Korean Ginseng Chicken Stew (Samgyetang) Recipe Guide

Korean ginseng chicken stew, or samgyetang, is a Korean dish of whole chicken simmered with glutinous rice, ginseng, garlic, and jujubes until the meat is tender and the broth is savory. This version serves four from one chicken and keeps the seasoning gentle, so each person can add salt and pepper to taste at the table.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 1/2–4 lb (1.6–1.8 kg), giblets removed
1/2 cup (100 g) sweet rice, also called glutinous or short-grain sticky rice
1 small fresh Korean ginseng root, about 1 oz (28 g), or 2–3 dried ginseng roots, about 1/4 oz (7 g)
4 dried Korean jujubes, about 1 oz (28 g), stems removed
8 garlic cloves (about 1 1/2 oz / 45 g), peeled
1 piece fresh ginger, 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long, sliced
10 cups (2.4 L) cold water, plus more as needed
1/2 medium yellow onion, about 3 oz (85 g), peeled
2 scallions, about 2 oz (55 g), thinly sliced for serving
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) fine salt, for the broth, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil, optional, for a dipping sauce
1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) toasted sesame seeds, optional, for a dipping sauce

Instructions

Soak the rice. Put the sweet rice in a bowl and cover it with several inches of cold water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain it well. While it soaks, prepare the chicken and other ingredients. The rice will swell further as it cooks, so it is important not to pack the cavity tightly.
Prepare the chicken. Remove any giblets and excess fat from the cavity. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; do not rinse raw poultry, since splashing can spread bacteria around the sink. Check that there are no loose pinfeathers, then set the chicken on a clean tray. Wash your hands and clean any surface or utensil that touched raw chicken.
Fill the cavity. Spoon the drained rice into the chicken cavity, leaving room for it to expand. Add 2 garlic cloves and 1 jujube. Cross the drumsticks and tie them together with kitchen twine, or secure the skin flap with a skewer. If the cavity will not close easily, remove a little rice rather than forcing it shut. Keep any extra rice aside and cook it separately in the broth after the chicken is done.
Start the broth. Set the chicken breast-side up in a large, heavy pot with a lid. Add the ginseng, remaining garlic, remaining jujubes, ginger, onion, salt, and 10 cups (2.4 L) water. The water should come partway up the chicken; it does not need to cover it completely. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes, skimming off foam that gathers on top.
Simmer until tender. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 80 minutes. Turn the chicken carefully once, about halfway through, if it is not mostly submerged. Keep the liquid at a quiet bubble rather than a hard boil; vigorous boiling can break up the chicken and make the broth cloudy. Add a little hot water if the liquid drops well below the chicken.
Check doneness and rest. Check the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh with a food thermometer, avoiding bone. The USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry is 165°F (74°C); also check the center of the rice stuffing for 165°F (74°C). If either spot is below temperature, simmer for another 5–10 minutes and check again. Transfer the pot off the heat and let the chicken rest in the broth for 10 minutes before serving.
Finish and serve. Lift the chicken carefully onto a warm serving platter or leave it in the pot for a family-style presentation. Discard the onion and ginger if desired. Taste the broth and adjust the salt. Scatter scallions and black pepper over the top. For a simple dipping sauce, mix the sesame oil and sesame seeds with a pinch of salt and pepper; serve it alongside rather than stirring it into the whole pot.

Tips

Choose the right pot. Use a pot just large enough to hold the chicken without crushing it, with a lid that fits. A very wide pot leaves more of the bird exposed and can require extra water; a cramped pot makes it difficult to lift the chicken out safely.
Use gentle heat. After bringing the liquid to a boil, lower the heat until only a few small bubbles rise at a time. A rolling boil can tear the skin and cloud the broth. If the simmer is too weak to cook the chicken steadily, raise the heat a little and keep the lid partly on.
Adapt the hard-to-find ingredients. Korean ginseng root is sold fresh or dried at Korean and other Asian grocers. If you cannot find it, omit it; the dish will still be a comforting chicken-and-rice stew, but it will lack ginseng’s distinctive earthy, slightly bitter aroma. Dried jujubes can be replaced with dried dates, which make the broth sweeter and less floral.
Keep the filling loose. Sweet rice expands as it absorbs broth. Avoid stuffing it firmly or adding a large extra amount to the cavity. If you have leftover soaked rice, simmer it separately in a small saucepan with strained broth until tender, stirring occasionally.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew hot in a deep bowl, giving each person some chicken, rice, and broth. For a shared meal, bring the whole bird and pot to the table and divide it with kitchen shears or a sharp knife; watch for small bones and let diners know the broth and chicken are very hot. The meat should be tender enough to pull from the bones with a fork, while the rice inside will be soft and porridge-like.

