Gochujang Chicken Pizza

Name: Gochujang Chicken Pizza
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 5 tbsp (85 g) gochujang (Korean red chili paste); 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce; 2 tbsp (42 g) honey; 2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame oil; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 2 tsp (4 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, such as canola; 2 lb (900 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature for 1 hour, divided into two 450 g balls; 2 tbsp (20 g) cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the peel and work surface; 8 oz (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups); 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the crust edges; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal; 2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame seeds

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy, blistered pizza crust spread with a sweet-spicy-savory gochujang sauce, then topped with seared chicken thigh, stretchy mozzarella, and fresh scallions. Bold, balanced, and easy with store-bought dough.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 26 min
Wait: 50 min
Total: 1 hr 41 min
Makes: 2 pizzas, 12 inches (30 cm) each (8 slices total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the gochujang sauce
5 tbsp (85 g) gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (42 g) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tsp (4 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
For the chicken
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, such as canola
For the pizzas
2 lb (900 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature for 1 hour, divided into two 450 g balls
2 tbsp (20 g) cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the peel and work surface
8 oz (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the crust edges
4 whole (60 g) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame seeds

Equipment (7)

Pizza stone or baking steel (at least 14 inches / 35 cm wide)
Pizza peel or an upside-down rimless baking sheet
Parchment paper
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, such as cast iron
Medium bowl for the sauce and a second bowl for the chicken
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board and sharp knife or pizza cutter

Steps

Before you start

Take the dough out of the fridge about 1 hour before shaping. Cold dough springs back and will not stretch.
Place a pizza stone or steel on the upper-middle oven rack and preheat for a full 45 minutes. Do the other prep while it heats.
Gochujang brands vary in heat and sweetness. Taste your sauce before using it and add a little more honey if yours is very hot.
You will bake the pizzas one at a time. Shape and top the second pizza while the first one bakes.

1
Preheat oven and stoneOven 500°F / 260°C
- Place a pizza stone or steel on the upper-middle rack.
- Preheat the oven to its highest setting, up to 500°F (260°C), for at least 45 minutes.
- Leave the dough balls covered with a clean towel on the counter so they relax.
- Do steps 2 to 4 while the oven heats.
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Ready when: The stone has been in the fully heated oven for at least 45 minutes
Tip: A stone that is not fully heated gives a pale, floppy crust.
2
Mix gochujang sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
- The sauce should be thick but spreadable, like ketchup.
- Divide it: spoon 3 tablespoons into a separate bowl for the chicken, 2 tablespoons into a small dish for drizzling, and leave about 6 tablespoons in the bowl for spreading on the pizzas.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth with no streaks of honey or paste
Tip: Divide the sauce before adding raw chicken so the pizza and drizzle sauce stay safe to eat.
3
Marinate the chicken
- Add the chicken pieces and kosher salt to the 3 tablespoons of sauce set aside for the chicken.
- Toss until every piece is evenly coated.
- Let it sit at room temperature while the oven finishes heating, at least 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a deep red glaze
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 1 hour at room temperature. For longer, refrigerate.
4
Prep the toppings
- Shred the mozzarella and slice the scallions on a diagonal.
- Keep both within reach of your work surface.
- Dust the pizza peel generously with cornmeal.
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Tip: Shred your own mozzarella from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch and melts less smoothly.
5
Sear the chicken
- Heat the neutral oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until the underside is browned.
- Stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until cooked through and the glaze is sticky and dark red.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Chicken reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece, with browned, sticky edges
Tip: Lower the heat to medium if the honey in the glaze starts to smell scorched.
6
Shape the first crust
- Dust the work surface lightly with cornmeal.
- Press one dough ball into a flat disc, then stretch it with your knuckles and fingertips into a 12-inch (30 cm) round, leaving the outer ½ inch slightly thicker for the crust.
- Move it to the dusted peel and shake gently to make sure it slides freely.
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Ready when: Dough is an even round, thin in the center, and slides when you shake the peel
Tip: If the dough shrinks back, cover it for 5 minutes and let the gluten relax, then stretch again.
7
Top the first pizza
- Spread 3 tablespoons of the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border.
- Scatter 1 cup (about 112 g) of mozzarella evenly, then half of the cooked chicken.
- Brush the border lightly with half of the olive oil.
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Tip: Top quickly and slide the pizza onto the stone right away. A wet, topped dough will stick to the peel.
8
Bake the first pizzaOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the pizza onto the hot stone at 500°F (260°C).
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
- While it bakes, shape and top the second pizza the same way as in steps 6 and 7 using the remaining dough, sauce, cheese, chicken, and oil.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden with charred spots and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in places
Tip: Rotate the pizza halfway through if your oven heats unevenly.
9
Garnish and bake secondOven 500°F / 260°C
- Use the peel to move the first pizza to a cutting board.
- Immediately slide the second pizza into the oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, scatter half the scallions and half the sesame seeds over the first pizza and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the reserved sauce.
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Ready when: Second crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling
Tip: Add scallions after baking so they stay bright and crisp, not wilted.
10
Rest, slice, and serve
- Move the second pizza to the board and garnish with the remaining scallions, sesame seeds, and drizzle.
- Let both pizzas rest for 5 minutes so the cheese sets, then cut each into 4 slices with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Cheese is no longer runny and slices hold together

Good to know

Tips

Gochujang contains sugar and burns easily, so the hottest part of the pizza is the sauce under the cheese. Do not skip the cheese layer, which protects it.
For a spicier pizza, stir 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) into the pizza sauce.
Cut the chicken small, about ¾ inch. Larger pieces slide off and do not stay moist.
If you do not have a stone, preheat an inverted heavy baking sheet for the same time and bake on that.

Make ahead

"Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed jar (keep the chicken portion separate). Sear the chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before topping."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until the cheese is hot and the crust is crisp."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cut the same size and cook to 165°F (74°C); it dries out faster, so pull it from the heat as soon as it reaches temperature.
honey → maple syrup or light brown sugar. Use the same amount of maple syrup, or 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar. Flavor will be slightly different.
low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella → half mozzarella, half Monterey Jack. Keeps the same melt with a slightly milder, creamier flavor.
unseasoned rice vinegar → apple cider vinegar. Use the same amount; it is slightly sharper.