Korean Stir-Fried Chicken
Quick answer
Dak-bokkeum is a Korean stir-fried chicken dish seasoned with a soy sauce-based marinade.
What makes this special
- Chicken pieces seared in a soy-based marinade for a salty, umami-forward crust.
- Breast gives lean firmness; thigh stays moist and springy depending on choice
- Vegetable moisture blends into the sauce naturally without adding liquid
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 300 g of chicken breast or thigh into 3 to 4 cm bite-size pieces and keep the thickness even.
- 2 Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 0.5 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in a bowl.
- 3 Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to a pan and heat it well over high heat.
Dak-bokkeum is a Korean stir-fried chicken dish seasoned with a soy sauce-based marinade. Soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic coat the chicken evenly before it hits the pan, producing a salty, umami-forward crust as it sears. Onion and carrot are added partway through, and the moisture they release as they soften blends into the seasoning to form a natural pan sauce without any added liquid. Sesame oil goes in at the end, its nutty aroma lifting through the dish as it finishes. Breast meat produces a leaner, cleaner-tasting result, while thigh meat stays more moist and springy throughout cooking. The dish pairs well with steamed rice and comes together quickly enough for weeknight cooking.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 300 g of chicken breast or thigh into 3 to 4 cm bite-size pieces and keep the thickness even.
If the surface is wet, press it lightly dry so the chicken sears instead of steaming in the pan.
- 2Season
Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 0.5 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in a bowl.
Stir until the sugar is no longer visible so the seasoning coats evenly and does not scorch in clumps.
- 3Control
Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to a pan and heat it well over high heat.
Add the chicken in a single layer and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the outside turns opaque and begins to color.
- 4Heat
Add 50 g carrot and 80 g onion, then lower the heat to medium-high.
Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables soften slightly and the onion edges start to look translucent.
- 5Season
Pour in the prepared seasoning and stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Scrape and toss from the bottom of the pan so the sauce gives the chicken and vegetables an even brown gloss.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat once the chicken is cooked through and the sauce no longer looks watery.
Drizzle 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil, toss lightly, and serve warm with steamed rice.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
More Stir-fry →Based on shared ingredients and meal pairing
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Korean Spicy Chicken Stir-fry
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Serve with this
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