If you love bold flavors but still want something creamy and comforting, my gochujang chicken pasta is about to become a weeknight favorite. It’s the perfect mashup of spicy Korean chili paste and Italian-style cream pasta, giving you a dish that’s both familiar and exciting. Best of all, this ground chicken pasta comes together in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients!
Gochujang Cream Pasta with Ground Chicken
My creamy gochujang pasta strikes the ideal balance of heat, richness, and freshness. The gochujang (aka Korean chili paste) adds a deep, savory spice that’s mellowed out by heavy cream, while ground chicken keeps this pasta dish lighter and easier to digest than heavier proteins. With the addition of tender greens, I get a well-rounded meal all in one pan.
This gochujang pasta recipe works great with all kinds of ground meats, or tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian meal. Plus, I can make the gochujang-infused cream sauce extra spicy for me and Pat, or keep it milder for the kiddos. I love to serve it hot straight from the pan with fresh green onion, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and a little Parmesan cheese for a finishing touch.
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Getting the Spice Just Right
When cooking with gochujang, remember that the flavor is both spicy and deeply fermented, giving the sauce natural umami. That means you don’t need to lean on a lot of extra salt or cheese to make this pasta taste rich. If you want to balance the heat without dulling that depth, I recommend stirring in a teaspoon of honey or a splash of rice vinegar at the end of cooking. This keeps the gochujang pasta sauce bold, creamy, and perfectly balanced.
Creamy Gochujang Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta (*)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 1 pound ground chicken (**)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons gochujang paste (adjust for spice***)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (room temperature****)
- 3 cups fresh baby chard or spinach
Optional Garnishes
- sliced green onion
- grated parmesan cheese
- sesame seeds
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Boil the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1 shallot
- Add the ground chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking into pieces, until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.1 pound ground chicken, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir in the gochujang until combined.2-3 tablespoons gochujang paste
- Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in the cream.½ cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Add pasta water a little at a time to thin the sauce if needed.
- Add the chard or spinach and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.3 cups fresh baby chard or spinach
- Toss in the pasta until coated. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Serve hot with desired garnishes.sliced green onion, grated parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes
Notes
- Always salt your pasta water well before cooking. The reserved water not only thins the sauce but also helps it cling to the pasta.
- You can add chopped mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers to bulk this dish up. Add them in just after the shallot.
- If you prefer larger chunks of meat, use a wooden spoon gently; for finer crumbles, use a potato masher toward the end of cooking.
- Different brands of gochujang paste vary in spiciness. Start with 2 tablespoons, then taste and add more if you want a stronger kick.
- Bring the cream to room temperature so it doesn’t curdle when added to the hot chicken.
- To tame the heat, stir in a little bit of honey or rice vinegar at the end of cooking.
- This pasta is best served hot, straight from the pan, so the sauce stays creamy and the greens keep their color.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a traditional Korean chili paste made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. It’s savory, slightly sweet, a little earthy, and packed with umami flavor. It’s a pantry staple in Korean cooking, used in everything from soups and marinades to stir-fries and dipping sauces. You’ll usually find it in red tubs or jars in the Asian foods aisle or at Korean grocery stores. I use it to make my Korean chicken wings, and it’s perfect for this recipe too.
How to Make Gochujang Pasta with Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed to make this pasta recipe. Bring the heavy cream to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beginning so it combines more easily with the sauce. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and shallot.
Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil 8 ounces (½ box) of dry rigatoni pasta to al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce, then drain.
Sauté the Garlic and Shallot: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and 1 minced shallot and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Cook the Chicken: Add 1 pound of ground chicken, season with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Cook the chicken, breaking it up into pieces until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. If you prefer larger pieces, use a wooden spoon and gently break up the meat. For a finer texture, mash with a potato masher towards the end of cooking.
Add the Gochujang: Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of gochujang paste until combined. Gochujang is spicy, and spiciness can differ greatly by brand, so I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons and tasting before adding more.
Deglaze the Pan: Add ½ cup of chicken broth, and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits for flavor. Then, stir in 1 cup of room-temperature heavy cream. I like to do this part off the heat so the cream doesn’t scorch or curdle.
Simmer the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and simmer the ground chicken and cream sauce until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Add pasta water a little at a time to thin the sauce if needed.
Wilt the Greens: Add 2 cups of fresh baby chard or spinach and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
Toss the Pasta: Toss in the cooked and drained rigatoni pasta until coated. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Again, you can add a little more pasta water here if needed to thin the sauce. It should cling to the noodles without being dry. If it tastes a little too spicy, stir in a little bit of honey or rice vinegar to help tame the spice.
Garnish and Serve: Serve your creamy gochujang pasta hot with sliced green onion, grated Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, and/or crushed red pepper flakes to taste, if desired.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover gochujang chicken pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot set over medium-low heat, stirring in a little water or cream to loosen, until warmed through.
I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the sauce tends to curdle once thawed.
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