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Gochujang chicken with cabbage with chilli oil
youryum.com/recipes/gochujang-chicken-with-cabbage-with-chilli-oil · serves 4

Two kinds of chilli, used at different moments

The gochujang cooks into the chicken while chilli oil is saved for the table, so the heat stays fragrant instead of harsh.

  • High protein
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 13 July 2026
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Gochujang chicken with cabbage and sesame chilli oil
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Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Per serving
491kcal
Effort
Easy

Gochujang gives the chicken depth, but it is not the chilli flavour I want to taste last. A spoonful of chilli oil over the finished cabbage brings back the toasted, aromatic heat that cooking can mute.

Make the oil before you start. It takes two minutes, and the flakes soften while the chicken cooks. Use less than you think the first time; the gochujang is already doing some work.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Chicken

Chilli oil

To finish

Equipment

  • Wide frying pan with lid
  • Roasting tin
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Make the chilli oil

    Put the chilli flakes and sesame seeds in a heatproof bowl. Warm the neutral oil until it shimmers, then pour it over. Stir in the soy sauce and leave it to stand. It should smell toasted, not scorched.

  2. Marinate the chicken

    Mix the gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. Turn the chicken through it and leave for ten minutes while you prepare the pan.

  3. Sear the chicken

    Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in one layer and cook for six minutes, turning occasionally, until the paste darkens and the pieces are nearly cooked through.

    Watch the surface here rather than the clock. The cabbage should pick up dark edges, the chicken should look lacquered, and the liquid should move slowly when you tilt the pan. If the paste looks dry before those signs appear, add a spoonful of stock. If it looks loose after the chicken is done, lift the food out and reduce the liquid alone for a minute. The sesame chilli oil finish works best when the base is concentrated but still easy to spoon.

    Hands stirring gochujang chicken and cabbage in a wide pan during cooking

  4. Wilt the cabbage

    Add the cabbage and 100 ml water. Toss with tongs, scraping the gochujang from the pan. Cover for four minutes, then uncover and cook for two minutes more so the water reduces into a sauce.

    Watch the surface here rather than the clock. The cabbage should pick up dark edges, the chicken should look lacquered, and the liquid should move slowly when you tilt the pan. If the paste looks dry before those signs appear, add a spoonful of stock. If it looks loose after the chicken is done, lift the food out and reduce the liquid alone for a minute. The sesame chilli oil finish works best when the base is concentrated but still easy to spoon.

  5. Finish with sesame oil

    Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil. Taste a cabbage ribbon before adding salt; it will have picked up the chicken marinade.

  6. Serve with chilli oil

    Spoon into bowls with rice. Add the chilli oil at the table, starting with half a teaspoon per serving, then scatter over spring onions.

Gochujang chicken cabbage ingredients and sesame chilli oil arranged ready to cook
The ingredients for the sesame chilli oil version, ready before the pan gets hot.

The cabbage is not an afterthought

The two chilli elements have different jobs. Gochujang is fermented and savoury, so it belongs in the marinade. Chilli flakes taste brighter when warmed briefly in oil and spooned over the top.

If the cabbage releases a lot of water, leave the pan uncovered for an extra minute. The sauce should cling to the chicken rather than puddle at the bottom. The order matters more than the exact shape of the pan. Gochujang contains sugar, so it needs contact with the chicken but it should not sit on dry metal for the whole cooking time. Stock or water gives the paste a little room to move, then the final uncovered minutes concentrate it again. If the chicken browns before the cabbage is tender, lower the heat and add a splash of stock rather than turning the burner higher. A fierce heat will darken the outside while leaving the centre tough. If the cabbage is pale, give it a few extra minutes after the chicken comes out; it can take colour on its own. For the sesame chilli oil finish, taste at the end, not the beginning. The pan sauce becomes saltier as it reduces, and toppings such as pickles, tahini or yogurt change how much seasoning the whole plate needs. Serve the first portion, then adjust the remaining pan with lime, vinegar or a spoonful of water. That small pause keeps the glaze lively and means leftovers reheat without becoming sticky or harsh.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 4 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 491 kcal
Protein 38 g
Carbohydrate 35 g
Fibre 6 g
Fat 22 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I use store-bought chilli crisp?
Yes. Choose one without too many nuts or fried onions, and use it as the table finish. The recipe itself does not need changing.
Is gochujang gluten-free?
Not always. Check the label, or use a certified gluten-free tub and tamari.
Can I use red cabbage?
Yes, but it needs two or three extra minutes and will turn the sauce a deep purple-red.

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