Kimchi Fried Rice

This fried rice recipe uses kimchi and Gochujang to create a delicious twist on traditional fried rice recipes.

Kimchi and Gochujang, which is a Korean chili paste, are both fermented and a bit spicy, so they bring depth and heat to the dish. Fried rice is a frequent dish in the dinner rotation at our house; this kimchi fried rice is my favorite variation.

I recently discovered Gochujang and its combination of sweetness, spiciness, and just the right amount of funkiness that pairs well with kimchi, fresh vegetables, rice, and egg.

This fried rice dish works well in many variations. Feel free to leave out the chicken and add an extra egg to make it vegetarian or to add or substitute different vegetables depending on what you have on hand. The leftovers save well and make a great lunch the next day.

Kimchi Fried Rice

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tbsp cooking oil
• ▢ 1 small onion, cut into slivers
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 3/4 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced
• ▢ 3 tbsp Gochujang, (Korean chili paste)
• ▢ 1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
• ▢ 4 oz baby spinach
• ▢ 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ▢ 2 cups cooked rice
• ▢ 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish

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Instructions

• Preheat a large nonstick frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, then onion slivers. Cook onions for 4-5 minutes until they start to soften.
  2 tbsp cooking oil, 1 small onion
• Add bell pepper slices and salt, cook for 2-3 minutes, then add sliced chicken breast. Cook 5-6 minutes stirring frequently until the chicken is almost cooked through, there should be no more pink visible on the outside.
  1 red bell pepper, 3/4 lb chicken breast, 1/2 tsp salt
• Add the Gochujang chili paste and stir to coat the vegetables and chicken. Add the spinach leaves. Cook a minute or two until the spinach wilts.
  3 tbsp Gochujang, 4 oz baby spinach
• Add kimchi, cook a minute or two longer to take the edge off the kimchi.
  1 cup kimchi
• Make a hole in the middle of the mixture by pushing the chicken and vegetables to the sides, then pour in the beaten eggs.
  2 eggs
• Let sit for a minute or so, then add the cooked rice to the pan. Stir to mix everything together and cook for a minute or two until eggs are set. Top with chopped cilantro as a garnish.
  2 cups cooked rice, 1/4 cup cilantro

Notes

This dish is great for using up leftover cooked rice, but if you don’t have any, it also works well with freshly prepared rice.

I like the Sempio brand of Gochujang, which can be purchased in Umami’s Market or some Asian grocery stores.

Read more recipes from Laura’s Cooking for You and Me series.

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Nutrition Information Hide

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 969mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5137IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 4mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate based on available ingredients and preparation.