This dish is a total winner and will please both chicken and chilli lovers. It’s inspired by the ever-so-popular Korean Fried Chicken (a different kind of KFC), which is crispy deep-fried chicken smothered in a sauce made with gochujang paste (more on this one later)
My recipe is a healthier version. A) we’re not deep-frying the chicken in unhealthy vegetable oils, and B) my sauce is made with much cleaner ingredients and less sugar. The taste is still A-mazing, and although a little spicy, it won’t make your face sweat. It’s a mild and warm kind of spicy, very flavourful and on par with the original Korean style chicken.
Koren Chicken - Paleo Style
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
35 mins
The sauce of this recipe uses Korean red pepper but you can use another type of mild red chilli powder. Make sure it's mild! Otherwise, reduce the amount to 1-2 teaspoons.
Ingredients
600 g / 1.3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, cut into medium pieces
sea salt
coconut oil
For the sauce
½ small red onion, roughly diced
2cm long fresh ginger root, peeled and roughly diced (about 1 tablespoon grated)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly diced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons tamari sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mirin or rice wine (optional)
3 teaspoons korean red powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Garnish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
spring onion for garnish
Instructions
Season chicken with a little sea salt and set aside.
Add the sauce ingredients to a blender or a food processor. Blend together until fairly smooth, then scrape into a small saucepan. If you don't have a blender, grate the onion, ginger and garlic and mix well with the rest of the ingredients.
Add the sesame seeds to a clean frying pan. Heat over medium heat. Toast for a minute or two, stirring frequently, until the seeds brown slightly. Remove to a bowl.
Heat a dollop of coconut oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes on each side.
In the meantime, place the pot with the sauce over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. This will thicken the sauce and cook some of the ingredients such as onion, garlic and ginger, making those flavours more subtle.
Once the chicken has cooked on each side, add the sauce over the top and stir through. Cook together for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. The sauce will caramelise and get even more sticky. Finally, sprinkle with some of the sesame seeds and stir through. Then top with green onion and the rest of the sesame seeds.
Serve with cauliflower rice or white rice if you wish and some greens.
The sauce should get a little more sticky.
Serve with cauliflower rice and salad or real rice.