Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry)
Chunky chicken thighs stir-fried with cabbage, sweet potato, and rice cakes in a fiery gochujang sauce. Chuncheon's most famous export.
Why This Recipe Works
- Gochujang marinade penetrates the chicken with fermented, spicy-sweet flavor — not just surface seasoning.
- Sweet potato adds natural sweetness and starchiness that thickens the sauce.
- Cabbage water creates a natural braising liquid — no additional stock needed.
- High-heat finish caramelizes the sauce, creating sticky, charred edges that are the best bites.
From Cheap Eats to National Treasure
Dakgalbi started in the 1960s as a budget alternative to beef galbi — students and workers in Chuncheon could afford chicken but not beef. The giant communal griddles kept costs down. What started as economy food became a beloved national dish. Today, Chuncheon's Dakgalbi Street draws thousands of visitors weekly, and the dish appears on every Korean restaurant menu worldwide.
Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry)
🛒 Ingredients
- ✦1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- ✦1/4 medium cabbage, roughly chopped
- ✦1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- ✦1 cup Korean rice cakes (tteok), cylindrical
- ✦1/2 medium onion, sliced
- ✦3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- ✦4 perilla leaves (kkaennip), roughly torn (optional)
- ✦3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- ✦1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- ✦2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ✦1 tablespoon sugar
- ✦1 tablespoon mirin
- ✦1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ✦3 cloves garlic, minced
- ✦1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- ✦1 tablespoon vegetable oil
👨🍳 Instructions
01Step 1
Make the dakgalbi sauce: whisk gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until smooth.
02Step 2
Toss chicken pieces in half the sauce and marinate for at least 15 minutes (up to 2 hours in the fridge).
03Step 3
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wide pan over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato slices and cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
04Step 4
Push sweet potato to the edges. Add marinated chicken to the center and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside is seared.
05Step 5
Add cabbage, onion, rice cakes, and the remaining sauce. Toss everything together.
06Step 6
Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, sweet potato is tender, and rice cakes are chewy.
07Step 7
Uncover, increase heat, and stir-fry for 2 more minutes to caramelize the sauce and reduce liquid.
08Step 8
Add green onions and perilla leaves. Toss briefly. Serve directly from the pan with steamed rice.
Nutrition Per Serving
Estimates based on standard preparation. Adjustments alter macros.
🔄 Substitutions
Instead of Chicken thighs...
Use Pork shoulder
Pork version (dwaeji dakgalbi) is also popular — slice thin
Instead of Sweet potato...
Use Regular potato
Less sweet, slightly starchier — still works great
Instead of Rice cakes...
Use Gnocchi
Similar chew in the spicy sauce
Instead of Perilla leaves...
Use Shiso leaves or fresh basil
Different flavor but adds the same herbal freshness
🧊 Storage & Reheating
In the Fridge
Store for up to 3 days. Rice cakes will firm up — add a splash of water when reheating.
In the Freezer
Freeze without rice cakes for up to 2 months.
Reheating Rules
Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of water to loosen the sauce.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chuncheon dakgalbi?
Chuncheon is a city in South Korea's Gangwon Province where dakgalbi originated in the 1960s. Chuncheon's Myeongdong Dakgalbi Street has dozens of restaurants specializing in this dish, all cooked on huge circular griddles at the table. It's a popular day-trip destination from Seoul.
What is cheese dakgalbi?
Cheese dakgalbi is a modern Korean invention where shredded mozzarella is piled in the center of the pan and melted while the dakgalbi cooks around it. You dip the spicy chicken into the stretchy cheese. It's hugely popular in Korea and is exactly as good as it sounds.
Can I make dakgalbi less spicy?
Reduce or eliminate the gochugaru (red pepper flakes) — that's the raw heat. Keep the gochujang but use the mild version. Add extra sugar or honey to balance. You can also add a splash of cream at the end for a milder, creamier version.
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Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry)
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