Dakgalbi
Spicy stir-fried chicken cooked on a hot plate. ยท South Korea
Spicy stir-fried chicken cooked on a hot plate.
About Dakgalbi
Chunks of chicken marinated in a fiery gochujang sauce are stir-fried on a big iron griddle with cabbage, sweet potato and rice cakes, the whole thing bubbling away at the centre of the table. Leftover sauce is fried with rice at the end.
๐๏ธ History & Culture
Dakgalbi is widely associated with the city of Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, where it emerged in the 1960s as a hearty, affordable meal in the years following the Korean War. Its exact origin is debated, but the dish is commonly said to have been created by local restaurants grilling chicken with gochujang sauce over charcoal, and it quickly became a regional specialty.
Traditionally cooked at the table on a large iron griddle, dakgalbi is a communal dish that brings diners together around a bubbling pan of chicken, cabbage, sweet potato, and rice cakes. Modern variations often add melted cheese on top, and it is customary to finish the meal by frying rice in the remaining spicy sauceโa practice that highlights its role as a fun, interactive dining experience popular across South Korea.
Recipes from travellers
No one has shared their own Dakgalbi recipe yet. Yours would be the first.
Share how you make Dakgalbi
You'll need to be signed in with Google or Facebook so your name can appear on it. Recipes go through an automatic food-safety check before they publish.
Sign in to share your recipe
Dakgalbi โ frequently asked questions
What is Dakgalbi?
Chunks of chicken marinated in a fiery gochujang sauce are stir-fried on a big iron griddle with cabbage, sweet potato and rice cakes, the whole thing bubbling away at the centre of the table. Leftover sauce is fried with rice at the end.
What is Dakgalbi made of?
Dakgalbi is made with chicken, gochujang, cabbage, rice cakes and sweet potato.
Where does Dakgalbi come from?
Dakgalbi comes from South Korea, and is especially associated with Chuncheon. Dakgalbi is widely associated with the city of Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, where it emerged in the 1960s as a hearty, affordable meal in the years following the Korean War.
Where can I eat Dakgalbi?
A Chuncheon dakgalbi house, finished with fried rice in the pan.
Taste Dakgalbi in Seoul
Independent picks. We earn a small commission if you book through these โ at no extra cost to you. How this works.
โ Before you go to South Korea
Round out your trip โ most travellers book these alongside their trip.
More dishes like Dakgalbi
Korean BBQ (Bulgogi)
Marinated beef grilled at the table and wrapped in lettuce.
Japchae
Glassy sweet-potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables.
Naengmyeon
Chewy cold buckwheat noodles in icy broth.
Kimchi Jjigae
Bubbling stew of aged kimchi, pork and tofu.
Samgyetang
Whole young chicken simmered with ginseng and rice.
Kimchi
Salted napa cabbage fermented with chilli, garlic and fish sauce โ the constant of every Korean meal.
Soppressata di Calabria
Soppressata di Calabria counts among the traditional food of Italy, a sausage locals hold dear.
Tuzlanski ฤevapi
From Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tuzlanski ฤevapi is a well-known minced-meat dish.
Pulpeta
Rooted in Cuba, Pulpeta is a minced-meat dish enjoyed for generations.
Kulenova Seka
Croatian thin-casing cousin of Slavonski kulen, a paprika and garlic pork sausage stuffed into pork intestine and smoked briefly over beech wood.
Toad in the Hole
Sausages baked into a puffed Yorkshire batter.
Paneer Tikka
Marinated paneer cubes char-grilled in the tandoor.
Aloo Gobi
Dry-spiced potato and cauliflower with turmeric.
Yangzhou Fried Rice
Refined fried rice studded with egg, shrimp and ham.
Sabich
Pita stuffed with fried aubergine, egg and amba.
Sushi
Vinegared rice paired with raw fish and seafood โ nigiri, maki and more.
- ๐ฐ๐ท Korean BBQ (Bulgogi) · South Korea
- ๐ฐ๐ท Japchae · South Korea
- ๐ฐ๐ท Naengmyeon · South Korea
- ๐ฐ๐ท Kimchi Jjigae · South Korea
- ๐ฐ๐ท Samgyetang · South Korea
- ๐ฐ๐ท Kimchi · South Korea
- ๐ฎ๐น Soppressata di Calabria · Italy
- ๐ง๐ฆ Tuzlanski ฤevapi · Bosnia and Herzegovina
- ๐จ๐บ Pulpeta · Cuba
- ๐ญ๐ท Kulenova Seka · Croatia
- ๐ฌ๐ง Toad in the Hole · United Kingdom
- ๐ฎ๐ณ Paneer Tikka · India
- ๐ฎ๐ณ Aloo Gobi · India
- ๐จ๐ณ Yangzhou Fried Rice · China
- ๐ฎ๐ฑ Sabich · Israel
- ๐ฏ๐ต Sushi · Japan
Travel guides for South Korea
All travel guides →Planning a trip where Dakgalbi is on the menu? These guides cover South Korea and beyond.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience with Dakgalbi.
Write a review
Sign in to verify you're a real person, then share your thoughts on Dakgalbi.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to say something about Dakgalbi.