Easy One-Pot Dakbokkeumtang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew) Recipe

Dakbokkeumtang is a classic Korean home stew of bone-in chicken simmered with potatoes, carrots, and a red pepper–forward sauce. It’s beloved for bold, layered flavors and the satisfying contrast between tender meat and stew-ready vegetables.

This dakbokkeumtang recipe is designed for home cooks: everything cooks in one pot, the technique choices are explicit (brief parboil for a cleaner broth or skip it for fuller chicken flavor), and timing cues show how to get either a soupy version or a reduced, glossy braise. Whether you want a quick weeknight dinner or a slow-braised centerpiece, this recipe adapts easily with add-ins like rice cakes, glass noodles, or mushrooms.

What is Dakbokkeumtang?

Dakbokkeumtang is a Korean braised chicken stew where bone-in pieces simmer in a spicy-savoury red sauce made from Korean chili paste and flakes, soy, garlic, and a touch of sweetness. Texture can range from a broth-forward stew (ideal for spooning over rice) to a reduced braise where the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables. Expect savory umami, gentle heat, and a glossy finish if you reduce the sauce—key traits that make this dish a staple of Korean comfort food.

What You’ll Need to Make dakbokkeumtang recipe

Tools and equipment (checklist)

• Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (4–6 qt / 4–6 L)
• Chef’s knife and cutting board
• Mixing bowl and whisk or fork
• Tongs or slotted spoon
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Fine-mesh strainer or colander (for rinsing)

Pantry staples and ingredients to have on hand

• Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Sugar or liquid sweetener (e.g., oligosaccharide)
• Sesame oil
• Chicken stock or hot water

Why You’ll Love Dakbokkeumtang?

• One-pot convenience: minimal cleanup and family-style serving.
• Texture control: clear cues to make a soupy stew or a reduced, clingy braise.
• Technique-first approach: optional parboil for a cleaner broth and a reduction step for glossy sauce.
• Versatile base: add tteok (rice cakes), glass noodles, or mushrooms without breaking the sauce.
• Comfort food appeal: bold, savory, slightly spicy, and perfect with steamed rice and simple banchan.

Ingredients

Main

• 1.2–1.5 kg (2.6–3.3 lb) bone-in chicken (drumsticks and/or thighs), trimmed and patted dry
• 3 medium potatoes (about 500 g / 1 lb), peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 large carrot (about 120 g / 4 oz), sliced 1 cm / 3/8 in thick or cut into half-moons
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2–3 scallions (green onions), sliced on a diagonal
• 1–2 fresh green chiles or jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• 1½ tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) — adjust to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons sugar or 2 tablespoons liquid sweetener
• 1½ tablespoons minced garlic (about 4–5 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 750 ml (3 cups) hot chicken stock or water (use 500 ml / 2 cups for a quicker, brothier finish)

Optional add-ins

• 1 cup rice cakes (tteok), soaked if dried
• 100 g (3.5 oz) glass noodles (dangmyeon), soaked briefly
• 100 g (3.5 oz) mushrooms, halved

Method / Instructions

1. Prep: Cut vegetables, slice scallions and chiles, and soak rice cakes or glass noodles if needed. Whisk together gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl until smooth.

   

2. Optional parboil (for a cleaner broth): Briefly parboil chicken in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Return the chicken to a clean pot. (This step produces a brighter, less cloudy broth; skip it if you prefer richer rendered flavor.)

   

3. Sauté aromatics and brown: Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add half the garlic and the onion; sauté 1 minute. Add the chicken and brown lightly on all sides, 3–4 minutes.

4. Add sauce and liquid:

   
   Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Add 750 ml (3 cups) hot chicken stock or water and bring to a vigorous simmer. (For a brothier finish, use 500 ml / 2 cups instead.)
   

5. Braise covered: Reduce heat to low, cover, and braise 25 minutes.

   

6. Add root vegetables: Add potatoes and carrots, recover, and braise another 20–25 minutes until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.

   

7. Choose your finish: For a glossy, clingy braise, uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes until liquid reduces and coats the chicken (졸이기). For a brothy stew, stop when vegetables are tender and leave the pot partially covered to retain more liquid.

   

8. Add delicate ingredients: If using rice cakes, glass noodles, or mushrooms, add them in the final 3–8 minutes so they soften without becoming mushy.

9. Finish and serve: Stir in sliced scallions and a final drizzle of sesame oil. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Tips / Variations / Serving Suggestions

• Texture timing: Use the "choose your finish" step to match the visual and mouthfeel readers expect—soupy for mixing with rice, reduced and glossy for scooping.
• Heat adjustment: Reduce gochugaru and gochujang amounts for a milder profile; add fresh sliced chiles at the end for bright heat.
• Add-in timing: Rice cakes and glass noodles should go in late so the sauce doesn’t dilute and the starch doesn’t overcook.
• Mushroom option: Add mushrooms earlier if you want them deeply infused, or late for firmer texture.
• Serve it with quick cucumber kimchi or seasoned bean sprouts).

This easy one-pot dakbokkeumtang (Korean spicy chicken stew) recipe is a dependable weeknight hero with room to customize—pick the quick 30-minute route when time is tight or slow-braise for deeper, concentrated flavor. Try it as written, then experiment with rice cakes, glass noodles, or mushrooms.

If you enjoyed this one-pot meal, explore more in the One-Pot Korean Meals Hub and pair the stew with offerings from the Banchan Pairing Collection or learn more about gochujang and gochugaru in the Korean Pantry Staples Guide. Cooking dakbokkeumtang is a small, rewarding project—give it a go and share how you customized yours.