Dak Bokkeum Tang (Spicy Braised Chicken)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs [907g] chicken legs
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 5 scallions
• 4 Tbsp chili crisp
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil, like canola oil or vegetable oil
• ½ cup [135 mL] soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 cup [230 mL] water
• ½ Tbsp gochujang
• ½ Tbsp tomato paste
• ½ Tbsp doenjang
• 5 or 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

1. 1
   In a medium-sized bowl, add chicken legs, season them with salt, sugar, and ground pepper, and mix them well together so that each chicken leg is coated with the seasonings. Let them sit with the seasonings for at least 15 minutes while preparing the vegetables and marinade. This process helps the chicken absorb the marinade better.
2. 2
   Prepare onion, potatoes, and carrot by peeling. Set aside one peeled potato, preferably either the smallest or medium-sized, for later, then cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. The pieces don’t have to be in any uniform sizes, as long as they are cut into sizable chunks. It’s better to cut into bigger chunks to keep their shapes as they are braised in the sauce. Slice 4 scallions into 3-inch length pieces. Chop one scallion, set aside for garnish at the end.
3. 3
   In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-low heat, add 1 Tbsp of the chili crisp, neutral oil, and seasoned chicken legs from earlier. Stir the chicken, making sure chili crisp coats each chicken leg, for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the outside of chicken starts to get the light-brown color, add the rest of chili crisp, soy sauce, and mirin. Scrape any brown bits from cooking chicken legs with a spatula as you add the liquid seasonings.
4. 4
   Add water to the pot and prepare carrots, onions, and potatoes. Bring the heat to high, and add gochujang, tomato paste, and doenjang to the pot. Make sure each paste gets mixed well with the broth. Simmer the chicken and the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes, while occasionally stirring the chicken to prevent any burning at the bottom of the pot.
5. 5
   While the chicken and the vegetables are simmering, grate the peeled potatoes from earlier. There should be roughly around ⅓ cup (or 80 g) of the grated potatoes. After 20 minutes of simmering, add grated potatoes and minced garlic to the broth and mix it well. The minced garlic is added at the end to add a more pungent garlic taste. And, grated potato mixture naturally thickens the broth with the starch from grated potatoes and deepens the overall flavor. Continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the broth gets slightly thick.
6. 6
   Garnish it with reserved chopped scallions from earlier, and serve the final dish immediately with a side of rice.
7. 7
   Spicy, Braised Chicken Legs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in a refrigerator. Reheat it in a microwave or on the stove to enjoy the leftovers. When you reheat them on the stove, especially when there’s not enough broth, feel free to add more water or stock.