Skip to content

Meat, East Asian

Dakdoritang with rice

Dakdoritang is a Korean chicken stew simmered with potatoes and carrots in a gochujang sauce, served over rice. This recipe serves 4, takes 55 minutes, rates as easy and costs €3.00 per serving. The key is letting the sauce reduce slowly until it turns glossy and coats the chicken.

Dakdoritang tonight, a Korean chicken stew with potatoes in a spicy red sauce, mild enough for kids and grown ups alike.

Dakdoritang with rice
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Dakdoritang pairs tender slow cooked chicken with the rounded heat of gochujang, mellowed by sugar and sesame oil. The potatoes and carrots soak up that glossy red sauce, while plain rice tames the spice in every bite. It's a generous dish that simmers quietly while you get on with the rest of your evening.

This is the kind of weeknight dinner you can start without much thought, the pot does the work for you. Kids handle it well since the rice balances out the chili, and adults can stir in extra gochugaru on their own plate. A warming winter dish that doesn't complicate your evening.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves

Pantry

  • Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tbsp
  • Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Allergens Soy, Gluten, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the chicken thighs under hot water to remove excess fat, then pat them dry.

    Score two cuts into each thigh so the sauce can soak in properly.

  2. Cut the potatoes and carrots into large chunks, and the onion into wedges.

    Round off the sharp edges of the vegetables so they hold their shape while cooking.

  3. Mix the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, crushed garlic, and sesame oil with a large glass of water.

    For a milder version, swap the gochugaru for paprika.

  4. Put the chicken and vegetables in a Dutch oven, pour in the sauce, bring to a boil, then let it simmer. 35 min

    Stir gently halfway through, the bottom shouldn't catch.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water while the stew finishes, and serve it topped with the glossy sauce. 11 min

    Once the sauce turns syrupy, you can stop, that's exactly the right texture.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick bone in, skin on chicken thighs, the skin holds the sauce and keeps the meat from drying out during the 35 minute simmer.
  • Taste the sauce before serving, if it's too spicy for kids, stir in another spoon of sugar rather than water, which would dilute it.
  • Cut the potatoes into fairly large chunks, they'll cook at the same rate as the chicken without turning to mush.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thigh pieces, they'll cook about ten minutes faster.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with shiitake mushrooms and firm tofu, added toward the end of simmering.
  • For kids in a hurry to eat, cut the gochugaru in half and add an extra spoon of sugar to the sauce.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed rice to soak up the sauce
  • Kimchi for a tangy crunch
  • Barley tea to cool down the heat

Storage

Dakdoritang keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, the sauce actually tastes even better the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the rice. Reheat gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I make dakdoritang ahead of time?

Yes, cook the stew the day before, resting in the fridge lets the sauce soak deeper into the chicken. Reheat gently in a pot the next day and cook the rice fresh right before serving.

What if I don't have gochugaru?

Swap the gochugaru for sweet or smoked paprika for a milder version, as noted in the recipe. The flavor shifts slightly but the dish stays balanced.

Is dakdoritang too spicy for kids?

Sugar and sesame oil soften the gochujang's heat, and plain rice cools down the spice with every bite. You can also cut back on the gochugaru for a gentler version.

What's the difference between gochujang and gochugaru?

Gochujang is a fermented sweet and savory paste that gives the sauce its body. Gochugaru is dried chili flakes, mainly adding heat and that deep red color.

How long does it take to make a dakdoritang with rice?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a dakdoritang with rice?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a dakdoritang with rice cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

East Asian cuisines

See all

Recipes with carrots

See all