This recipe is fantastic for meal prep — the flavour actually deepens overnight as the gochujang continues to marinate the rice.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months
- Reheating: Add a splash of water or broth, microwave covered for 2 minutes, stir and heat for 1 more minute
- Meal prep tip: Make a double batch on Sunday — 8 portions of dinner done for the week
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