Easy Soy Sauce Braised Chicken Recipe by Baek Jong-won

Today, we introduce a Baek Jong-won style jjimdak (braised chicken) recipe perfect for special guests or a family meal. Jjimdak is actually simpler than dakbokkeumtang (spicy chicken stew) if you prepare the ingredients properly. Once you try it, you'll be hooked on its delicious taste and fun cooking process!

Ingredients

Main Ingredients: Chicken (1.2kg), Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots
Seasoning Ingredients: Soy sauce, Sugar (brown/white sugar works), Minced ginger (optional)
Other Ingredients: Green onions, Korean chili peppers (Cheongyang), Dried chili peppers (optional), Tteokbokki tteok (rice cakes) or Tteokguk tteok (rice cake), Dangmyeon (glass noodles), Mushrooms (shiitake, beech mushrooms, etc.), Red chili peppers (optional)

Instructions

Ingredient Preparation

Clean the chicken and remove the innards. Briefly blanch in boiling water.
Cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into large pieces without peeling to prevent them from falling apart.
Prepare the tteokbokki tteok or tteokguk tteok as needed. Add tteokguk tteok later to prevent them from becoming mushy.
Using a variety of mushrooms enhances the flavor.

Prepare the Sauce

Prepare the sauce in advance using soy sauce and sugar as a base. Adding caramel or corn syrup will enhance the color and sweetness.

Cooking

Marinate the chicken in the sauce or let it simmer in the sauce until it absorbs the flavor.
Add the tteok and dangmyeon halfway through. Be sure to soak the dangmyeon in water beforehand to ensure it cooks tender.
Final Touches:
Add the green onions and chili peppers (Cheongyang/red chili peppers) at the end to maintain freshness and vibrancy.

Tips
Potato/Sweet Potato Alternatives: Using only one is sufficient. If needed, adding more onions will enhance the flavor.
Mushroom Additions: Mix shiitake, wood ear, and beech mushrooms, or use just one type.
Adjusting the Spice Level: Use Korean sweet peppers (꽈리고추) or green chili peppers instead of Cheongyang peppers for flavor without the heat.
Jjimdak is surprisingly simple yet visually appealing and delicious. Feel free to omit ingredients if you’re missing some. Adjust the seasoning at the end, and you’ll hardly ever fail. 😊

Fighting! Enjoy making and eating this delicious dish!