This slow cooker chicken recipe is adapted from my stove top dakjjim (also called jjimdak) recipe. I love the results! Thanks to my 11-year old Crock-pot, it takes much less effort on my part to make this moist and tender chicken that’s full of flavor.
A frequently asked question on my slow cooker recipes is whether any water or broth is needed in addition to the sauce in the recipe. The answer is no! Slow cooking brings out a lot of natural juices from the meat and vegetables with little evaporation. So, you’ll end up with much more liquid than you started with.
I usually cut up a whole chicken into serving pieces to make dakjjim (닭찜). I love all the different pieces I get from cutting up a whole chicken for rich dishes such as this one. Plus, I get the backbone that I usually freeze to make stock at a later time. What a deal! See how to cut up a whole chicken here.
If you’re buying cut-up chicken, bone-in and skin-on thighs and drum sticks will be the best for this recipe because they lend much more juice and flavors to the sauce.
Unlike dakdoritang (닭도리탕), a chicken dish that is cooked in a red spicy sauce, this dakjjim recipe is braised in a sweet and savory sauce. It gets the spicy kick from fresh or dried hot peppers. You can always leave them out if you or your kids don’t care for spicy food.
Slow cooking the chicken
The cooking steps are pretty standard for slow cooker recipes – prepare the ingredients, place them in the slow cooker, and cook either on high or low heat.
In this recipe, I added an optional extra step at the end, which I think completes the dish nicely. Pour everything into a large pot and boil over high heat on the stove top, uncovered, for a few minutes, to achieve a slightly thick, glossy sauce.
More slow cooker recipes:
Slow cooker chicken soup with napa cabbage
Slow cooker beef bulgogi
Slow cooker braised beef shank meat with root vegetables
Slow cooker spicy pork ribs
Slow cooker galbijjim (beef short ribs)
More braised chicken recipes:
Pressure Cooker Dakbokkeumtang
Jjimdak (Braised chicken)
Dakdoritang
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 medium size chicken cut up about 2.5 pounds of cut pieces
- 2 medium potatoes cut into large chunks
- 1 medium carrot cut into large chunks
- 1/2 large onion cut into large chunks
- 4 – 5 mushroom caps shiitake, white, or baby bella, cut into large chunks
- 6 – 8 plump garlic cloves
- 3 – 4 thin ginger slices 1-inch round
- 2 – 3 dried whole red chili peppers or green chili peppers or jalapenos – optional
- 2 scallions, roughly chopped
Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce or 2 more tablespoons soy sauce.
- 3 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
- 2 tablespoons honey or 2 to 3 more tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces (2 to 3-inch sizes). Trim off excess fat. Drain thoroughly or pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken and vegetables, except scallions, in the slow cooker. Pour in the sauce and toss everything well. (You can prepare ahead of time up to this point and keep it in the fridge.)
- Cover, and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Stir to rotate the chicken over midway through the process, if you’re home. Stir in the scallions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds with a few minutes remaining, or see the optional step below.
Optional Step
- Transfer to a large pot. Cook, uncovered, over high heat until the liquid is reduced and slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the scallions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Turn the heat off as soon as the scallions are slightly wilted.
Courtnee Peterson says
Hello there, I would like to make this dish but also add tteok to it. When and how would you recommend adding it in?
Alice says
I was so excited for this meal b/c I really wanted a korean slow cooker meal with our busy schedule… However when I opened the instant pot (on slow cooker mode) it was NOT good. Are directions different for the slow cooker function in an instant pot?
Hyosun says
Sorry this recipe didn’t work for your Instant Pot slow cooker mode. The recipe was developed long before the Instant Pot era and, therefore, not intended for Instant Pot cooking. Also, I actually never use the slow cooker mode of my Instant Pot, so I don’t know how differently it works. If you want to use Instant Pot for something like this, I suggest using the pressure cooker mode. Please see this as a ref: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/pressure-cooker-dakbokkeumtang-korean-spicy-chicken-stew/
Lauren says
Gave this a try since jjimdalk was one of my favorite restaurant foods while living in Korea. Cooked on high in the crock pot for four hours, and the chicken fell to shreds and the vegetables came out pretty mushy. I think I’ll experiment with the timing and try again because the flavor was great!
Andrea says
This came out really well for me. It was so straight forward and just set and forget. Thank you for sharing this!
Hyosun says
Oh awesome!! Thank you for trying it out and letting me know!
Leona says
Looks delicious! Is there enough room to double the recipe for the crockpot? Or do 1.5 portions?