Put small dishes of salt and freshly ground black pepper on the table so people can season their own portions. Scallions, kimchi, and a bowl of plain steamed rice make useful accompaniments. The stew is already filling, so simple, crisp or tangy sides work especially well. If you would like a little heat, offer sliced fresh chili or a dab of gochujang separately instead of changing the mild broth for everyone.

Variations

Samgyetang has regional and family variations, and the proportions of ginseng, jujubes, garlic, and rice can differ. Some cooks use a small young chicken for each diner; this recipe uses one larger bird to make sharing easier. If you can only find small chickens, use two birds of about 1 1/2–2 lb (680–900 g) each, divide the rice and aromatics between them, and start checking doneness earlier because they may cook faster.

For a more herbal broth, add a few dried astragalus slices or a small piece of dried angelica root if you already have them. These are optional additions, not required ingredients, and they give the broth a more pronounced herbal flavor. For a less sweet broth, use fewer jujubes. American ginseng can stand in for Korean ginseng, but its flavor is generally milder and less warming in character; use a similar small piece and expect a different aroma.

If you do not have sweet rice, use short-grain rice in the cavity, keeping the amount the same. It will cook up soft but will not have quite the same sticky texture. Long-grain rice is a less suitable substitute because its grains stay separate. For a broth with less rice in the chicken, cook the rice separately and serve it in bowls with the soup, leaving the chicken cavity unfilled; check the chicken for the same safe internal temperature.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. For faster cooling, remove the meat from the bones, separate the rice and broth into shallow airtight containers, and refrigerate them promptly. Do not leave the whole pot at room temperature to cool. Store the chicken, rice, and broth in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid, so the leftovers may be thicker the next day.

To reheat on the stovetop, put the portions in a saucepan with a splash of water or broth, cover, and warm over medium-low heat, stirring the rice gently and turning the chicken so it heats evenly. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. In a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, stir the broth and rice partway through, and check the temperature in more than one spot. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat. Freeze cooled portions in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Korean ginseng chicken stew without ginseng?
Yes. Ginseng gives samgyetang its recognizable earthy, herbal note, but the chicken, garlic, jujubes, and rice still make a flavorful stew without it. There is no exact substitute; omitting it is better than adding a large amount of an unrelated herb. If using American ginseng, choose a small piece and expect a milder, somewhat different flavor.

Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?
Yes, but the result will be less traditional and the cavity rice will need to be cooked separately. Simmer bone-in pieces with the aromatics until tender, then cook the soaked rice in some of the broth in a separate saucepan. Cooking time depends on piece size, so use a thermometer and make sure every piece reaches 165°F (74°C).

Why is my broth cloudy?
A cloudy broth is usually harmless and can happen if the pot boils vigorously, the chicken breaks apart, or foam is not skimmed early. For a clearer-looking broth, bring it up to a boil gradually, skim the foam, and keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer. The flavor can still be good even if the broth is not clear.

Can I prepare the chicken ahead?
You can soak and drain the rice and measure the aromatics ahead, keeping them covered in the refrigerator. For best food safety and texture, fill the chicken shortly before cooking rather than leaving raw poultry stuffed for hours. Keep raw chicken refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below, and clean tools and surfaces after handling it.

How do I know whether the rice inside is cooked?
The rice should be very soft and swollen, not firm or chalky. Use a clean food thermometer to check that the center of the stuffing reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry and stuffing cooked inside it. If the chicken is ready first but the rice is not, remove the stuffing carefully and simmer it in broth until tender and hot throughout.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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