Baek Jong-won’s Braised Chicken
Sweet & Savory! Baek Jong-won’s Flavorful and Spicy Braised Chicken Recipe
Introducing Baek Jong-won’s Braised Chicken recipe, perfect for a delightful home-cooked meal. Its irresistible sweet and savory (dan-jjan-dan-jjan) flavor, enhanced with dried chilies for a touch of spice, makes it a non-greasy dish that the whole family can enjoy. It’s a true rice thief!
Main Ingredients- 1 pack (approx. 1kg) chicken cut for stir-fry/stew
- 1 potato
- 1 sweet potato
- 1/2 carrot
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion stalk
- 100g dried glass noodles
- 3 king oyster mushrooms
Seasoning Sauce- 1 cup soy sauce (200ml)
- 1/2 cup cooking wine or mirin (100ml)
- 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 green onion stalk (chopped roughly for the sauce)
- 3 Korean green chilies (sliced diagonally)
- 3-4 dried red chilies or pequin peppers (crumbled)
- 1 cup soy sauce (200ml)
- 1/2 cup cooking wine or mirin (100ml)
- 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 green onion stalk (chopped roughly for the sauce)
- 3 Korean green chilies (sliced diagonally)
- 3-4 dried red chilies or pequin peppers (crumbled)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the star of our delicious braised chicken: the seasoning sauce. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup cooking wine, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup water. Mix them well. Add 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and stir until everything is evenly incorporated. Roughly chop the 1/2 green onion stalk designated for the sauce and add it to the mixture to infuse flavor.
Step 2
Now, it’s time to prepare the vegetables that will add wonderful texture and flavor to the braised chicken. Peel 1 potato and 1 sweet potato, then cut them into large bite-sized cubes. Peel 1/2 carrot and cut it into similar-sized pieces. Thickly slice the 1/2 onion.
Step 3
Prepare the chilies for a touch of heat and the mushrooms and green onion for texture and garnish. Slice the 3 Korean green chilies diagonally. Cut the 3 king oyster mushrooms into large pieces. Slice the remaining 1/2 green onion stalk diagonally to add at the final stage.
Step 4
Glass noodles are a must-have in braised chicken! Soak 100g of dried glass noodles in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Soaking them in lukewarm water instead of cold helps the noodles absorb the sauce better and maintain their chewy texture.
Step 5
Prepare 1 pack of chicken cut for stir-fry or stew. Thoroughly washing the chicken is crucial for a clean taste. Rinse the chicken under running water, making sure to clean the inside cavities to remove any blood and impurities. Properly cleaning out any residual blood or organs near the bones will prevent any gamey odor.
Step 6
To effectively remove any gamey smell from the chicken and tenderize the meat, we’ll give it a quick pre-boil. Place the chicken in a pot, cover it generously with water, and add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. This step is like blanching the chicken.
Step 7
After the pre-boil, rinse the chicken under cold water to remove any impurities. Now, we’ll start the main cooking process for the braised chicken. Place the blanched chicken in a pot, add half of the prepared seasoning sauce, and 1 cup of water (200ml). Bring it to a boil over high heat.
Step 8
At this stage, crumble in 3-4 dried red chilies or pequin peppers for an extra kick of spiciness, which adds a pleasant sharpness and makes the dish even more delicious. Feel free to add more if you enjoy a spicier taste.
Step 9
Once the sauce starts to boil vigorously, add all the prepared potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions. Pour in the remaining half of the seasoning sauce and another cup of water (200ml). Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables and chicken are tender.
Step 10
Check if the sweet potatoes and potatoes are fully cooked. Once they are tender, add the king oyster mushrooms, the pre-soaked glass noodles, the diagonally sliced Korean green chilies, and the green onions. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the glass noodles last to prevent them from getting mushy.
Step 11
Finally, taste the braised chicken and adjust the seasoning as needed. If it’s not salty enough, add any remaining seasoning sauce and simmer briefly. You can also add a little more sugar or soy sauce to suit your preference.
Step 12
Continue to simmer until all the ingredients are well combined and the sauce has thickened slightly. Your delicious Baek Jong-won’s Braised Chicken is now ready! Enjoy this glistening and appetizing dish.
Step 13
The sweet and savory braised chicken is a masterpiece! Adding dried chilies and pequin peppers gives it a clean, spicy finish that prevents it from being greasy, making it incredibly enjoyable. It’s also fantastic served over rice!
