Why You’ll Love This this Fiery Korean Chicken & Potato
This Korean chicken and potato dish brings serious comfort food energy with its perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors that’ll have you coming back for seconds.
The beauty lies in how simple it’s – just toss everything into one pot, let it simmer away while you catch up on your favorite show, and boom, dinner is served with tender chicken falling off the bone and potatoes that have soaked up all that gorgeous sauce.
Plus, it’s basically foolproof cooking since the longer it bubbles away, the better it gets, which means even us kitchen chaos creators can nail this one every single time.
Ingredients List
Here’s everything you need to create this soul-warming Korean comfort dish that’s about to become your new weeknight hero.
- 2 1/2 lbs chicken drummettes or chicken pieces
- 2 large potatoes, cut into medium chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces or 10-12 baby carrots
- 1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, diced (or red bell pepper)
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3-1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce or hot sauce
Quick ingredient notes to keep in mind:
- This recipe packs plenty of vegetables, so you’re getting good nutrition alongside all that comfort food goodness
- The sodium content runs a bit high thanks to the soy sauce, so if you’re watching your salt intake, start with the smaller amount and taste as you go
- Fresh ginger beats the powdered stuff every time for flavor, but don’t stress if that’s all you’ve got in the pantry
- You can easily bulk up the veggie ratio and use less chicken if you want to make it even healthier without sacrificing any of that rich, satisfying taste
Step by Step Directions
This Korean comfort dish comes together in one pot with minimal prep work required.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, chopped garlic, sugar, and fresh ginger.
- Pour in the water and soy sauce, then stir in the sweet chili sauce or hot sauce.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Continue cooking until chicken juices run clear, vegetables are tender, and the liquid has thickened into a rich sauce.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken further as it cools.
- Serve hot over steamed rice.
Alternative slow cooker method: Transfer all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours until chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender. A premium slow cooker offers enhanced temperature control and durability for even better results with this recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
- Protein swaps – This recipe plays nice with pork shoulder chunks, beef stew meat (though you’ll need longer cooking time), or even firm tofu for vegetarian friends.
- Seasonal touches – Summer calls for zucchini and bell peppers, while winter begs for butternut squash and turnips.
Root vegetables are basically nature’s way of saying “put me in your stew pot.”
• Broth boost – Replace some of the water with chicken broth for deeper flavor, or go wild with a splash of white wine if you’re feeling fancy.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This hearty Korean stew practically begs for some stellar sidekicks to round out your meal.
- Steamed white rice – Because to be frank, you’re going to want something to soak up every last drop of that gorgeous, spicy sauce.
- Kimchi – The tangy, fermented crunch cuts through the richness like a champ, plus it’s basically mandatory for any Korean meal worth its salt.
- Korean spinach salad (sigeumchi namul) – Those sesame-dressed greens provide a cool, earthy contrast that your taste buds will thank you for.
- Simple cucumber salad – Thinly sliced cukes tossed with rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and sesame oil offer a revitalizing palate cleanser.
- Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread – Not traditional, but sometimes you just need something to mop up that sauce when the rice runs out.
- Korean pancakes (pajeon) – Scallion pancakes make this feel like a proper Korean feast, though fair warning, you might need to loosen your belt afterward.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share a few tricks that’ll help you nail this dish on your first try.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken first – I know the recipe doesn’t mention it, but giving those pieces a quick sear in the pot before adding everything else creates deeper flavor that’s totally worth the extra five minutes.
- Cut your potatoes into chunky pieces – We’re talking golf ball-sized here, because tiny cubes will turn to mush during that 45-minute simmer, and nobody wants potato soup when they ordered stew.
- Taste and adjust the heat level halfway through – Start with less chili sauce than you think you need, then add more as it cooks, because there’s no going back once you’ve crossed into fire-breathing territory.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving – The sauce will thicken up beautifully as it cools, and you won’t scorch your tongue trying to plunge in immediately.
- Use bone-in chicken pieces – Drummettes work great, but thighs are even better if you can find them, since the bones add richness and the dark meat stays tender through the long cooking time.
- Add the bell peppers in the last 15 minutes – Nobody wants mushy peppers floating around, so give them just enough time to soften without losing their shape entirely.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty Korean stew packs plenty of protein and nutrients into each comforting bowl.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 320-380 calories (based on 6 servings)
- Protein: 28-32 grams from chicken, supporting muscle maintenance and keeping you satisfied
- Carbohydrates: 25-30 grams, primarily from potatoes and carrots providing sustained energy
- Fat: 8-12 grams, mostly from chicken skin (remove for lower fat content)
- Fiber: 4-5 grams from vegetables, supporting digestive health
- Sodium: 800-1200mg depending on soy sauce amount used – consider low-sodium soy sauce if watching salt intake
- Vitamin A: High content from carrots and bell peppers, excellent for eye health
- Vitamin C: Good source from bell peppers and potatoes, boosting immune function
- Potassium: 600-700mg from potatoes and chicken, important for heart health
- Iron: 2-3mg from chicken, helping prevent fatigue
- Added sugars: 4-6 grams from the white sugar and sweet chili sauce
- Gluten: Contains gluten from soy sauce – use tamari for gluten-free version
Fun “Did You Know?”
Here’s another fun fact: the dish’s name “Tak Toritang” literally translates to “chicken boiled soup,” but it’s more like a thick stew than soup.
Many Korean families consider this comfort food perfect for rainy days, and I can see why—it’s incredibly warming and satisfying!