Hyosun says
Thank you! I’ve done 1.5 times but double may be too much for a normal size crockpot.
Donna says
What if you don’t have rice wine or mirin? Can you substitute anything else? I don’t have oyster sauce either.
Hyosun says
oh so sorry I missed the question. You can omit cooking wine. Use white wine if available. Just use a little more soy sauce if you don’t have oyster sauce.
Peggy C. says
I tried this today in my Instant Pot — super yum! And quick 🙂 Thank you for another great recipe!
Nell Scott says
Can I use dried shiitake mushrooms for this after plumping them up in water ? Thanks !!
Hyosun says
of course! Enjoy!
Hanna says
Hello!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I was wondering what changes I need to make if I’m going to make this recipe using an Instant Pot instead of a slow cooker. If you could let me know, I would greatly appreciate it!
Hyosun says
You can use the same ingredients in this recipe, and use the Instant Pot techniques explained in my Instant Pot spicy chicken recipe. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/pressure-cooker-dakbokkeumtang-korean-spicy-chicken-stew/
Michael says
I learned about jjimdak watching the Korean Englishman on YouTube and it sounded so good that I wanted to make it as my first foray into Korean cooking. I made some adjustments due to the lack of a good Asian market but, your recipe was great guide and delicious. Thanks
Hyosun says
I’m glad to hear you are trying Korean cooking, and this recipe was a guide. Happy Korean cooking!
charlene says
If you dont have rice wine vinegar or brown sugar.. can you use apple cider vinegar and maeshil?? Also instead of Mirin can White wine be used? Thanks!
Hyosun says
Yes to both questions! They are always great substitutes in Korean cooking.
Ann k.Insillio says
Hi Hyosun.I really enjoy your recipes,especially the recipes designed for the life saver of the kitchen,the Crock Pot,The recipie are easy to understand,and takes all the mystery out of Korean cooking my go to dish is Korean Shortribs.So yummy,my family loves it,and it’s so easy.Thank You!!I bought some brisket,can you suggest a dish?My next dish will be,Korean Braised Chicken,wish me luck!!
Coleen McClish says
I made your slow cooker beef shank and it turned out great. So now I want to try your chicken recipe. What I would like to know is if turkey can be used in place of chicken?
Hyosun says
Not Korean traditional, but sure why not. It will still be delicious.
Julie Stern says
Can I double it in one slow cooker or at least multiply it by 1.5 to serve more people?
Hyosun says
Doubling may be too much. I think 1.5 is okay but try to stir a couple of times while cooking. Enjoy!
Jamie says
Can I use a whole chicken instead of cut up pieces?
Mark Oesch says
This was a hearty and warming dinner for a subzero winter day. Delicious.
Shiu says
I am gonna try it out with my Instant Pot. Thanks!
Kelsey Walsh says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Can this be done in the oven?
Thank you.
Hyosun says
It should in a Dutch oven or a roasting pan. You will need to add a couple of cups of chicken stock and salt to taste. Let me know how it turns out. It’s also easy to do over the stove top. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2011/02/jjimdakdakjjim-korean-style-braised.html
Sarah says
Very good , easy to make recipe. Thanks for sharing : )
Robin says
Thanks for the recipe. I did use Gochujang in my sauce. It turned out so good and spicy.
Nicoya says
Silly question: Do you cut the chicken off the bone? I was thinking about leaving the pieces bone-in and whole for a little more flavor (and, to be perfectly honest, a little less prep work!). Thank you!
Hyosun says
Yes, they are bone-in. It will be easier and more flavorful.
Very hungry says
Do you leave the skin on the chicken, or do you remove them? Such a lovely website! Can’t wait to look through your recipes! Cheers!
Hyosun says
Thank you for the nice words! I leave it on for more flavor, but you can remove if you want.
Jackie says
I’ve made many versions of Dak Jim – recipes that I got on the internet. They were good but not quite what I wanted. Yours is perfect! I think the oyster sauce helps too.
I was able to get gluten free oyster sauce at the Asian grocery. It’s the Panda brand – green label. I always use GF soy (that’s much easier to find).
Hyosun says
I am thrilled to hear that! Thanks for letting me know. Now I want to make it again soon.
나리 says
When making chicken broth from the reserved back bones, is it good to make a milky broth the same way as in 설렁탕, or is it better to simmer them on low heat for a clear stock?
Hyosun says
Depending on what you want to use it for, but generally either one is fine for Korean cooking.
