Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 204°C.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the rice, 3 tablespoons oil, and up to 2 tablespoons of Gochujang sauce. (Note: If you’re sensitive to spice, add a little at a time and taste as you go. Some of these are more spicy than others.) Stir everything together until the rice grains are evenly coated.
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (you can skip this if your pan is nonstick) and spread the rice out on the pan.
- Bake the rice, stirring it every 15 minutes, until it is crispy, 30 to 40 minutes total. (Note: For textural contrast, I actually like some of the rice to still be tender while most of the grains are very crunchy, but you can go all the way to 40 minutes if you want lots of crunch.)
- While the rice cooks, in a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook it, stirring often, until cooked through. While the chicken cooks, whisk together the water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch until smooth. Pour this sauce over the chicken and cook everything together until most of the sauce has been absorbed. Set the chicken aside.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise and Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. Taste it and add the 1 tablespoon of Gochujang sauce if you’d like a bit more spice.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the herbs, chicken, crispy rice, and cucumbers between serving bowls. Drizzle them liberally with the mayo-Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.
- Serve immediately with a knife, fork, and spoon. I like to slice everything up together and then eat it with a spoon.
Nutrition
Notes
Gochujang sauce – Make sure that you use Gochujang sauce which is a mix of ingredients, not the spicier more concentrated “Gochujang paste”.
Variations: – If you want these to be a bit more hearty, try adding a fried egg on top, chopped peanuts, or crispy shallots or onions.