Creamy pasta with Gochujang chicken

A modern fusion where the best of two worlds come together. A smooth, creamy Parmesan sauce pair beautifully with the depth and heat of Korean chili paste, while tender chicken in a rich gochujang sauce takes the dish to the next level. Perfect for anyone who loves comfort food with a twist. I have been inspired by a Korean chef when making this recipe.

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You will need

2 chicken breasts (about 10–11 oz each), halved and pounded thin

3 tbsp + 1 tsp (50 ml) potato starch (or substitute with cornstarch)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil

Gochujang Sauce for Chicken

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tbsp (15 ml) ginger, finely grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced, separate white and green parts in two piles/separate bowls

2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang (Korean chili paste)

½–1 tbsp (7½ - 15 ml) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

1 tbsp (15 ml) Japanese soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce

½ tbsp (7½ ml) chicken bouillon powder

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

2 tbsp (15 ml) mirin

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup + 1 tsp (125 ml) water

½ tbsp (7½ ml) cornstarch

Pasta Sauce

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

3 tbsp (45 ml) butter

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) shallots, finely chopped

2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) heavy cream

1¼ cups (300 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang (Korean chili paste)

1 tbsp (15 ml) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce

½ tbsp (7½ ml) honey

1.1 lb tagliatelle or fettuccine pasta

Flaky sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Reserved pasta water (as needed for thinning sauce)

Toppings

Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Red chili, thinly sliced

How to make it

1. Prepare all ingredients that need to be peeled, chopped, sliced, and grated. Place them in separate piles or bowls.

2 tbsp (30 ml) + 2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tbsp (15 ml) ginger, finely grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced, separate white and green parts in two piles/separate bowls

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) shallots, finely chopped

1¼ cups (300 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2.  Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin fillets. Place each fillet in a plastic bag and pound them one at a time until evenly thick. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

2 chicken breasts (about 10–11 oz each), halved and pounded thin

3.  Season both sides with salt and pepper and let them rest on a cutting board for a few minutes. Lightly coat each fillet with potato starch, shaking off any excess.

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp + 1 tsp (50 ml) potato starch (or substitute with cornstarch)

4. Make the Chicken Sauce: In a bowl, mix together gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, honey, mirin, black pepper, water, and cornstarch. Set aside.

2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang (Korean chili paste)

½–1 tbsp (7½ - 15 ml) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

1 tbsp (15 ml) Japanese soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce

½ tbsp (7½ ml) chicken bouillon powder

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

2 tbsp (15 ml) mirin

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup + 1 tsp (125 ml) water

½ tbsp (7½ ml) cornstarch

5. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add canola oil. Add the chicken fillets and cook for 3–4 minutes until nicely browned. Flip and cook the other side for another 3–4 minutes until fully cooked through. You may need to do this in two batches. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil

4 flattened chicken breasts seasoned and coated with potato starch

6.  In the same pan, add the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Sauté for 30 seconds. Stir the prepared sauce and pour it into the pan. Mix and bring to a boil. When the sauce thickens, turn off the heat and set aside.

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely grated

1 tbsp (15 ml) ginger, finely grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced, white part only

Prepared chicken sauce

7. In a bowl, mix gochujang, gochugaru, oyster sauce, and honey. Set aside.

2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang (Korean chili paste)

1 tbsp (15 ml) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce

½ tbsp (7½ ml) honey

8. In a separate large skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and sauté for 30 seconds.

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

3 tbsp (45 ml) butter

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely chopped

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) shallots, finely chopped

9. Stir in the flavor base paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously.

The mix of 2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang (Korean chili paste), 1 tbsp (15 ml) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tbsp (30 ml) oyster sauce and ½ tbsp (7½ ml) honey

10. Gradually add the heavy cream while stirring, and simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until well combined. Reduce to medium-low heat and let the sauce thicken, about 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2 cups + 1 tbsp (500 ml) heavy cream

1¼ cups (300 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Salt

Freshly grated black pepper

11. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Stir occasionally.

1.1 lb tagliatelle or fettuccine pasta

Salt

12. Reheat the chicken sauce and return the chicken fillets to the pan. Coat them in the sauce for 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.

13. Transfer the cooked pasta directly from the pot to the pasta sauce. Stir to coat. Add a little reserved pasta water if needed to reach the desired creaminess. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Flaky sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Reserved pasta water (as needed for thinning sauce)

14. To serve divide the pasta into individual bowls. Top with sliced chicken, parmesan, the green parts of the scallions, and thinly sliced chili.

Gochujang chicken

Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Red chili, thinly sliced

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Tip & tricks

Tip 1: Pasta water and salt Use ½ tablespoon of salt (10 grams) per just over 1 quart (1000 ml) of water. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (30 grams) per 3.2 quarts (3000 ml) of water. Add the salt only once the water is boiling, as adding it earlier can increase the time it takes for the water to boil.

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