Korean Sticky Chicken & Rice Bowls

Ingredients

• 600 g skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (sauce)
• 2 tbsp honey (sauce)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar (sauce)
• 1 tbsp gochujang, or 1 tsp for a milder version (sauce)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (sauce)
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated (sauce)
• 80 ml water (sauce)
• 240 g uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, julienned or grated
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• Optional: fresh chilli or chilli flakes

Method

1. Cook the rice. Rinse the jasmine rice and cook according to the packet instructions. Keep warm.
2. Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss with the cornflour until evenly coated.
3. Mix the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, gochujang, garlic, ginger and water.
4. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden.
5. Make it sticky. Reduce the heat to medium, pour in the sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce should reduce into a glossy coating. Check that the chicken is cooked through to 74°C internally.
6. Build your bowls. Divide the cooked rice between four bowls. Add the sticky chicken, cucumber and carrot.
7. Finish. Scatter over the spring onions and sesame seeds. Add fresh chilli to your own bowl if you want more heat.