Dakbokkeumtang (닭볶음탕), also known as dakdoritang, is a delicious Korean spicy braised chicken dish made with tender chicken, potatoes, onions, and a rich, spicy, savory, and slightly sweet sauce. As everything cooks together, the potatoes soak up the delicious sauce and become soft and flavorful. It’s a hearty, comforting dish that’s especially good with a bowl of rice!
Recently, I visited Seattle and held a meetup with my readers. During the Q&A session, one woman told me that my dakbokkeumtang recipe was the one she used the most and found especially helpful. She even remembered something I said in the video: “Maangchi said, ‘1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup gochujang… today’s 1/4 cup day!'” It made all of us burst out laughing! It was so much fun to hear that someone still remembered those words from my video!
I filmed this video in Amsterdam with my reader Sarah Moore as part of my Gapshida project. Sarah had contacted me because she missed the dakbokkeumtang she used to eat at a Korean restaurant when she lived in Korea as a child. Her friend Rei Nilde, an artist, helped us film the video.
Sarah and I made dakbokkeumtang together, and we also served it at our potluck party. Everyone brought delicious food to share, and we enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Most of us had never met before, but we quickly became friends through our love of Korean food!
This traditional-style dakbokkeumtang can be made with chicken wings, thighs, or a whole chicken cut into pieces. The chicken becomes tender and juicy as it simmers in the spicy sauce. If you prefer chicken breasts, I also have a newer dakbokkeumtang recipe made with chicken breasts. Both versions are delicious, so choose whichever one you like!
Enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 1 kg (about 2 pounds) of chicken wings or chicken thighs
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup of minced garlic
- ¼ cup hot pepper paste
- ¼ cup Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tbs sugar
- 2 or 3 medium sized onions (2 cups’ worth), cut into chunks
- 3-4 large potatoes (about 600 grams or 1.5 pounds)
- 2 green onions
- 2 green chili peppers
Directions
Cooking time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Wash and drain.
- Make seasoning paste by mixing the soy sauce, minced garlic, hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes, and sugar.
- Put the chicken and onion into the seasoning paste. Mix it with a spoon.
- Add 2 cups of water to the pot and mix it up.
- Cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat.
- Meanwhile, peel the potatoes. Wash and drain them, then cut into large chunks 2 inches across. Set aside.
- Chop the green chili peppers and green onions into small pieces. Set aside.
- 20 minutes later, add the potato chunks and chopped green chili peppers to the pot. Stir with a spoon, then cover and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Open the lid and cook another 3-5 minutes. Keep the lid open to boil away some broth and thicken.
- Occasionally take some broth from the bottom of the pot and pour it over the top so everything gets some delicious broth.
- Transfer it to a large serving plate and sprinkle 2 chopped green onions over top. Serve.
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Brilliant but simple recipe. This was one of my favourite Korean dishes and now I know how to make it. It was delicious and looked yummy. Thank you Maangchi!
Spicy and delicious plus mouthwatering!
Made this today and it was definitely a hit..Served it over Jasmine rice…Will make it again, but going to try it with pork. Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Maangchi!
What banchans go well with this main dish? I want to make a balanced meal so I’m thinking green vegetables side dish and something else? Thank you!
Pickled radish
Chicken-mu 치킨무
is always a good choice.
Just look for it on Maangchi’s site; urls get moderated (with good reason!).
Hi Maangchi
Can i ads carrot in the stew?
When should i add the carrot? In the beginning together with onion or together with potato?
Thank you
Carrot needs some time until it’s done.
If you want bite-sized pieces aka chunks ;-) – add them pretty early.
Medium slices – with the potatoes.
I love this recipe, I have used the newer recipe love um both.
Yesterday I had thighs and this recipe is so easy I went with it, Uhps I forget to buy garlic, how could I forget garlic you need it for everything but ice cream and coffee. Someone gave me a small jar of minced roasted garlic which I forgot I had because I always use fresh garlic, not wanting to go back to the store I threw it in, I gotta tell you it was delicious. I think I will roast some fresh garlic and try this again.
Yes, this chicken needs lots of fresh garlic!