Helen says
thanks so much for these wonderful recipes. I was wondering if it would be possible to put it in the slow cooker all day at low while I’m at work, or if it would dry out. Thank you!
Hyosun says
I’d think 8 to 10 hours on low would be okay if you use larger pieces and bone-in dark meat. And every slow cooker is different. The newer ones cook much faster. Hope you try it.
Kat says
Anyong hasaeyo Hyosun. What is the best alternative for soysauce to make this recipe thanks
Hyosun says
Is it because of the gluten in the soy sauce? If so, there are gluten free soy sauce out there. Otherwise, it will be difficult to create the flavor of this dish without soy sauce.
Jules says
Thank you for the recipe! I left out the chilli as I have 2 young children and I just cooked it in a normal pot on a low heat. It tastes just like how my mum used to make it for us. She never used measurements so no matter how many times I tried to make it “by taste” it just wasn’t the same. I will be using this recipe from now on!
Lina says
I wanted to make this but on the stove top. Is this possible? I saw that for your daktoritang recipe you had a stove top version, can I use the same step for this jjim?
Hyosun says
Hi Lina – Here’s the stove top recipe. The link is also provided in the first sentence of the Slow Cooker Dakjjim head notes. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2011/02/jjimdakdakjjim-korean-style-braised.html#.UtydHfQo6IU
Enjoy!!
Amber Affleck says
I accidentally poured in the sesame seeds and sesame oil with everything to cook. Did I just ruin the entire recipe. I’m freaked out now.
Hyosun says
Hope you still enjoyed the dish. I’m sure it was still good although the sesame oil might have been overpowering. We all have moments like that in the kitchen sometimes. Cheers!
Kristen says
Thanks for the recipe! I made it last night in my electric pressure cooker. I set it to the default chicken cooking time of 15 minutes (however, note that I have an Instant Pot cooker, which operates at a lower pressure than most pressure cookers. Thus if you are using a different pressure cooker you can probably cook it for even less than 15 minutes) and everything cooked well into a nice stewiness. I followed the recipe and the results were a little watery so I tried to boil some off but got impatient and ended up adding a few tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken. The flavor was great though and my husband loved it; it just didn’t look as pretty as yours!
Hyosun says
Thank you very much for letting me know how it turned out in the pressure cooker! It seems like the pressure cooker generates a lot of liquid from the ingredients. I’m happy to hear your husband loved it.
anon says
If I wanted to use a pressure cooker, how long would it take to cook? Would I need to adjust the recipe in anyway like using less water or something?
Hyosun says
I haven’t cooked this in a pressure cooker, but it should be quick and I’d guess about 15 to 20 minutes. This recipe doesn’t have any water because slow cooking produces a lot of liquid. I think the liquid level in this recipe is okay for a pressure cooker, but please come back and let me know if you try it. It would help other readers. Good luck!
Akiko says
Yummos! This was sooo good! The next time I’m going to try this is my electric pressure cooker.
Thanks!
Hyosun says
Sounds great! Let me know how it turns out.
Lauren says
So excited to try this! I shared your website with friends!
Hyosun says
Thank you so much for spreading words! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
kARA says
Hi Hyosun. This dish was delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hyosun says
That’s great to hear! Thanks!
Sherrie Yokoro says
Wow, another winner. I made this for the family and they love it. I also did what you told “Angie” to do with the noodles. My girls love this with the noodles. Thank you sharing this with us.
Hyosun Ro says
Hi Sherrie – That’s great to hear! Ah your girls know the noodles soaked in the sauce are delicious.Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how it turned out! It means a lot to me.
Bryony says
Hi,
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was easy and delicious!! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Bryony
Hyosun Ro says
Hi Bryony – Happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know.
Angie says
I love the original jjimdak recipe but love using the slow cooker. What would be the best way to add dangmyun to this one? Thank you!
Hyosun Ro says
You can either add soaked noodles to the slow cooker with about 10 to 15 minutes remaining or to the pot in the optional step with 2 to 3 minutes remaining. The noodles will soak up a lot of water so watch the liquid level. Enjoy!
angela says
Hi and thank you for sharing this recipe. It looks YUMMY! I was wondering if it would be ok to use boneless chicken??? I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
Yes it would be okay. You might get a little less liquid, so watch the liquid level if you do to the optional step reducing the sauce. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
How big is your slow cooker?
Hyosun Ro says
6 quart. And this recipe fills up to 2/3 to 3/4 of it. Thanks!