Ibuk-style Jjimdak (Steamed Chicken)
A steamed chicken leg recipe to beat the summer heat.
📝 Editor's Notes
Ibuk-style jjimdak (이북식 찜닭) is a dish that, unlike typical dak-bokkeum-tang (닭볶음탕, spicy braised chicken stew), is steamed without much broth, offering a clean and light flavor. The perfect harmony of the chicken's tenderness and the unique sweet, tangy, and pungent mustard sauce is exquisite. It's an excellent special dish to whet your appetite during hot summer days when you're feeling tired and sweaty. The cooking process is not overly complicated, making it an intermediate-level dish that even beginner cooks can try. It's a perfect menu for the whole family to enjoy, offering both tender chicken and a refreshing taste.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
The key ingredient for Ibuk-style jjimdak (이북식 찜닭) is fresh janggak (장각), or whole chicken legs. Look for chicken with shiny skin and firm flesh, and it's important to choose chicken without any strong chicken odor. Be smart about trimming the yellowish fat attached to the chicken legs; removing too much can make the meat dry, so just a light trim is needed. For scallions or green onions, choose ones with vibrant green parts and no wilting to add a fresher aroma. For whole garlic cloves, choose firm ones without sprouts. Good ingredients are the foundation of delicious cooking.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If you want to use other parts instead of janggak (장각, whole chicken legs), you can use a whole chicken cut into pieces. However, if using chicken breast, it might feel a bit dry due to less fat, so it's good to reduce the steaming time by about 5 minutes. If you don't have scallions or green onions, you can thinly julienne the white part of a leek or add chives for a similar fragrant touch. Using a very small amount of wasabi instead of Korean mustard paste (yeon-gyeojja, 연겨자) can give a more pungent flavor, but be careful not to use too much as it can be overpowering. Understanding the characteristics of each ingredient and substituting them can lead to discovering new flavors.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The two most important cooking points in this recipe are: First, do not over-trim the fat from the chicken legs. The secret is to leave an appropriate amount of skin and fat to maintain the juiciness of the chicken leg meat. Second, managing the steaming time for the chicken legs. Steaming on high heat for 20 minutes, then adding whole garlic cloves and steaming for an additional 10-15 minutes, for a total of 30-35 minutes, is ideal. The bottom part of the chicken legs splitting open is a sign that they are thoroughly cooked, so be sure to check. Finally, don't forget to steam with scallions for a short 2 minutes to add fragrance.
👨🍳 Directions
- 1
Lightly trim and remove any yellowish fat attached to the whole chicken legs (janggak) with scissors. (Be careful not to remove too much, as it can make the meat dry.)
- 2
In a small bowl, combine 2/3 tbsp of brewed soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, and a dash of black pepper to make the seasoning mixture.
- 3
Spread the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken legs.
- 4
Once water boils in a steamer, add the seasoned chicken legs and steam on high heat (induction setting 10) for 20 minutes.
- 5
Open the steamer lid, add 2 whole garlic cloves cut in half next to the chicken legs, close the lid, and steam for another 10-15 minutes (total 30-35 minutes).
- 6
When the bottom part of the chicken legs splits open, they are fully cooked.
- 7
While the chicken legs are steaming, prepare the sauce. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp of brewed soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp of brown rice vinegar, 2 tbsp of gochugaru (고춧가루), 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and 1/3 tbsp of Korean mustard paste (yeon-gyeojja, 연겨자), and mix well.
- 8
Place 100g of prepared scallions or green onions on top of the well-steamed chicken legs, close the lid, and steam for another 2 minutes.
- 9
Once the jjimdak is ready, transfer it to a serving dish and enjoy with the sauce.
💡 Tips
The key is to trim the chicken fat lightly; removing too much can make the meat dry.
Adjust the amount of Korean mustard paste to your preference.
If you prefer a sweeter taste, add maesil-cheong (매실청, Korean green plum extract) to the sauce.
Steaming with scallions at the end infuses their aroma, resulting in a cleaner taste.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Leftover Ibuk-style jjimdak (이북식 찜닭) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freezing is also possible, but the texture of the chicken might become a bit dry, so it's recommended to consume it as soon as possible. When reheating, steaming it lightly in a steamer again is the best way to enjoy it moist and delicious. If using a microwave, cover the chicken with plastic wrap or sprinkle a little water to prevent it from drying out. You can shred the leftover chicken and mix it with rice, or use it as a salad topping.
🥢 Who This Is For
Thanks to its clean and light flavor, Ibuk-style jjimdak (이북식 찜닭) can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or gender. It's especially good as a restorative meal on hot summer days when you're feeling sluggish, and it's also perfect as a dish for entertaining guests or a special weekend meal for the family. It's excellent as a side dish for rice, but pairing it with a refreshing beer or makgeolli (막걸리) can enhance the flavors even further. For side dishes, refreshing Korean banchan (반찬) like chilled cucumber soup (oi-naengguk, 오이냉국) or crunchy seasoned bean sprouts (kongnamul-muchim, 콩나물무침) pair very well.
🔥 Nutrition Info
Ibuk-style jjimdak (이북식 찜닭) primarily uses chicken leg meat, which is rich in high-quality protein. Assuming 8 whole chicken legs for 4 servings, one serving (2 chicken legs) is estimated to be approximately 450-550 kcal. Protein is roughly 40-50g, fat is 25-35g, and carbohydrates, mainly from the sauce, are expected to be a small amount, around 5-10g. Chicken is rich in B vitamins, which are good for energy recovery, and zinc and iron, which help boost immunity. You can also get antioxidants from garlic and gochugaru (고춧가루), making it a healthy and satisfying meal.
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