Korean Dakgalbi

Dakgalbi is a popular Korean dish from Chuncheon that cooks marinated chicken with cabbage, sweet potato, and rice cakes on a wide griddle.

This home version uses boneless chicken thigh and a balanced gochujang marinade, then cooks the vegetables in the same pan until tender but distinct.

Cut the chicken into irregular bite-size pieces and keep the heat moderate so the sauce coats the food without scorching.

Serving Suggestions

Serve directly from the pan with steamed rice, lettuce leaves, kimchi, or a simple cucumber salad.

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Korean Dakgalbi

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A popular Korean skillet dish of chicken, cabbage, sweet potato, and rice cakes in a spicy gochujang sauce.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Calories: 505

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

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Chicken and Marinade

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into irregular bite-size pieces
• 1/3 cup gochujang
• 2 tbsp gochugaru
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice syrup or honey
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Vegetables and Rice Cakes

• 1 lb green cabbage cut into broad pieces
• 1 medium Korean sweet potato thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion sliced
• 12 oz Korean rice cakes soaked if firm
• 4 large scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/4 cup water

Equipment

• Large cast-iron skillet or shallow braiser
• Mixing bowl
• Chef’s knife
• Wooden spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons

Method

 

Marinate:

1. Whisk the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, rice syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Toss with the chicken and marinate for 20 minutes.

Cook:

1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sweet potato and cook for 6 minutes, turning the chicken once.
2. Add cabbage, onion, rice cakes, scallions, and water. Cover for 5 minutes, then uncover and stir-fry for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
3. Let the sauce reduce just enough to coat the ingredients, then serve from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 35gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 1120mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15g

Notes

• Use Korean cylindrical rice cakes rather than sliced soup rice cakes.
• Chicken thigh stays moist during the skillet cooking and should reach 165 F (74 C).