Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken Sandwiches (Mild & Family-Friendly)

Mild, sweet-and-savoury slow cooker gochujang chicken sandwiches made with tender, shredded chicken. Easy prep, family-friendly, big flavour.

There is something deeply satisfying about walking in the door after a busy day and smelling dinner already done. If you love that feeling as much as I do, you’ll also want to check out my comforting slow cooker recipes for busy parents.

As a foodie, dietitian and mom, I’m always looking for ways to make an easy, nutritious, flavour- forward meal to the table without making things complicated or too spicy (because two out of my three kids wouldn’t eat it!). 

These slow cooker gochujang chicken sandwiches are exactly that. Delicious, savoury, slightly sweet, and very mildly spicy. The kind of flavour that feels bold but still totally manageable for kids. And the best part? It takes about 10 minutes to prep and then you set it and forget it in the slow cooker.

What Is Gochujang, Exactly?

If you’ve never used it before, gochujang is a fermented Korean chili paste made from red chili powder, rice, and soybeans. It’s thick, rich, and slightly sweet with a subtle heat.

Spice levels vary by brand, but in this recipe the sweetness and slow cooking mellow everything out beautifully. My kids happily eat this version, especially when tucked into a soft bun with something crunchy on top. YUM.

If your crew is extra sensitive to spice, you can always reduce the amount slightly. But don’t skip it altogether – it’s what gives this dish its personality.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Slow Cooker Chicken

• Low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• Gochujang paste
• Honey or brown sugar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Ground or fresh ginger
• Garlic
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

For the Tangy Gochujang Mayo (Optional but Delicious)

• Mayonnaise
• A little more gochujang
• Rice vinegar
• Pinch of salt

to Serve

• Soft sandwich buns
• Packaged Asian slaw or sliced cucumber and green onion

That’s it. No long ingredient list. No specialty grocery run required (most major stores such as Superstore now carry gochujang).

How to Make It

This is a true “dump and go” situation. Whisk the sauce ingredients right in the slow cooker. Add the chicken and coat it well. Cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours.

When it’s done, shred the chicken right in the pot using two forks. Leave it on warm until you’re ready to serve; it continues to soak up that flavour and gets even better.

If you’re making the tangy mayo (highly recommend), just stir the ingredients together in a small bowl while the chicken finishes cooking.

When assembling, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to the buns so things don’t get soggy. Add slaw or cucumbers for crunch, and you’re done.

Dinner, handled.

Make This Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken Sandwich Your Own

One of my favourite things about this recipe is how adaptable it is.

Gluten-free?

• Choose gluten-free gochujang, tamari, and buns.

Soy-free?

• Look for a soy-free gochujang and swap tamari for coconut aminos.

Very spice-sensitive eaters?

• Reduce the gochujang slightly and skip the spicy mayo.

But the best part about this recipe? It is fantastic repurposed as leftovers! The shredded chicken mixture is fantastic:

• Over rice
• In lettuce wraps
• In tacos
• Stuffed into a baked sweet potato
• Tossed into a grain bowl

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days and freeze beautifully.

For Your Picky Eater

If you’ve got a picky eater at your table, the beauty of this recipe is that it is totally flexible. This recipe is already delicately sweet and slightly spicy, but if spicy foods make your child’s nose turn up, I’ve got you. The thing about these gochujang chicken sandwiches is that you can modify the spice level to your child’s liking. 

Here are some tips:

• Reduce the gochujang sauce a bit or stir in some mayo directly into your child’s portion before serving to take the heat down a few notches.
• The tangy mayo sauce? Serve it on the side.
• Serve it with a familiar food such as their favourite bun.

If spice isn’t the concern, but eating meat is, you’ll want to check out my top tips for when your child won’t eat meat.

One of my biggest picky eating tips to ease your child into exploring a variety of foods? Serve it deconstructed. So serve the shredded chicken plain, alongside a bun, veggies and condiments. Let your child have at ‘er and build their own sandwich!

A Few Helpful Tips

• Chicken thighs stay slightly juicier, but breasts work perfectly too.
• Don’t overcook on high, low and slow gives the best texture.
• Toasting the buns lightly adds structure and prevents sogginess.
• If you’re unsure about spice, start with slightly less gochujang. You can always stir a little more into the finished chicken.

If you’re looking for a low-effort dinner that feels different from your usual rotation but still keeps everyone happy, this one is worth trying. Ten minutes of prep. Big flavour payoff. Dinner ready when you walk through the door. That’s my kind of weeknight win.

Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken Sandwiches (Mild & Family-Friendly)

This dietitian mom knows that adding tons of yummy flavour to favourite simple foods (like the chicken in these sandwiches) by changing up the condiments is a great way to expand your kids’ palates. Gochujang is a Korean condiment that adds a subtle heat and rich flavour. I’ve made it into a sweet and very lightly spicy sauce and simmered protein-rich, family favourite chicken in the slow cooker for a meal that takes only a few minutes to prep and is ready to eat when we return home after our busy days.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

  

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For the sandwiches:

• 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried ground ginger or 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

For the Tangy Gochujang Mayo

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 teaspoons gochujang paste to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• Pinch of salt

To serve:

• 4 to 6 buns
• Gochujang mayo or regular mayo
• Handful packaged Asian slaw OR sliced cucumber and green onion

Instructions

 

• In a slow cooker, whisk together the tamari or soy sauce, gochujang paste, honey or brown sugar, oil, ginger and garlic. Add the chicken pieces and cover them with the sauce. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.
• When the chicken is ready, use two forks to shred it right in the slow cooker. Leave in the cooker on the keep warm setting until ready to serve, it will continue to absorb that yummy gochujang flavour.
• Make the Tangy Gochujang Mayo, if using: In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, gochujang paste, vinegar, and salt. Grab the Asian slaw or prepare the cucumber and onions.
• Assemble the sandwiches: Add Tangy Gochujang Mayo or plain mayonnaise to the buns. Using a slotted spoon to allow excess cooking liquid to drain off, add the chicken to the buns. Top each sandwich with the veggies and serve warm.

Notes

Gluten-free version: Choose a gluten-free gochujang paste, tamari and buns.

Soy-free: Choose a soy-free gochujang paste and swap out the tamari or soy sauce for soy-free seasoning sauce (also called coconut aminos).

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Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sarah Remmer, RD

Sarah Remmer, RD, is a registered dietitian and mom of three, specializing in family and pediatric nutrition. She’s the founder of Centred Nutrition Collective and has nearly 20 years of experience helping families feel confident about feeding their kids.