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Buldak Carbonara Pasta with Crispy Chicken (Easy Creamy Gochujang Pasta)

A creamy, spicy pasta inspired by budalk carbonara ramen made with gochujang and Parmesan, topped with crispy sesame chicken and quick pickled onions. The heat is adjustable, making it easy to customize for the whole family.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 hours
Servings 4
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Ingredients
  

For the Pasta

  • 12 oz rigatoni or bucatini
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 10 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp gochujang
  • 2 –4 tsp gochugaru
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 4 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan 2 oz
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
  • Splash of pasta water

For the Chicken

  • 4 thin chicken cutlets 2 whole breast butterflied
  • Garlic salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 cups panko plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
  • Avocado oil for frying

For the Pickled Onions

  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onions

Instructions
 

Pickled Onions

  • Warm the rice vinegar for about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the brown sugar and salt until dissolved.
  • Pour over the sliced onions, then add gochugaru and green onions.
  • Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Pasta

  • Cook pasta in heavily salted water until just al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  • In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant.
  • Stir in gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let it cook for about 1–2 minutes, this part is important to help the gochujan and sugar caramelize.
  • Lower the heat and add a splash of pasta water and the heavy cream. Stir to combine.
  • Turn off the heat and add rice vinegar and Parmesan, stirring until smooth.
  • Add the cooked pasta and toss over low heat, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce is at your desired consistency. If it's too thin you can add more Parmesan, if its too thick you can add more water.
  • Finish with black pepper. You can taste the sauce at this point and add more gochugaru if you want to kick up the spice level.

Chicken

  • Season the chicken cutlets lightly on both sides with garlic salt.
  • Set up three bowls:
  • Flour mixed with a little garlic salt
  • Eggs whisked with soy sauce
  • Panko mixed with sesame seeds
  • Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
  • Dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off.
  • Press into the panko mixture, coating well and pressing so it sticks.
  • Heat about 1/2 inch of avocado oil in a pan over medium heat.
  • Fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. If the crust is browing to quickly turn the heat down a tiny bit.
  • Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest before slicing.

Assemble

  • Plate the pasta.
  • Top with sliced crispy chicken.
  • Finish with pickled onions and garnish with green onions if desired.

Notes

  • Adjust spice level by starting with less gochugaru and adding more as needed
  • Do not add salt to your sauce until the very end and only if you need to because the pasta water that you add already has salt in it.
  • Finely grated Parmesan melts best into the sauce
  • Keep garlic soft, not browned, for a smoother flavor
  • Let chicken rest before slicing so it stays crispy
  • Warming the vinegar helps the onions pickle faster
Calories 914kcal