Korean Spicy Braised Chicken (Dak Bokkeum Tang)

About This Recipe

Dak bokkeum tang braises bone-in chicken pieces with potatoes and carrots in a thick, fiery gochujang-based sauce until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the vegetables have soaked up all that spicy, savory flavor. It's a home-style dish that shows up regularly at Korean family dinner tables. The sauce builds from gochujang and gochugaru together, which gives more complexity than either alone — gochujang for body and fermented depth, gochugaru for a cleaner, brighter heat. Letting the sauce reduce properly at the end is what turns it from a thin broth into a clinging, glossy glaze.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kgbone-in chicken pieces(thighs and drumsticks)
• 2potatoes(cut into chunks)
• 1carrot(cut into chunks)
• 1onion(cut into wedges)
• 3 tbspgochujang
• 2 tbspgochugaru
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspsugar
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 2 cupswater or chicken stock
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 2scallions(cut into pieces)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the sauce

   Whisk gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger together with the water or stock.

2. 2

   Combine and simmer

   Place chicken, potatoes, carrot, and onion in a wide pot or skillet. Pour the sauce over everything.

3. 3

   Braise covered

   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes until the chicken is nearly tender.

4. 4

   Reduce uncovered

   Uncover and simmer 10-15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables.

   The sauce should coat the back of a spoon by the end — extend uncovered simmering if it's still thin.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir in sesame oil and scallions just before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced rice cakes (tteok) in the last 10 minutes for extra heartiness.

• •

  Use boneless chicken thighs for a quicker-cooking version.

• •

  Adjust the spice level by reducing the gochugaru for a milder dish.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the flavor deepens overnight, making it an excellent next-day leftover.

Frequently Asked Questions