Hi Maangchi! I discovered this recipe during quarantine and absolutely loved it!!! It’s so simple but super tasty. My boyfriend is afraid of spicy food but he said that as long as it’s one of Maangchi’s recipes, he’ll eat it gladly! :D
I love your recieps and website. Might I suggest that you set it up with a print button for the recipes? It is difficult to cut and paste it all into another document suitable for printing. Thanks
Michael
Check it out now! : )
Yummy yummy!
We absolutely love this recipe. Easy to follow and extremely delicious. Thank you, Maangchi!
♥️
Hello!!
I hope you’re healt and safe, I have been asking me if I can found 닭볶음탕 recipe in the Big Book thanks maangchi always I enjoy your recipes have a good day!
It looks amazing! I’m sure that it was very tasty! I love your presentation, too!
Maybe my memory is not good, but I swear I remember eating this with carrots in it at different points in time when I lived in Korea. Are there any subtle differences that have to do with the name of the dish??? (I always asked for dakdoritang). Is that unusual?
You can add some carrots, too.
Sooo good!!!! Great flavor. Garlicy, spicy, a hint of sweetness from the soy and sugar and tender chicken and potatoes. Yummmm!! I added eggs because I needed to use them. Didn’t have any green onions but still tasted amazing. Will definitely make again!! Thank you!
I haven’t made dakbokkeumtang in such a long time, but your photo is motivating me to make it soon!
I made it again a second time and it looked a lot prettier. You should make an updated video for this recipe!!! :D
Hello Maangchi! Maybe you are wondering but we cooked Dak-bokkeumtang too :-)! We use seitan instead of poor chicken and we love the recipe!
Hi, maangchi eonni!
I use your recipe as a guide to season my chicken burger. I season my ground chicken w/ your seasoning sauce recipe, shape & freeze my patties. When i grill one of them to eat with rice “buns” and topped with kimchi instead of lettuce & tomato. It tasted so good that my son asked for second.
Thanks for all of the easy recipe
I used 1 Jalapeno pepper, but it didn’t turn out as spicy as I would’ve liked. I’ll use 2-4 Serrano peppers next time. However, yet another great recipe! Thank you Maangchi.
Love your recipe! My son also gave it a try. He said it was a bit spicy. But, he still ate my “stew”. This is the first time I added peppers. There wasn’t the type of peppers you used, so I bought Serrano peppers. I just added 4 small slices, and I could feel that different heat. Wow. Thanks Maangchi!
The easiest way to make this is to just cut up some boneless chicken thighs, potatoes, onion, jalapenos, and daikon. and seasoning paste and anchovy stock then boil until root veggies are soft. Serve with rice.
That was very easy to make and quite delectable!
Thank you! I’m a fan!
Wow it looks great!
not quite done yet but a very similar recipie to yours i learned when i lived in korea for 5 years (near gunsan city) also has scallion chunks and tomato cooked with it. this still needs another hour or so cooking before its ready, cant wait!
now if i had thought ahead and made more kimchi… ran out last week atleast i have some danmuji and diakon kimchi to serve with this tonight!
danmuji and bapsang
allmost there…
forgot to post the finished pic, used Kagayaki select california short grain rice with it. VERY good rice, reminds me of the rice id get in korea.
Hi Maangchi!!
I love this recipe, it tastes sooooo good XD It’s the third time I am making this :P
Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
It looks good! Your dakbokkeumtang looks exactly as it’s supposed to look!
my first try out.
Oh my, it looks amazingly delicious! I’m so impressed with your cooking! I’d like to share this with my letter readers, because my letter goes out tomorrow!
http://www.maangchi.com/letter
I believe I’ve had this a few times at a Korean buffet. I’ve been looking to make it myself and this recipie seems completely accurate. The place I got it didn’t use potato though they used korean radish. Is it the same recipie then or should I be searching for a completely recipie different?
I usually don’t use radish when I make dakbokkeumtang, but adding radish instead of potatoes sounds good to me. Traditionally, though, dakbokkeumtang is made with chicken, onions, and potatoes.