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Skillet Night
Asian 3 min read

Gochujang Chicken Skillet

Gochujang chicken skillet sears boneless chicken in a spicy-sweet Korean chile glaze with broccoli in about 25 minutes. Fast Asian weeknight dinner.

Gochujang Chicken Skillet

Gochujang is the jar in the international aisle that turns plain chicken into sticky, spicy-sweet weeknight food. This skillet sears bite-size chicken, then coats it in a quick glaze of gochujang, soy, honey, and garlic while broccoli steams in the same pan.

Rice on the side is optional but smart — the sauce is bold and wants something to soak it up. Dinner is ready in about 25 minutes.

Ingredients

Chicken and sauce

  • 1¼ lb (567 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (canola or avocado)
  • 3 cups (270 g) broccoli florets
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, optional
  • 3 Tbsp (45 g) gochujang
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey or brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water (for thinning sauce)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, optional
  • Cooked white or brown rice, for serving

Method

  1. Pat chicken dry; season with salt and pepper. Whisk gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.
  2. Heat neutral oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer; sear 3–4 minutes without stirring, then toss 2–3 minutes until browned and nearly cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Add broccoli and 2 Tbsp water to the skillet; cover 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Uncover; push broccoli to the sides.
  4. Add garlic and ginger if using; cook 30 seconds. Return chicken and juices. Pour in the gochujang sauce; toss 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything and chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
  5. Off heat, scatter green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Cook's note

Gochujang brands vary in heat and salt. Start with 2 Tbsp if your jar is fiery, then taste and add more. Mild gochujang still gives deep flavor without scorching the skillet.

What to serve with it

Steamed rice, quick cucumber salad, or bagged coleslaw with rice vinegar. Kimchi on the side if you keep a jar in the fridge.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Cut chicken and whisk sauce up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate separately. Leftovers keep 3–4 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water so the glaze loosens. Freeze cooked chicken (without broccoli) up to 2 months.

Troubleshooting

**Sauce too thick?** Splash in water 1 Tbsp at a time. **Too spicy?** Stir in more honey and serve with extra rice and cucumber. **Chicken pale?** Pan was not hot enough — wait for shimmering oil and avoid crowding.