Easy Korean Sticky Chicken

For someone who talks about food like 12/7 (the remaining 12/7 are dedicated to triathlon and yoga, obviously), I have some bad habits when it comes to eating.
Such as wolfing down my food.
Seriously, I sit down at the table and stuff my mouth with food in a very ungentlemanlike manner; as if someone was pointing a gun at my head screaming “I'm going to blow your brains out if you don't eat fast!”

And I can't even blame my mom for that, if there's one thing she taught me is to chew your food thoroughly.
Apparently, I haven’t learned my lesson.
It’s not only about good manners and etiquette though, chewing longer and being mindful about what you eat makes appreciate the food more. In addition, chewing thoroughly means it takes longer to finish your meal which gives you time to actually detect a satiety signal.
When you gulp down food instead, you don't feel satiated so you keep eating, which leads to overeating.

But you see, when I make something truly delish like this Easy Korean Sticky Chicken I can’t help myself, I wolf it down, it’s just too good to resist.
A little hot, juicy, sweet, and savory, perfect with a steamy bowl of rice or better yet, cauliflower rice.
This recipe has become my go-to quick and easy weeknight dinner for the past few weeks.
To make it I use this Korean chili paste called gochujang.
It’s made with fermented chilis and has the most awesome smoky flavor; and it’s not nearly as hot as it looks/sounds.
I buy gochujang in an Asian food store, but I’ve seen it also in several supermarkets.
I have to be honest, gochujang is really something. If you haven’t tried it, you really should, it’s that good.

See those sweet and sticky Korean chicken chunks right there? You want to make those. They’re so worth it!

Easy Korean Sticky Chicken                                                                                                             Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 lb / 453 gr chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 scallions, green part only, finely chopped

Directions

In a bowl combine honey, gochujang, oil, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Mix well until combined.
Place chicken chunks in a resealable bag (or a shallow dish) and pour marinade over it.
Seal the bag (or cover the dish) and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (marinate overnight for fullest flavor). If you don’t have time to marinate, that's okay; it just won't be so deeply flavored.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, when sizzling add chicken and cook for about 8 minutes, or until cooked through, stirring every now and then. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the marinade in the same pan and cook for one minute, until the sauce begins to bubble.
Return the chicken to the pan and coat on all sides, cook for further 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is caramelized.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and stir one last time to coat evenly.
Transfer to a bowl and top with chopped scallions.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 291 calories, 10 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs, and 37 grams of protein.