Dak Galbi (Stir Fry Spicy Chicken)

Dak Galbi Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this Dak Galbi recipe. The full ingredient list and quantities are in the recipe card, and substitutions are provided in the next section.

Ingredients including gochugaru, gochujang, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and spices.

Ingredients for including skinless chicken, cabbage, rice cakes, green onions, and mozzarella.

Chicken: use skinless chicken thigh for the best result. Since the chicken is cooking for more than 15 minutes, the thigh still remains moist compared to chicken breast.

Gochugaru: Korean red pepper flakes are different than red chili flakes. They are more fine and taste less spicy. They can be found at most Korean groceries like Hmart.

Gochujang: Spicy korean fermented pepper paste tastes sweet with a hint of spice (depending the brand you buy). It can be purchased at your local Asian grocery store.

Honey: This gives the sauce a nice thick texture as well as sweetness. To make it more sweet, you can add more honey or sugar.

Soy sauce: Adds savoriness to the spicy sauce. I recommend to use low sodium to ensure that it’s not too salty.

Aromatics – Garlic cloves, White Onion, Ginger: These are required to flavor the chicken and provide a sweet and fragrant flavor to the chicken.

Curry powder: This ingredient is not common and when used in small quantities, the curry powder enhances the gochujang flavor.

Cabbage: This is a mild vegetable and adds so much sweetness to the dish. The cabbage also soaks up the sauce, which makes the dish taste extra delicious.

Potato: The potato soaks up the sauce and ensures that the dish is perfectly salted. I used yukon gold for it’s buttery texture, but you can use your potato of choice. I also leave the skin on.

Rice cakes: chewy rice cakes cooked in the delicious chicken broth is a dream come true. If you can get fresh rice cakes, they will taste chewier compared to the frozen ones at the Korean store.

Shredded mozzarella (optional but highly recommended) – creates a creamier sauce and the mildness of the cheese helps with the spice.

Substitutions and Variations

Protein – If you want to change to pork or tofu, you may. This dish traditionally uses chicken. You can substitute with chicken breast if you want. Keep in mind it might not be as tender.

Potatoes – yukon gold potatoes are recommended for this dish, but feel free to use sweet potatoes or add potato starch noodles to soak up the delicious spicy sauce.

Vegetables – In addition to cabbage, you can add carrots, peppers and zucchini. The vegetables end up soaking up the sauce and it’s so delicious!

How to Make Dak Galbi

Chopped cabbage on a wooden cutting board.

Step 1. Slice cabbage, white onion, potato, and green onions. Rinse rice cakes.

Raw chicken thighs cut into pieces on a white cutting board.

Step 2. Slice chicken thighs in 1 inch pieces.

Marinade ingredients including gochujang, gochugaru, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in a bowl.

Step 3. Make the marinade by mixing gochugaru, gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, onion, ginger, black pepper, and curry powder.

Chicken pieces marinating in a spicy sauce mixture in a white bowl.

Step 4. Add chicken in the marinade and mix together.

Chopped cabbage and green onions cooking in a pan.

Step 5. Heat large pan on medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add cabbage, white onion, and green onions.

Marinated chicken placed on top of cabbage and green onions in a pan.

Step 6. Then, add the marinated chicken on top. Cook for 3-5 minutes and mix together.

Marinated chicken, rice cakes, and potatoes placed on top of cabbage in a pan.

Step 7. Next, add your potatoes and rice cakes. Cook for 10 minutes and mix everything together. Then, add ¼ cup water and cook for 5 minutes until potatoes and rice cakes are cooked.

Cooked dish with melted cheese, potatoes, and chicken topped with green onions.

Step 8. Add shredded mozzarella and green onions. Cover the pan so it melts. Enjoy while warm with hot rice.

Cheesy chicken and vegetables being lifted with chopsticks from a skillet with melted cheese.

Expert Tips

Cheese Addition: Adding shredded mozzarella helps to balance the spice, making it a great option if you want to tone down the heat.

Lettuce Wraps: Serve with lettuce wraps for a fresh, crunchy contrast to the spicy chicken. You can also use perilla leaves for a traditional Korean taste.

Make Fried Rice: Save leftovers to make a quick and flavorful fried rice with the leftover sauce and ingredients. See recipe in the Recipe FAQs below.

Recipe FAQs

How to make the fried rice with the leftovers?

If you have leftovers in the pan, you can make fried rice! Heat pan to medium heat. Then, add 1 cup of rice to the pan. Mix together and add roasted seaweed, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Mix in some kimchi too for a great acidic flavor contrast.

What can I serve this with?

You can serve this with white rice, kimchi, lettuce wraps and roasted seaweed. If you want a full meal, eat with this delicious Sesame Salad with Hijiki and Easy Udon Noodle Soup.

Christina says

December 14, 2023 at 11:13 am