How to Make Gochujang Buttered Orzo with Korean Spiced Chicken Meatballs

Let’s face it, basic buttered noodles are boring and not that good, but gochujang buttered orzo with Korean spiced chicken meatballs on the other hand, is the simple dinner that you didn’t even know you needed. And if you don’t know what gochujang is yet, well buckle up!

Gochujang is a spicy, sweet, savory Korean paste that you may be familiar with from bibimbap and goes perfectly with this recipe. The gochujang buttered orzo with Korean spiced chicken meatballs are the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and spicy and those spiced meatballs are the cherry on top.

My gochujang buttered orzo with Korean spiced chicken meatballs comes together quickly and simply with my one pan orzo and air fryer chicken meatballs. All you need is 30 minutes and your on your way to a delicious dinner.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of orzo pasta

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 cup of gochujang paste

1 & 1/2 cup of water

3 scallions, sliced

For the Korean Spiced Chicken Meatballs:

1 lb of ground chicken

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 inch of ginger minced

1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 scallion, minced

1/4 cup of sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Start by preheating your air fryer or oven to 400F. Next, mix all of the meatball ingredients together and roll the mixture into 1-2 tablespoon balls. Place them on a baking sheet or in the air fryer basket. Cook them for 20 minutes, turning half way through.
2. Meanwhile, make the orzo by melting the butter in medium sized pan over medium heat. Saute the orzo for about 3 minutes, allowing the pasta to brown. Then, stir in the gochujang and water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the orzo is al dente.
3. To serve, scoop the orzo into bowls and top with meatballs. Garnish with scallions and enjoy!

If you like this, try my meatball noodle soup!