Things in bowls just taste better, right? I love making variations of different rice bowls, see my chipotle style carnitas bowl, salmon sushi bowl, or my cilantro lime chicken and rice bowl for reference.

The layering of flavours, textures and the ability to create so many versions of things never ceases to amaze me. I really never tire of them.

Korean Chicken Bowls

So here's my latest Korean inspired chicken bowls with mushrooms and rice. These are packed with flavour and you can prep the chicken and mushrooms on one large baking sheet in the oven, in under 25 minutes. This makes them perfect for meal prepping too!

The gochujang dressing added on top provides a serious kick of flavour, so I don't recommend skipping it.

This recipe isn't traditional, it is simply inspired by Korean flavours and ingredients, such as kimchi and gochujang.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make these delicious Korean inspired chicken bowls.

• avocado oil
• gochujang: a red chili paste that is savoury, spicy and a little sweet. You can easily find this at well stocked grocery stores, Asian grocery stores, online or even make your own. There are tons of brands to try, I chose to show this one as it's most readily available.
• light tamari
• rice vinegar
• brown sugar
• garlic cloves
• fresh ginger
• chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
• shiitake mushrooms
• jasmine rice
• lacinato kale (thinly sliced)
• kimchi
• mayonnaise

How to Make Gochujang Marinated Chicken

One of the things I love about making this Korean chicken bowl is that you don't need to marinate the chicken for long. Of course, you can if you have the time, but I've put it pretty much straight in the oven after mixing it together and it's still delicious.

The first thing you'll do is grab a large bowl. Then combine the avocado oil, gochujang, tamari, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and ginger and mix well.

Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to combine.

Transfer the chicken to a second large rimmed baking sheet (you can use parchment paper if you want an easier clean up).

Place both trays in the oven (the chicken on the top rack) and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Broil the chicken for three to four minutes, just to brown the tops of them.

How to Assemble the Bowls

Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with avocado oil and a little bit of rice vinegar. Massage the kale with your hands and season with salt to taste.

Mix together the ingredients for the gochujang sauce and set aside.

Assemble the bowls by adding rice, chicken, mushrooms, kale and kimchi. Serve with the sauce drizzled on top when ready to eat.

Tips

• Prep in advance: you can easily prep the components of this recipe in advance to save time or to meal prep.
• Use a large baking sheet: if you want to fit everything on one baking sheet, you need a good one (and a large one). This is the large baking sheet I have and love them (I own two of them) and they're super easy to clean.
• Broil at the end: if you want a little more colour on the chicken, I'd recommend broiling at the end (after removing the mushrooms). Just a few minutes is all you need to get them browned.
• Massage the kale: if you're using kale, be sure to shred it finely and then massage the dressing into it. I just use a little bit of avocado oil and rice vinegar with a pinch of salt.
• Don't forget the kimchi: it's tasty and full of good for you fermented ingredients.
• How to store: keep leftovers stored in a sealed container. Reheat if you'd like, but keep the kimchi separate as that should not be reheated. Also, keep the gochujang sauce separate as well.

Substitutions

• No mushrooms: if you don't like them, omit them or use another type of veggie.
• Rice: feel free to use any type of rice here, I've made these Korean chicken bowls with black rice as well and it's delicious.
• Gluten-free: use a gluten free soy sauce, such as tamari and be sure to find or use a gluten-free gochujang, like this one.
• No kale: use another type of green in here, I just happen to love kale and have it on hand a lot.

Other Bowls Recipes to try

• Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice Bowls
• Salmon Sushi Bowls
• Chipotle Style Carnitas Bowls
• Big Mac Salad in a Bowl
• Shrimp and Orzo Salad

Are you ready to make this Korean chicken bowl? Let's get to it!

If you make these Korean inspired chicken and rice bowls please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing from you!

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