These tacos use ground chicken cooked in a gochujang-soy sauce in the Instant Pot, then piled into tortillas with a quick cabbage slaw and sriracha mayo. The whole thing is done in 30 minutes, and most of the sauce ingredients are pantry staples you likely already have. It’s a reliable weeknight dinner that doesn’t ask much of you.
What makes this version work
Two things carry this recipe. First, the canned pears blended into the sauce. They add natural sweetness and help tenderize the ground chicken without you needing to marinate anything overnight — a real shortcut that actually works. If you don’t have canned pears, canned peaches or even unsweetened applesauce will do the same job. Second, the Instant Pot pressure-cooking step. Nine minutes on high pressure lets the sauce fully absorb into the chicken rather than just coating it. If you only sautéed the chicken in the sauce, you’d get a thinner, less cohesive filling. The pressure step makes the difference between a good taco and a soggy one.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the browning step: It’s tempting to dump everything in at once, but browning the ground chicken first on the sauté function before adding the sauce builds a base of flavor you won’t get otherwise. Don’t rush past it.
- Not checking internal temperature: Ground chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). After the quick-release, check with an instant-read thermometer before shredding — Instant Pot times can vary slightly depending on your model.
- Over-shredding the chicken: Two forks and a light hand are enough. If you shred it too fine, it turns mushy inside the taco. You want small chunks, not a paste.
- Watery slaw: The salt draws moisture out of the cabbage quickly. If you’re not assembling right away, drain off any liquid that collects at the bottom of the bowl before topping the tacos, or the tortilla will go soft fast.
- Using cold tortillas: A cold tortilla cracks and falls apart. Char them directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side — skip the microwave here, it just makes them rubbery.
Storage and reheating
Store the cooked chicken filling separately from the slaw, mayo, and tortillas. The filling keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and freezes well for up to 2 months — freeze it flat in a zip-lock bag to save space. Reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave it covered for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through. The slaw is best made fresh each time, but if you have leftovers, it holds in the fridge for one day before it gets too soft. The spicy mayo keeps refrigerated for up to a week — make a double batch and use it on sandwiches or grain bowls.
Gochujang Chicken Tacos With Spicy Sriracha Mayo
Equipment
Ingredients
½ cup soy sauce - 120ml
5 tablespoons rice vinegar - 60ml + 15ml, divided
⅓ cup brown sugar - 70g, packed- 2 tablespoons gochujang - Korean red pepper paste, 30g
1 teaspoon ginger - fresh ; grated, about a 1-inch / 2.5cm piece
3 cloves garlic - peeled
3 tablespoons sesame oil - 45ml, divided- 1 can pears in juice - 15 oz / 425g, drained
2 pounds ground chicken - 900g, also called minced chicken- 3 cups coleslaw mix - 210g
½ teaspoon sugar (white sugar) - 2g
⅓ cup mayonnaise - 75g
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce - 30ml
⅓ cup peanuts - roasted, unsalted ; 45g, roughly crushed
¼ cup corn kernels - 40g, fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned (drained)
4 stalks green onions - scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro (coriander) - fresh cilantro leaves ; coriander, roughly chopped
1 medium lime - quartered
1 pinch salt
6 small flour tortillas - 6-inch / 15cm
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, brown sugar, gochujang, ginger, garlic, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and pears. Puree until smooth.1/2 cup soy sauce, 5 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 teaspoon ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 can pears in juice
- Set your Instant Pot to the highest sauté function and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil until shimmering.3 tablespoons sesame oil
- Add ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned — about 5 minutes. Press Cancel. Pour in the pureed sauce and stir to combine. Lock the Instant Pot lid and set the steam release valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes. When done, quick-release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting. Remove the lid, transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir through the sauce.2 pounds ground chicken
- While the chicken is cooking, mix cabbage, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.3 cups coleslaw mix, 5 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (white sugar), 1 pinch salt
- To make the spicy mayo, mix together mayo, sriracha, and juice of 1/4 of a lime. Set aside.1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce, 1 medium lime
- Char the tortillas by placing them directly over a gas burner flame for 15-20 seconds per side, or toast in a dry cast iron skillet over high heat for 30 seconds per side. Place shredded chicken on each charred tortilla, then top with cabbage slaw, corn, cilantro, green onions, crushed peanuts, a drizzle of sriracha mayo, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.6 small flour tortillas, 1/4 cup corn kernels, 1/4 cup cilantro (coriander), 4 stalks green onions, 1/3 cup peanuts, 1 medium lime
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make this without an Instant Pot?
Yes — use a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Brown the ground chicken, add the blended sauce, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internally. The result is slightly less saucy but still very good.
What can I use instead of gochujang if I can’t find it?
A mix of sriracha and a small amount of miso paste is the closest swap — use about 1.5 tablespoons sriracha and half a tablespoon of white miso in place of the 2 tablespoons of gochujang. It won’t be identical, but it covers the heat, salt, and fermented depth that gochujang brings.
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Yes, ground turkey works directly as a one-for-one swap. Cook times stay the same, and the safe internal temperature is the same — 165°F (74°C). Lean ground turkey can dry out slightly more than chicken, so don’t skip the pear in the sauce.
I don’t have rice vinegar — what else works?
Apple cider vinegar is the best substitute, used in the same quantity. White wine vinegar also works. Plain white vinegar is sharper, so use about three-quarters of the amount called for and taste as you go.
Do I need the peanuts and corn as toppings?
No — skip either one if you don’t have them on hand. The peanuts add crunch, but toasted sunflower seeds or even crushed tortilla chips do the same thing. The corn is a minor addition; leaving it out changes nothing important about the dish.
How spicy is this, and can I dial it back?
With 2 tablespoons of gochujang and 2 tablespoons of sriracha in the mayo, it’s moderately spicy — noticeable but not punishing for most people. To reduce heat, cut the gochujang to 1 tablespoon and swap the sriracha in the mayo for plain mayo with a squeeze of lime juice instead.
If you liked this one
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- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
