Korean Chicken Rice Bowl Meal Prep
Gochujang-marinated chicken thighs over jasmine rice with a spicy, tangy cucumber salad on the side. A proper Korean-inspired bowl that’s just as good meal-prepped as it is fresh.
Marinate the chicken as long as the 24-hour window allows, gochujang is thick and fermented and needs real time to actually get into the meat rather than just sit on the surface. Once it’s cooked, rest it for the full 5 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat instead of spilling onto the board.
The chicken and rice freeze well since there’s no dairy in the marinade, up to 3 months. The cucumber salad stays separate and fresh, it goes watery if frozen, so keep it in the fridge and add it just before eating.
Korean Chicken Rice Bowl Meal Prep
CHICKEN · DINNER · EASY
Big Korean flavour, genuinely freezer-friendly
A full 24 hours of marinating time, if you've got it, lets the gochujang really work its way into the chicken, rather than just sitting on the surface as a glaze.
Unlike a lot of meal preps, this one actually freezes well. There's no dairy in the marinade, so the chicken and rice hold their texture for up to 3 months in the freezer.
The gochujang cucumber salad keeps things fresh and a little sharp against the rich, spicy chicken. Kept separate and added just before eating, it stays crisp instead of turning soft and watery.
Korean Chicken Rice Bowl Meal Prep
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 1 kg Chicken Thigh Boneless & Skinless
- 10 ml Toasted Sesame Oil
- 5 Garlic Cloves Grated
- 10 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
- 60 g Gochujang Korean Spice Paste
- 30 g Sriracha Sauce
- 60 g Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- Ground White Pepper
Gochujang Cucumbers
- 1 Large Continental Cucumber Sliced
- 20 g Gochujang Korean Spice Paste
- 2 Garlic Cloves Grated
- 10 ml Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 10 ml Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 g Gochugaru or Chilli Flakes
- 5 ml Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 Spring Onion (Scallion) Sliced
- Salt & Ground White Pepper
Jasmine Rice
- 300 g Jasmine Rice Washed
- 500 ml Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
Method
- Marinate the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients for up to 24 hours, or use it right away.
- Add all of the gochujang cucumber ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Place the chicken onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 220°C (430°F) for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). For a slight char, switch to grill/broil for the final 5 minutes, watching closely. To air fry, cook at 200°C (390°F) for 16–18 minutes, until cooked through and lightly charred. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips or dice.
- Add the rice and cold water to a saucepan over high heat. Season with salt and white pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 4 minutes to steam. Fluff with a fork.
- Serve in 5 x 750ml meal prep containers, with rice on one side, chicken in the middle, and cucumber salad on the other. Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds, if using.
Why marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours?⌄
Gochujang is a thick, fermented paste, and it takes real time to work its way into the meat rather than just sit on the surface. The longer it marinates within that window, the deeper the flavour.
Can I cook the chicken in the air fryer instead of the oven?⌄
Yes, air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 16-18 minutes until cooked through and lightly charred, checking it reaches 74°C (165°F) internally the same as the oven method.
Why does the cucumber salad need to stay separate?⌄
Cucumber has a high water content and turns watery and limp once frozen and thawed, or even just left sitting mixed into the rest of the bowl. Keep it in the fridge separately and add it fresh.
How spicy is this dish?⌄
Medium, the gochujang and sriracha bring real warmth without being overwhelming. Cut back on the sriracha in the marinade if you'd rather keep it milder.
