Korean Chicken Rice Porridge

Quick answer

Total time: 65 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Dakjuk is a Korean chicken rice porridge built from a straightforward foundation: a whole chicken breast poached in water until tender, then shredded along the grain and returned to the broth with soaked short-grain rice.

The rice and minced garlic are first sauteed briefly in sesame oil so each grain takes on a faint nuttiness before the stock is added, which carries through into the finished porridge. As the rice simmers and slowly breaks down over twenty-five or more minutes of regular stirring, it releases starch that thickens the liquid into a smooth, flowing consistency without turning gluey. The chicken adds lean protein without weighing the dish down, and the garlic mellows from sharp to a quiet warmth. Sliced green onion scattered on top provides a fresh, grassy contrast to the mild, savory base. Dakjuk has been a household staple in Korea for generations, reached for when the body needs recovery, when the stomach asks for something gentle, or when a warm and undemanding breakfast is simply the right start to the morning.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

short-grain rice1 cupcup

chicken breast250 gg

water1200 mlml

minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

sesame oil1 tbsptbsp

salt1 tsptsp

green onion1 eaea

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Rinse 1 cup of rice, soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well.

Properly drained soaked rice expands evenly when simmered, giving the porridge a smooth, uniform consistency.
2

Control

Place 250g chicken breast and 1200ml water in a pot, bring to a boil over medium heat, skim any foam, and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken, cool briefly, then shred by hand following the grain. Keep the cooking broth for the porridge base.
3

Control

In the same pot after removing the chicken, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil and stir-fry the soaked rice with 1 tbsp minced garlic for 2 minutes until the grains turn slightly translucent. The oil coating reduces sticking and adds a savory aroma.
4

Control

Add the chicken broth and shredded chicken to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. As the rice grains burst open, the porridge thickens and absorbs the savory chicken broth.
5

Season

Once the rice is fully open and the porridge reaches desired thickness, season with 1 tsp salt and turn off the heat.

The right consistency flows slowly from a spoon. Adjust salt gradually to taste.
6

Finish

Serve in warm stone bowls and top generously with thinly sliced green onion.

The fresh scallion aroma completes the savory chicken porridge with a clean finish.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Dakjuk builds flavor by toasting rice and garlic in sesame oil before adding the chicken broth.
Finish cue: In the same pot after removing the chicken, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil and stir-fry the soaked rice with 1 tbsp minced garlic for 2 minutes until the grains turn slightly translucent.