Andong jjimdak
Chicken braised in a sweet soy and garlic sauce with potatoes, carrots and dried red chilies, then tossed with chewy glass noodles that drink up the sauce: the specialty of Andong's old market. About 60 minutes for four.
- Time
- 60 min
- Level
- Easy
- Spice
- Serves
- 4 servings
What is Andong jjimdak?
WHAT IT IS
Andong jjimdak is chicken braised in a sweet, garlicky soy sauce with potatoes, carrots and dried red chilies, finished with a tangle of glass noodles that soak up the sauce. It's salty-sweet with a gentle kick and is usually shared from one big platter.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
Jjimdak comes from the chicken alley of Andong's old market in North Gyeongsang Province, where merchants had sold raw and fried chicken since the 1970s. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, when spicy seasoned fried chicken caught on, the merchants needed an answer, and soy-braised Andong jjimdak was it; in time Chicken Alley came to be called Jjimdak Alley. Other stories about how the dish began are told, but none is backed by records. Some 30 restaurants still line the alley.
Ingredients
재료Each Korean item has a substitute, in case you can’t get to a store.
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- 2½–3 lb (1.2–1.4 kg)Bone-in chicken pieces: a whole chicken cut into small pieces, or thighs and drumsticks 닭고기
Substitute: Korean grocers sell whole chickens already cut for braising. Boneless thighs work too; shorten the braise in step 4 by a few minutes.
Any grocer - 3 oz (85 g)Sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) 당면
Ottogi Korean Vermicelli Premium Glass Noodles (Dangmyeon) · 500 g
Substitute: Soak them in warm water for 30 minutes so they cook in a few minutes and soak up the sauce.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 2 medium (about 10 oz / 300 g)Potatoes, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks 감자Any grocer
- 1 mediumCarrot, cut into chunks 당근Any grocer
- 1 mediumOnion, cut into large pieces 양파Any grocer
- 2Scallions, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths 대파Any grocer
- 3–5Dried red chilies, halved 건고추
Substitute: They give a gentle background heat. For a mild pot, leave them whole or skip them; for more kick, add 1 or 2 sliced fresh green chilies with the noodles.
Any grocer - ½ cup (120 ml)Soy sauce 간장
Sempio Korean Soy Sauce, Rich and Delicate · 860 ml
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 2 tbspBrown sugar 황설탕
Substitute: White sugar works; brown sugar gives a deeper color.
In your pantry - 3 tbspKorean corn syrup (mulyeot) or rice syrup 물엿
Chung Jung One O’Food Corn Syrup · 1.2 kg
Substitute: Or 2 tbsp honey. It gives the sauce its glossy shine.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 2 tbspRice wine or mirin 맛술
Kikkoman Manjo Aji-Mirin · 10 fl oz × 4
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 2 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp gingerGarlic, minced, and fresh ginger, grated 마늘·생강Any grocer
- 1 tbspToasted sesame oil 참기름
Otoki Premium Roasted Sesame Oil · 10.82 fl oz
Check price on Amazon Amazon US -
- 3 cups (720 ml)Water 물In your pantry
- ¼ tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, for depth); 1 tsp instant coffee or a little dark soy sauce (optional, for a deep brown color)In your pantry
Method
만드는 법Sources we compared:Korean Bapsang10000recipeUSDA FSIS
- 1
Soak the noodles and prep
Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim excess fat and loose skin from the chicken, and cut the potatoes, carrot, onion and scallions. Keep the potatoes in a bowl of water so they don't brown.
- 2
Mix the sauce
Stir together ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp corn syrup, 2 tbsp rice wine, the garlic, ginger and ¼ tsp black pepper, plus the oyster sauce and coffee if you're using them.
On its own the sauce should taste a little too salty and sweet; the potatoes and noodles will soak up a lot of it.
- 3
Boil the chicken in the sauce
For a cleaner sauce, you can first drop the chicken into boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse it. Put the chicken in a wide pot or deep sauté pan with 3 cups (720 ml) water and the sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil uncovered for 10 minutes, skimming off the foam.
Prick the larger pieces a few times with a fork so the sauce soaks in.
- 4
Braise with the vegetables
Add the drained potatoes, carrot, onion and dried chilies, stir, cover and cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the potatoes and the chicken is cooked through. There should still be plenty of liquid; the noodles need it.
Check the thickest piece: it should reach 74°C (165°F) next to the bone, or show no pink and run clear juices when cut.
- 5
Add the noodles and finish
Drain the noodles and add them with the scallions (and fresh chilies, if using). Cook uncovered, stirring gently, for 3–5 minutes, until the noodles turn glassy and soft and the sauce has thickened a little. Drizzle with sesame oil, scatter on the sesame seeds and bring it to the table in the pot or on a big platter.
The noodles keep drinking the sauce as they sit, so eat it right away. Add a splash of water when you reheat leftovers.
Say it in Korean
한국어로 말해 보세요For a jjimdak restaurant, in Andong or anywhere else.
Cookware you’ll need
조리 도구Any wide pot with a lid works. This is the 5-quart sauté pan we link to.
