Dakdoritang, or Korean Spicy Chicken Stew

Dakdoritang is Korea’s spicy chicken stew—tender bone-in chicken, potatoes, and carrots simmered in a bold gochujang broth. It’s cozy, hearty, and comes together in 50 minutes, steady for a weeknight Korean comfort meal.

Korean cuisine knows how to do spicy stews—and Dakdoritang (닭도리탕), a spicy chicken stew also known as Dakbokkeumtang (닭볶음탕), is one you don’t want to miss. For us, it tastes like home: cozy, slightly fiery, and full of depth. The rich red sauce clings to every piece of chicken and soaks into the potatoes—comfort food with a kick.

We didn’t grow up eating it every week, but when this stew showed up on our dinner table, everyone leaned in a little closer. These days, it’s the dish we turn to when we want something hearty with a little heat.

The heat is there, of course—but it’s the kind that builds slowly, balanced by a savory-sweet broth layered with garlic, ginger. We finish ours with a short kelp stock—it’s the little touch that adds deep, lingering flavor.

This dakdoritang recipe is unfussy enough for a weeknight, yet full of old-style Korean flavor. Everyone who’s tried it swears it’s a keeper chicken stew they’ve ever had—and we're not one to argue.

When spicy chicken isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, we make our Andong Jjimdak instead. It’s soy-braised, loaded with slippery sweet potato noodles, and just as good at making a pot of rice disappear.

Featured Review

“we've been making this for years after discovering Korean food on this site. Simply the most painfully savory stew on earth. Thank you!”

Rudy

Read more reviews

Ingredients You’ll Need

No fancy ingredients here—just everyday chicken, vegetables, and a gochujang-forward sauce. A piece of dried sea kelp adds depth with a short kitchen-made stock— our secret for extra flavor.

How the dish comes together

This visual guide walks you through the key steps of the process. For exact measurements, timing, and full instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post.

Prefer using a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot? You can make Dakdoritang that way too—check the Notes section in the recipe card for a short Instant Pot version.

Make a short kelp stock by simmering dried sea kelp in water for 5 minutes. While that’s going, you can remove the chicken skin if you prefer a cleaner-tasting stew—paper towels help with this step.

Stir together the seasoning paste in a bowl. We usually go for a full amount of gochugaru, but feel free to tone it down if you prefer a gentler kick.

Add the chicken, onion, and carrot to a pot, then spoon the seasoning paste over the top. Pour in 2–3 cups of kelp stock, just enough to barely cover the ingredients. The exact amount depends on the size and depth of your pot.

You want enough liquid to create a stew with a rich, gravy-like broth that’s steady for spooning over rice, not a thin soup or a thick sauce.

After 5 minutes, stir in the potatoes. Add the potatoes later so they don’t overcook while the chicken and carrots become tender. If they cook too long, they can break apart when you stir the stew and release starch, making the broth cloudy.

Lower the heat and simmer until everything is tender, about 20 minutes. Finish with green onion and chilies, simmering uncovered for a few more minutes to let the flavors come together.

Still in the mood for something spicy but with more broth to slurp? Our Dakgaejang is a fiery shredded chicken soup that hits the spot. And when one bowl of comfort leads to another, you’ll find plenty more in our Korean soups and stews collection.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2½ to 3 lb (1.1 to 1.4 kg) whole chicken, cut in to pieces, or bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks. See note below.
• 1 (about 200 g) onion, diced
• 2 (about 250 g) carrots, roughly diced
• 1 lb (450 g) Yukon potato, peeled and cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks
• 2 green chilies, sliced
• 2 green onion, chopped

For sea kelp stock

• 4 cups (960 ml) water
• 1 large piece (about 10 x 10 cm) dried sea kelp (dashima)

For stew seasoning paste

• 2 heaping tbsp (about 40 g) Korean chili paste (gochujang)
• 2-3 tbsp (15–22 g) Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), see note below
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp (30 g) honey
• 3 cloves (about 9 g) garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (5 g) ginger paste
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) sweet rice wine (mirim)
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper

Method

1. Make the sea kelp stock: In a small pot, simmer 1 large piece of dried sea kelp in 4 cups (960 ml) of water over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the kelp and reserve the stock.
2. Prepare the seasoning paste: In a bowl, combine gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, mirim, sesame oil, and black pepper. Mix well until smooth.
3. Assemble the stew: In a large pot, add the chicken pieces, onion, and carrot. Spoon the seasoning paste evenly over them. Pour in just enough kelp stock to slightly cover the ingredients (about 2–3 cups).
4. Add potatoes and simmer: Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and gently submerge them in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Spoon the sauce over the ingredients occasionally, avoiding vigorous stirring so the potatoes stay intact.
5. Finish with chilies and serve: Add sliced green chilies and chopped green onion. Cook uncovered for another 3 minutes, then give it a final stir. Let the stew rest for 3–4 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

Chicken: If you prefer cleaner taste, remove the chicken skin — using a paper towel makes this task easier.

Gochugaru: Adjust the chili flakes to suit your spice preference, but don’t skip them entirely. For a milder flavor, use as little as 1 tablespoon.

Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Method: Add the chicken, onion, carrot, potato, seasoning paste, and 1½ cups (360 ml) of kelp stock to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set the valve to “Sealing.” Pressure cook on High for 8 minutes, then allow natural release for 5 minutes, followed by short release. Use the sauté setting to simmer for a few minutes if you want to thicken the sauce. Stir in green chilies and green onion to finish.

Storage and Reheating Store leftover dakdoritang in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a covered pot over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much during refrigeration.