Creamy Gochujang Chicken Noodles

Fermented chile paste cuts the richness in this best-of-both-worlds pasta that fuses fettuccine Alfredo and Korean buldak.

Serves
4–6
Time
1 hour 10 minutes

PHOTO: MATT TAYLOR-GROSS • FOOD STYLING: JESSIE YUCHEN

By Gary Yeung

Published on May 10, 2024

Cooking and eating together is a nightly routine at Boston’s Engine 10 firehouse. Firefighters regularly work 24-hour shifts, so when they aren’t responding to disasters, crews frequently chop and braise together in the station kitchen. Firefighter Gary Yeung, a Boston native and passionate home cook, fused the flavors of Korean buldak and Italian American fettuccine Alfredo to create this creamy gochujang chicken noodles recipe. The fermented chile paste cuts the richness, yielding a best-of-both-worlds pasta dish.

Featured in “Around the Table with Boston’s Bravest” by Megan Zhang in the Spring/Summer 2024 issue.

Ingredients

¼ cup gochujang
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder)
1½ tsp. honey
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 lb. fettuccine
1½ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced
8 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup grated parmesan (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

In a large bowl, stir together the gochujang, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the gochugaru, honey, paprika, black pepper, salt, and garlic. Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Reserve 1⁄2 cup of the pasta water. Strain the pasta.

Step 3

In a bowl, whisk together the cream, soy sauce, and scallion whites. To a large skillet set over medium heat, add the remaining oil. When it is hot, cook the chicken, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 2–3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until softened, 2–3 minutes. Add the cream mixture and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, 8–10 minutes. Stir in the fettuccine and cook until the sauce has thickened, 2–3 minutes (if the mixture becomes too dry, stir in 1 tablespoon of pasta cooking water at a time to loosen slightly). Stir in the scallion greens and parmesan (if desired) and serve warm.