Gochujang Crispy Rice Salad with Sesame Chicken
My take on the viral crispy rice salad, with gochujang-coated rice baked into crispy clusters with a chewy centre. Tossed with a sharp kimchi dressing and topped with nutty pulled sesame chicken, it’s quick to make and substantial enough to eat as a proper meal – just as good for lunch as it is for dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 generous portions 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the crispy rice:
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tsp honey
- 300g cooked rice (sushi or jasmine, see blog post for differences)
- 4 tsp cornflour
For the pulled sesame chicken:
- 150-200g cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
For the salad:
- 2 heaped tbsp kimchi
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, 1 thinly sliced, the other cut into fine strips
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 220°C / 200°C fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, gochujang and honey. Add the rice, season with salt and toss well so every grain is coated. Add the cornflour and toss again until evenly coated.
- Tip onto the baking tray and spread into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once halfway, or until crisp on the outside with a slight chew in the centre.
- While the rice cooks, combine all the pulled sesame chicken ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the kimchi, rice vinegar, sugar, light soy sauce, onion and sliced spring onion. Toss to combine.
- Once the rice is ready, leave it to cool for 10 minutes so it firms up slightly, then add it to the salad. Toss gently to combine, then divide between bowls.
- Top with the pulled sesame chicken and finish with the spring onion strips.
Notes
For a plant-based version, swap the chicken for marinated tofu, cooked according to packet instructions. Use vegan kimchi if needed, as traditional versions usually contain fish sauce and/or shrimp paste.