Here’s a delicious, North Korean braised chicken recipe, that’s extra tender and flavorful thanks to the steaming process. Unlike samgyetang (Korean chicken soup), this simple dish can be made in under 30 minutes and doesn’t require any special herbal ingredients. Try something special today with this comforting North Korean dish!
Table of Contents
What is North Korean Braised Chicken?
North Korean braised chicken is a unique dish in which the chicken is first boiled, then steamed again in a steamer. The extra steaming step is what sets this dish apart from Korean-style chicken soup, making the chicken especially tender and flavorful.
Unlike samgyetang, which often requires various herbal ingredients, this recipe only calls for green onions, onions, and garlic, making it easy to cook outside of Korea.
What Makes It Special?
Steaming Process
North Korean chicken is cooked in a unique way. While South Korean jjimdak is usually just steamed, the North Korean version is first boiled and then steamed. Why the extra step? Steaming the chicken after boiling it helps it stay extra juicy and tender while locking in its natural flavors.
Dipping Sauce
The dipping sauce for North Korean braised chicken is customizable. Typically, it is served with a basic gochugaru base, to which you can add Korean mustard(yeon-gyeoja), vinegar, soy sauce and chicken broth to your liking. The chicken broth deepens the flavor, and the sharp kick of Korean mustard (yeon-gyeoja) pairs well with the tender chicken. The recipe I’m sharing today is a great starting point—feel free to adjust it to your taste!
How to Eat
A unique feature of this dish is the blanched chives served with the chicken. Since garlic chives can be difficult to find in Europe where I’ve moved, I used green onions instead, which work just as well.
To enjoy it the traditional way, dip the chicken into the spicy sauce and pair it with the chives. The crunch and aroma of the chives complement the tender, juicy chicken beautifully.
“Iyeolchiyeol” – Fight Heat with Heat
In Korea, there’s a traditional saying: “Iyeolchiyeol (이열치열),” which means “fight heat with heat.” It’s the idea of eating hot foods during hot weather to sweat out the heat and feel cooler afterward. That’s why Koreans often eat samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup) in the peak of summer.
This North Korean chicken is the perfect Iyeolchiyeol dish. Are you ready to sweat it out and feel refreshed? Let’s dive into this steamy, soul-warming summer meal!
High-Protein & Healthy Meal
This chicken dish is not fried, so no oil is added. During the broth-making and steaming process, the excess fat naturally melts away, resulting in a lean, low-fat, high-protein meal — perfect for a healthy diet or weight loss.
Looking for more healthy meal ideas? These recipes are part of the Korean lunch boxes I created while losing 20 kg myself. If you want light, satisfying lunches for the whole week, check out the full Dosirak recipes in this blog post!
What Makes North Korean Food Special?
North Korean food is known for its natural, mild flavors and light seasoning. Rather than relying on strong spices or artificial flavors, dishes focus on the essence of the ingredients, resulting in clean, light, and often healthier meals.
Take Pyeongyang naengmyeon, for example. Unlike the sweet-and-sour broth of South Korean-style naengmyeon, the Pyeongyang version uses a deep, savory meat broth. You only need to add a splash of vinegar! This allows you to truly taste the richness of the meat stock. It’s subtle yet full of umami.
Pyeongyang naengmyeon has become incredibly popular in South Korea lately. People wait in line for over two hours at famous restaurants just to get a taste. If you ever visit Korea, I highly recommend trying it—it’s a culinary experience you won’t forget!
Ingredient Substitutes
- Korean Mustard (Yeon Gyeoja): Think of it as Korean-style Dijon mustard—it’s sharp, pungent, and used in many Korean sauces. But it can be hard to find outside Korea. If that’s the case, you can substitute with wasabi. While the flavor is quite different, wasabi still brings a nice punch that works well with the chicken.
- Garlic Chives (Buchu): The original recipe calls for garlic chives. In Belgium, where I currently live, they’re only available at Asian markets—and even then, often sold out. Today was one of those days, so I used green onions instead. If using garlic chives, just blanch them for 5 seconds. But if using green onions, blanch them for 3–4 minutes for a softer texture.
- Soju: Soju is used here to remove any gamey smell from the chicken. If you don’t have soju, you can use mirin or white wine instead. And if you have none of those, feel free to skip it. Personally, I’m sensitive to chicken smell, so I always add a bit.
Korean Chicken Recipes
- Ban Ban Chicken (Half Yangnyeom, Half Fried): In Korea, it’s super common to order ban ban chicken—half crispy fried, half sweet and spicy yangnyeom chicken. This recipe brings that iconic crunch and the authentic yangnyeom flavor just like you’d get in Korea. You’ll be surprised how close it tastes!
- Corn Cheese Chicken: This one is a Korean-style oven-baked chicken topped over crispy scorched rice (nurungji) and creamy, savory corn cheese. The combo of gooey cheese, crispy rice, and juicy chicken is seriously addictive. It’s Korea’s ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients Guide
- Korean Mustard: US
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North Korean Braised Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Deep pot
- 1 deep wok pan
- 1 Steamer
- 1 kitchen scissors
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 3.5 L water
- 2 stalks green onion
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp soju (or white wine or skip)
Garnish
- 4 stalks green onion (using chives is original recipe)
Dipping Suace
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 3 tbsp chicken broth
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar (you can skip)
- 1 tsp Korean mustard (yeon-gyoja) (you can use wasabi instead, but it tastes different)
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Use kitchen scissors to trim off the tail (fatty rear) and wing tips. Remove any fat. Slice open the belly about 70% of the way (don’t cut completely).
- Lightly snip the leg joints at the top of the thighs to make the chicken easier to open up. Pat the inside clean with paper towels.
- Boil: In a deep pot, Fill the pot with water to the top (3.5L). Add 1 tbsp salt, onion, 2 green onions, and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil.
- Once the green onions start softening, raise to high heat. Add the whole chicken and 3 tbsp soju. Boil for 3 minutes uncovered, then cover and boil for another 20 minutes for a juicy, fast boil.
- Steam the Chicken: Place a steamer rack inside a pot or wok. Place the boiled chicken on top, pour a bit of the broth over it, and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Blanch the Green Onions for Garnish: In the remaining chicken broth, blanch 4 stalks of green onion for 3–4 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the Dipping Sauce: In a bowl, mix: chopped green onion, gochugaru, chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and mustard.Adjust thickness with extra broth, depending on your preference.
North Korean Braised Chicken 이북식 찜닭
- Eat by dipping chicken into the sauce and wrapping with the blanched green onion like ssam.
- Jal meokgetseumnida! 잘 먹겠습니다!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @blondekimchi_ on Instagram and hashtag it #blondekimchi.