Jaengban Guksu

Jaengban Guksu (Korean Cold Noodles with Chicken)

A refreshing Korean cold noodle dish where chilled wheat noodles are topped with a sweet-spicy sauce and piled high with shredded chicken and crisp vegetables, served on a platter.

Prep

25 min

Cook

30 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chicken thigh fillets, boneless, skinless
• •400 g (14 oz) somyeon (thin wheat noodles), Korean somyeon, or thin spaghetti as a substitute
• •1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• •1 small yellow onion, for poaching broth
• •1 whole green bell pepper, julienned
• •1 whole red bell pepper, julienned
• •1 small cucumber, julienned
• •2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
• •1 whole hard-boiled egg, halved, for garnish
• •2 tbsp soy sauce, for broth
• •1 tsp salt, for poaching
• •3 black peppercorns black peppercorns
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •60 g (¼ cup) gochujang, Korean red chili paste
• •30 g (2 tbsp) rice vinegar
• •20 g (1 tbsp + 2 tsp) sugar, granulated
• •2 tbsp soy sauce, for sauce
• •1 tbsp gochugaru, Korean chili flakes, adjust to taste
• •2 tsp sesame oil, toasted
• •2 tsp minced garlic
• •2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• •500 ml (2 cups) cold water, for rinsing noodles, plus ice
• •120 ml (½ cup) chilled noodle broth or cold water, to loosen sauce

Steps

1. 1 Place chicken thighs in a pot and cover with cold water. Add the small onion (halved), soy sauce, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach for 15–18 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
2. 2 Transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving the broth. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken by hand into bite-sized strips.
3. 3 While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook somyeon according to package directions, typically 4–5 minutes, until just tender.
4. 4 Drain the noodles and immediately rinse under cold running water, rubbing gently to remove surface starch, until completely cooled. Soak in a bowl of ice water until ready to serve.
5. 5 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together gochujang, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds. Add 120 ml (½ cup) of the chilled broth (or cold water) and stir until smooth and pourable.
6. 6 Add the shredded chicken, sliced onion, julienned bell peppers, cucumber, and green onions to the sauce. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
7. 7 Divide the drained, chilled noodles among 4 bowls or plates. Pile the sauced chicken and vegetable mixture generously on top of the noodles.
8. 8 Garnish each serving with a halved hard-boiled egg and a light drizzle of sesame oil. Serve immediately with extra gochujang on the side for added heat.