Korean Dakgalbi, Chuncheon Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken

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Andong Hahoe Village

📍 Where this dish comes from: Andong · Andong Hahoe Village
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Korean Dakgalbi, plated and ready to serve

Dakgalbi is a sizzling stir-fry of chicken thighs marinated in a spicy red sauce and cooked with cabbage, perilla leaves and scallions. In its hometown of Chuncheon, it is cooked on a huge round iron pan in the middle of the table. A skillet at home works just as well.

Per serving: 398 calories · 7.9 g net carbs · 48 g protein · 17 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Korean Dakgalbi

Korean Dakgalbi, plated and ready to serve

Korean Dakgalbi, Chuncheon Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken

Dakgalbi is a sizzling stir-fry of chicken thighs marinated in a spicy red sauce and cooked with cabbage, perilla leaves and scallions. In its hometown of Chuncheon, it is cooked on a huge round iron pan in the middle of the table. A skillet at home works just as well.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 398kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 cups green cabbage cut into squares
  • 1/2 small onion sliced
  • 4 ounces daikon or turnip sliced into thin half-moons
  • 8 perilla leaves (kkaennip) torn
  • 3 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • Marinade: 2 tablespoons Keto Gochujang-Style Paste (Chapter 10) or store-bought gochujang, 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon allulose, 5 cloves garlic minced, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

Instructions

  • Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
  • Heat the oil in a very large skillet or wide pan over medium-high heat. Spread the cabbage, onion and daikon over the bottom.
  • Lay the chicken and all its marinade on top of the vegetables. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes.
  • Stir and keep cooking, turning everything often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cabbage is soft and coated in sauce.
  • Add the perilla leaves and scallions and toss for 1 minute. For cheese dakgalbi, push the chicken to the edges, fill the center with mozzarella and cover until it melts.

Notes

Cooking the chicken on top of the vegetables lets the cabbage release water that keeps the sauce from scorching. A tablespoon or two of water helps if the pan looks dry.
Chef's Tip: The secret Chuncheon ingredient is a pinch of curry powder in the marinade. It adds warmth and depth without tasting like curry.
Keto Swap: Restaurants add sweet potato and rice cakes. Daikon or turnip stands in for the sweet potato. The nutrition uses the keto paste; store-bought gochujang adds about 3 grams of net carbs per serving.
Success Tip: The cheese version is a big hit with kids and takes the edge off the spice. The nutrition figures do not include the optional cheese.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 398kcal | Protein: 48g | Fat: 17g | Fiber: 4.4g
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Cooking Korean Dakgalbi in the kitchen

About This Dish

Dakgalbi comes from Chuncheon, a lakeside city northeast of Seoul, where it became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as a cheap alternative to pork and beef galbi. It was so affordable that it was nicknamed "the common people’s galbi" and became a favorite of students and soldiers. Chuncheon has a famous Dakgalbi Street with dozens of restaurants cooking it on giant iron pans. At the end of the meal, diners often ask the server to fry rice in the leftover sauce. A newer charcoal-grilled version is also popular in Chuncheon.

Pairs Well With

This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 5: Chicken (Andong Hahoe Village). See all Korean recipes

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