Chicken BiBimBap (Trust Me, It’s Delicious!)

BiBimbap is a traditional Korean rice dish that’s typically made with beef, mixed vegetables, and egg.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 medium carrots, sliced into matchsticks

• 1 zucchini, sliced into matchsticks

• 1 yellow squash, sliced into matchsticks

• 1 lb shiitake mushrooms, clean and sliced (I typically buy them pre-sliced)

• 2 red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips

• 2 cups mung bean sprouts

• 1 5-oz bag of fresh spinach

• 1 lb raw chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 4 eggs

• 2 cups brown rice, prepared to package directions 

• 1-2 T olive oil

For the marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/3 cup soy sauce

• 1/3 cup rice vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Gochujang sauce:

• 6 Tablespoons gochujang sauce

• 4 Tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 T sesame seeds

• 2 teaspoon red chili paste

• 2 teaspoon raw sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Prepare the brown rice according to package directions and set aside. Often, I purchase pre-cooked frozen brown rice to save on time—Trader Joes has a nice one.

Step 2: Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. When it’s well-blended, add the bite-sized chicken pieces and stir to coat. Let it marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Fill a pan or teapot with 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Place the spinach in a strainer; when the water is boiling, gently pour it over the spinach to heat it through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. When it’s hot, add the chicken and sauté it until it’s cooked through (about 10-12 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. 

Next, you’re going to stir fry the vegetables one grouping at a time (for example, first cook the carrots and set them aside, then the zucchini and set it aside, followed by the yellow squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, and mung bean sprouts) for 2-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender yet still firm. Spray the pan with canola or olive oil cooking spray in between veggies, as needed. 

As each vegetable is finished cooking, arrange it in a pile on a plate so that it’s separated from the other vegetables. Continue until all the vegetables are cooked through and arranged in small piles on the plate.

Step 4:  Spray the same pan with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the eggs one or two at a time and cook them over medium heat until they’re over-easy (whites firm, yolks runny). For the most vibrant yolk, don’t flip the eggs as you’re cooking. 

Step 5: Assemble the bowls. Place a scoop of rice in each bowl. Top with some chicken. Arrange the cooked vegetables in a rainbow around the edge of the bowl (don’t forget the spinach you set aside too). Place one fried egg, yolk side up on top of the whole dish and drizzle it all generously with the gochujang sauce.

This dish is served with care and a beautiful presentation. When you’re ready to eat it, however, she taught me that it’s meant to be mixed up into a messy, delicious bowl flavored by the egg yolks and gochujang sauce.

Note: This recipe serves 4 with leftovers for lunch or breakfast the next day (although you’ll need to cook more eggs for the leftovers).