Korean Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
Cheese (Dakgalbi)

Juicy chicken and rice cakes simmered in a rich gochujang sauce, blanketed in melted mozzarella cheese, and finished with crispy cheesy fried rice.

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless chicken leg meat
• 3 tbsp Korean chili paste
• 1.5 tbsp Korean chili powder
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp beef powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp water
• 200 g white rice cakes
• 1/4 head green cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 2 stalks green onions
• 150 g mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup steamed white rice
• to taste seaweed flakes
• optional perilla leaves
• optional pickled radish

Instructions

1. 1Mince the garlic

   

   Place the peeled garlic cloves into a small manual food processor. Process the garlic until it is finely minced, preparing it to be mixed with the chili paste, soy sauce, and other ingredients for the secret marinade.

   Tip: If you do not have a manual food processor, finely mincing the garlic by hand with a sharp chefs knife works just as well.
2. 2Mix the spicy sauce

   

   Combine Korean chili paste, chili powder, minced garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, corn syrup, sesame oil, beef powder, black pepper, and water in a glass bowl. Stir thoroughly with a spoon until all the ingredients blend into a rich, thick red marinade.

   Tip: Make sure the sugar and beef powder dissolve completely into the liquid ingredients to balance the heat.
3. 3Marinate the chicken

   

   Pour the prepared red sauce over the boneless chicken leg meat in a shallow yellow tray. Wearing food-safe plastic gloves, thoroughly rub and massage the marinade into every piece of chicken to ensure deep flavor penetration.

   Tip: Let the chicken marinate for about twenty minutes to fully absorb the spicy flavor profile.
4. 4Chop the Cabbage

   

   Place a wedge of raw green cabbage on a cutting board and use a black knife to chop it into smaller, manageable pieces.

   Tip: Cut the cabbage into uniform pieces to ensure it cooks evenly with the other ingredients.
5. 5Place chicken in the pan

   

   Take the marinated chicken pieces and place them directly into the center of a large black non-stick frying pan resting on the stovetop.

   Tip: Position the chicken securely in the middle so the surrounding space remains open for vegetables and rice cakes.
6. 6Arrange vegetables and rice cakes

   

   Neatly arrange the sliced white rice cakes, cabbage pieces, and green leaf garnishes in a circular pattern around the central mound of marinated chicken inside the frying pan.

   Tip: Keep the ingredients separated by type around the perimeter for an orderly presentation before cooking begins.
7. 7Simmer and Stir the Ingredients

   

   Use a wooden spoon to gently stir the chicken, chopped vegetables, and rice cakes together as they simmer in the bubbling red sauce.

   Tip: Stir gently to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
8. 8Cut the Chicken into Bite-Sized Chunks

   

   Take kitchen scissors and directly cut the partially cooked chicken pieces into smaller bite-sized chunks right inside the pan.

   Tip: Using kitchen scissors directly in the pan makes cutting tender chicken quick and mess-free.
9. 9Add Mozzarella Cheese

   

   Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bubbling chicken and vegetable stir-fry.

   Tip: Cover the pan with a lid after adding the cheese to help it melt faster and more evenly.
10. 10Add Rice for Fried Rice

    

    Scoop cooked white rice directly into the pan containing the leftover thick red sauce from the chicken stir-fry.

    Tip: Leftover rice works best for fried rice as it is drier and absorbs the sauce better.
11. 11Mix in the rice

    

    Add steamed white rice directly into the pan with the leftover spicy secret sauce. Use a wooden spatula to thoroughly stir and press the rice down, making sure every grain is evenly coated in the rich, red sauce.

    Tip: Pressing the rice flat against the hot pan helps it develop a delicious, crispy bottom layer.
12. 12Add mozzarella cheese

    

    Once the spicy fried rice is completely mixed and flattened evenly in the pan, scatter a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese across the top. The residual heat will begin to melt the cheese immediately.

    Tip: Lower the stove heat slightly at this stage to allow the cheese to melt perfectly without burning the crispy rice on the bottom.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions