Chicken Rice Bowls with Sweet Gochujang Sauce
Published Oct 24, 2022•Updated Mar 16, 2025
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Chicken glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce is served over rice for these easy Chicken Rice Bowls. And if you’re wondering if this is family-friendly, just check out the reviews!
Amanda says: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “These were so good. I went a little bit lighter on a spicy ingredients and a little heavier on the sweet ingredients to accommodate some of my spice sensitive kids and they absolute loved it!”
I might go out on a limb and say that the sauce on the these chicken rice bowls is one of my absolute favorites. It’s simple, has a beautiful glossy red color, and this great balance of sweet, spicy, and savory that is absolutely perfect with roasted chicken. Chicken rice bowls are a perfect DIY dinner. Set out all of the components – tender flavorful chicken, cooked rice, tangy cucumber salad, and extra sauce – and let everyone build their own bowl.
If you’re looking for more chicken and rice combo meals, you might also love Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry, Kung Pao Chicken Meatballs, or Sticky Cashew Chicken. (Come to think of it, this combination produces some of my favorite meals. 😍)
How to Make Chicken Rice Bowls
- Bake chicken. The first step is to spread the chicken out on a foil-lined sheet pan, drizzle with oil, and then season with some salt and pepper. Bake at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Make sauce – Simmer all of the sauce ingredients – water, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, Gochujang, and ginger. Stir in a cornstarch-water mixture to thicken the sauce.
- Make marinated cucumbers – Mix cucumbers with apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil, green onions, sesame seeds, and some salt.
- Glaze chicken. When the chicken is cooked through, brush it with a small amount of sauce and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, just to glaze the chicken with sauce. Slice or chop the gochujang chicken thighs.
- Build bowls. Divide cooked rice between bowls and top with chicken, sauce, and cucumbers.
- Enjoy!
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Ingredients
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this recipe because they’re easy to bake without overcooking. Chicken breasts will work too, but keep an eye on them – they will likely cook faster than thighs, depending on how thick they are.
- Salt and Pepper – To season the chicken before it’s cooked and to season the cucumbers.
- Sauce – The sauce for this dish is a combination of ketchup, soy sauce, honey, Gochujang Sauce, ginger, and cornstarch to thicken. It is sweet, savory, and a little bit spicy. Don’t skip the ginger if you can help it – it adds a lot of flavor. You can use brown sugar or maple syrup instead of honey if you prefer.
- Cucumbers – Chop the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces, almost like you’re making a salsa.
- Apple Cider Vinegar, Toasted Sesame Oil, and Salt – Common ingredients for marinating the cucumbers. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use rice vinegar instead.
- Green Onions and White Sesame Seeds – For adding flavor to the cucumbers.
- Rice – Serve the bowls white rice or brown rice. Other cooked grains like quinoa would also be great.
- Cooking Oil – Any neutral oil will work here. I keep avocado oil on-hand for using in weeknight recipes like this.
Recipe Shortcuts
- Use chicken tenders. Either pre-cooked or raw chicken works great. See below for details.
- Use pre-cooked rice. Pre-cooked rice (I find in the freezer section) saves time and dishes. This recipe is great with white, brown, or Jasmine rice.
- Simplify the cucumbers. Feel free to skip the green onions and sesame seeds to make the cucumbers.
- Use store-bought sauce. Skip the homemade sauce and use any store-bought sweet and spicy Asian-style sauce.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian. This is a great recipe to serve to people with multiple diet preferences. Use tofu instead of the Gochujang chicken.
- Add kimchi. Kimchi adds a great extra layer of flavor and texture to the bowls.
- Make it gluten-free. There are gluten-free Gochujang options, so use one if you can find it. If not, another gluten-free hot sauce will work. Substitute gluten-free Tamari for the soy sauce.
- Make it low-carb. Try serving these in lettuce leaves / lettuce cups instead of over rice.
Use Chicken Tenders – Crispy or Not
A great variation on these bowls is to use chicken tenders. The first option is to buy the raw, pre-sliced chicken tenders and bake them according to the recipe directions (they will cook in about 15 minutes, brush them with sauce in the last couple minutes of cooking).
OR, try this! Frozen, breaded chicken tenders work great too. Just cook them according to the package directions and brush them with the Gochujang glaze in the last couple minutes of cooking. It makes these like Korean Fried Chicken Bowls!
FAQs
Yes! This is a great make ahead meal. Just reheat the rice, chicken, and sauce before serving. The cucumbers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and served cold.
Absolutely. Tofu would work great for a vegetarian option (slice it into thin “steaks”). Salmon would also be fantastic and would cook in much less time, closer to 10 minutes at 425°F.
I would call it moderately spicy. My kids have a decent (though kid-level) spice tolerance and they can eat this sauce. Much of it will depend on the variety of Gochujang Sauce you purchase. Many brands made in the U.S. are quite mild, but varieties made in Korea will likely be more intensely spicy. You can always start on the low end with the Gochujang Sauce measurement and taste the sauce as you go. You can also serve Gochujang Sauce alongside the finished meal so spice-lovers can add more.
Absolutely! Cook the chicken thighs according to the instructions for your air fryer. Brush them with sauce in the last minute or two of cooking.
Definitely. Use a gas or charcoal grill to cook the chicken, brushing it with sauce in the last minute or two of cooking.
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Chicken Rice Bowls with Sweet Gochujang Sauce
Equipment
- Half Sheet Pan
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Rice Bowls:
- 1 pound cucumbers, chopped
- 2 stalks green onions/scallions, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil, like grapeseed, avocado or olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- cooked rice, for serving
Sauce:
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons water, divided
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1–2 Tablespoons Gochujang Sauce (see note)
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (this will make clean-up easier).
- Set chicken thighs out on the baking sheet and drizzle with cooking oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes (internal temperature of 165°F).
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cucumbers, green onions, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt. Let the cucumbers marinate while you make the sauce.
- In a large saucepan combine 3/4 cup water, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, Gochujang sauce, and ginger. Bring to a simmer. When the sauce is simmering, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and stir until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- When the chicken is cooked through, brush it generously with 1/3 cup of the sauce and return it to the oven. Cook just for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the sauce becomes a glaze on the top of the chicken. (Note: Because the sauce contains honey, any that drips off of the chicken may burn on the foil of the pan.)
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice it into strips.
- Assemble the bowls with a base of rice. Top the rice with chicken, sauce, and cucumber salad. You can sprinkle some extra sesame seeds over top before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were so good. I went a little bit lighter on a spicy ingredients and a little heavier on the sweet ingredients to accommodate some of my spice sensitive kids and they absolute loved it!
Love that you can accommodate the kiddos!