Gochujang Chicken Salad

Gochujang is one of my favorite things. Used as a condiment, this savory, sweet, and spicy fermented chili paste brings a one-two punch of flavor to vegetables and proteins. Used as an ingredient, it imparts an incredible umami flavor without overpowering or muscling to be the star of the show. It really enhances savory items in a way like miso does. 

I've recently been on a sous vide kick. The water bath immersion cooking method does wonders for cooking chicken breast as you can dial in the perfect temperature. You really have to try it to believe it. The results are incredibly flavorful, juicy chicken with no stringiness or dry patches. The texture is incredible too with all of the moisture retained.

I was someone who bucked the sous vide movement for years but am now a firm believer in it's capabilities. Do check it out and drop me a line if you want more recipes or have questions on where to start. Off the bat, I would check out J. Kenji López-Alt over at Serious Eats for a insanely comprehensive guide on how to sous vide almost anything. Also, hats off to the crew over at Chef Steps for their encyclopedic trove of information.

Without further adieu, Gochuang Chicken Salad - enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 large chicken breasts
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced green onions
½ cup diced pickles
1 TBSP gochujang
2 TBSP mayonnaise

Remove the skin from 2 split chicken breasts. Season simply with Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste. Seal the chicken in a plastic bag using a vacuum sealer or simply drop them in a large freezer bag. Cook them in a sous vide bath at 145F for 1 hour. Once cooked, rest in the bags in cold water 5 minutes.

Cube the chicken breast and place in a bowl. Add in the diced celery, green onions, and pickles. Add in gochujang & mayonnaise and season to taste with Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper. Mix to fully combine. Chill before serving up to 4 days.