Dakgalbi Cream Rigatoni (Korean Spicy Chicken Gochujang Cream Pasta)
Dakgalbi cream rigatoni marinates boneless chicken thigh in a gochujang-based sauce with soy sauce, gochugaru, and sugar, then stir-fries it with cabbage and sweet potato before finishing with heavy cream. Pre-marinating lets the spicy-sweet seasoning penetrate the meat rather than just coating the surface. High-heat stir-frying drives moisture out of the cabbage, concentrating its natural sweetness, which balances the chili paste's intensity. Adding cream and reducing it on low heat emulsifies the spicy marinade into a pink, thick sauce. Rigatoni's large hollow tubes fill with this dense cream sauce, delivering both the dakgalbi's bold heat and the cream's smoothness in every bite.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Cut chicken thigh into bite-size pieces and marinate with gochujang, gochugaru, and soy sauce for 10 minutes.
- 2
Cook rigatoni in salted water until al dente and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- 3
Heat oil and saute garlic, onion, and cabbage for 3 minutes.
- 4
Add marinated chicken, cook over high heat, then pour in cream and simmer 4 minutes on medium.
- 5
Add rigatoni with 4 tbsp pasta water and toss to reach a glossy sauce.
- 6
Stir in mozzarella until melted, finish with black pepper, and serve hot.
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