Sophie Gastman’s crispy gochujang chicken burgers recipe

Crispy, sweet and tangy – the holy trinity of a good burger. Sophie Gastman’s <internal link> version takes things up a notch with crunchy cornflake-coated chicken, a sticky gochujang glaze and creamy kimchi mayo, all piled into a toasted bun with quick-pickled cucumber and radish. The result is a burger with plenty of texture and big, punchy flavour in every bite.

The chicken can be cooked in the oven or air fryer, while the glaze and kimchi mayo can both be prepared ahead, making this a surprisingly manageable option for a family dinner or weekend fakeaway. And while it feels properly indulgent, it fits neatly with Sophie’s approach to food: meals should be enjoyable, satisfying and realistic – not governed by endless rules. You can even make the recipe vegan by swapping the chicken for firm tofu and using plant-based mayo and yoghurt.

For the chicken

2 skinless, boneless chicken
breasts (about 350-380g in total)
½ tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Neutral oil, for spraying

For the coating

1 egg, beaten
75g cornflakes, crushed
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp fine sea salt
A pinch of chilli flakes

For the glaze

4 tbsp soy sauce
1–2 tbsp gochujang
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced

For the cucumber and radish pickle

1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ large cucumber, thinly sliced
5–6 radishes, thinly sliced

For the kimchi mayo

50g mayonnaise
50g Greek yoghurt
100g kimchi (liquid drained off), roughly chopped

To serve

4 burger buns, cut in half

Prep Time

30 to 45 minutes

Cook Time

18 to 25 minutes

Servings

Method

PREPARE THE CHICKEN

1 Slice the chicken breasts in half, then pound between two sheets of baking paper until evenly 1–1.5cm thick.

2 Season with the garlic powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper and set aside.

MAKE THE PICKLE

1 In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds and chilli flakes.

2 Add the cucumber and radishes. Stir and set aside to lightly pickle.

COAT THE CHICKEN

1 Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes with the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and chilli flakes.

2 Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then into the cornflake mixture, pressing gently so it adheres and coats the chicken.

COOK THE CHICKEN

1 Line a baking tray with baking paper (if using the oven).

2 Place the chicken on the lined baking tray or in an air-fryer basket. Spray with oil.

Oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C fan and cook the chicken for 20–22 minutes, flipping and respraying with oil halfway through, until cooked and crispy.

Air fryer: Cook the chicken at 200°C for 16 minutes, flipping and respraying with oil halfway through, until cooked and crispy.

MAKE THE GLAZE

1 While the chicken cooks, combine the soy sauce, gochujang, honey or maple syrup and garlic in a small pan.

2 Simmer over a low heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened – be careful not to overheat and burn it.

3 Once the chicken is ready, brush or toss the chicken pieces in the warm glaze until well coated.

MAKE THE KIMCHI MAYO

1 In a bowl, mix the mayo, yoghurt and kimchi. Taste and season if needed.

2 Set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS AND SERVE

1Lightly toast the burger buns and then spread a layer of the kimchi mayo on both sides. Top the burger bases with the crispy glazed chicken, pile on the cucumber and radish pickle and add the bun lids. Serve.

Get involved

Sophie Gastman is a registered nutritionist and content creator with a background in public health, specialising in children’s health and behaviour change. Recipe taken from Find Your Healthy, available to buy now.