Red Oakleaf Sesame Chicken Rice Bowl
Crispy-skinned chicken thigh over jasmine rice with Aeroveg Red Oakleaf, cucumber, pickled ginger, and a bold gochujang-sesame drizzle.
A rice bowl is only as good as what you put on top. Here, crispy-skinned chicken thigh meets the gentle bitterness of Aeroveg Red Oakleaf, cooled by cucumber and pickled ginger, and brought together with a gochujang-sesame drizzle that has just enough heat to keep things interesting. Weeknight dinner done properly.
Method
- Make the drizzle. Whisk together gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and warm water until smooth. Stir in sesame seeds. Taste — it should be spicy, nutty, and slightly sweet. Set aside.
- Crisp the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and white pepper. Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and press lightly with a spatula. Cook 6–7 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily. Flip and cook a further 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
- Rest and slice. Remove from heat and rest for 3 minutes. Slice thinly on the diagonal.
- Warm the rice. Fluff cooked rice and divide between two bowls.
- Build the bowl. Arrange Red Oakleaf leaves over the rice. Add cucumber slices and a spoonful of pickled ginger. Fan the sliced chicken over the top.
- Drizzle and serve. Spoon the gochujang-sesame drizzle generously over everything. Finish with extra sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Aeroveg tip: Red Oakleaf’s loose, ruffled leaves are perfect for bowls — they catch the drizzle in every fold. Use the whole leaf rather than tearing it for a more dramatic, restaurant-style presentation.