Looking for something a little different from your usual meat and potatoes meal prep? This Doenjang Chicken with Braised Potatoes makes for the perfect week’s meal prep or as a Korean take-out alternative for dinner!
Soybean Paste Chicken with Braised Potatoes
I’m back today with another recipe using Doenjang! Since I recently shared a recipe with soybean paste, I wanted to make sure there’s more on the blog for you to choose from since I hate buying a “new” ingredient only to use it for one recipe!
This Doenjang Chicken is inspired by the traditional BBQ pork skewers but I had chicken on hand so I adapted it to be used with chicken! I’ve paired the chicken with a braised potato because H is a meat and potatoes type of guy so it’s a nice change of using rice in a meal prep!
What is Doenjang?
Doenjang (된장), aka soybean paste, is a classic fermented Korean seasoning that has a rich deep nutty flavour. It’s made by grinding soybeans into a thick paste and forming it into blocks that are dried and fermented for months before being soaked in brine for a few more months. The liquid is used to make soy sauce and the solid left becomes the soybean paste. I love using it to make Doenjang Jjigae (Korean Soybean Paste Stew) if you need another idea of how to use up your soybean paste!
What You’ll Need To Make This Korean Chicken and Potato Meal Prep
For the chicken:
- Doenjang
- grated onion
- minced garlic
- brown sugar (or honey)
- pepper
- water
- chicken
- oil
For the braised potatoes:
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- rice wine/cooking wine
- garlic
- pepper
- water
- oil
- little potatoes
- carrot
- onion
- sliced purple cabbage
How to Make This Doenjang Chicken and Braised Potatoes Recipe
- In a large bowl, mix together your soybean paste, grated onion, minced garlic, brown sugar, ground pepper, and water. Once throughly mixed together, place your chicken breasts into the bowl and let it marinade for 30 minutes.
- Tip: if you want to make it closer to the traditional style, I’d recommend slicing the chicken breasts thinly first. It’ll also come out “crispy” if it’s cut thinly and grilled.
- While the chicken is marinading, get started on the braised potatoes. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, minced garlic, ground pepper, and water. In a large skillet, sauté the halved potatoes and quartered carrots in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium high heat.
- Add in the onions and your sauce mix into the skillet. Stir and then bring the sauce to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to low heat and cover the skillet, letting it cook until the potatoes are tender for 7-8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through, stirring it occasionally.
- By this time, the chicken should be done marinating. Heat your oven to 400F.
- On a cast iron with some oil on medium-high heat, place your chicken into the pan with the remaining marinade. Brown both sides for 3-4 minutes each.
- Transfer to oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once ready, combine the purple cabbage with the braised potatoes and chicken in your container (or serve immediately).
Tips for Making This Korean Chicken Meal Prep
- For maximum flavour and a crispier chicken, slice the chicken thinly instead of leaving it as a full breast.
- For a spicier meal prep, mix in some spicy pepper paste or chili powder into the marinade.
- Other vegetables to add to the potato mix that’d go great with the meal prep are peas, corn, and zucchini.
- If you don’t want your cabbage to be too soft from reheating, pack it separately and skip reheating or microwave less.
- I’m a huge fan of glass containers for packing my lunches in as they’re great for reheating in the microwave and they don’t hold onto smells over time. You can even get glass containers that have dividers.
Doenjang Chicken with Braised Potatoes
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 tbsp Doenjang
- 1/2 onion, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar, or honey
- 1 pinch ground pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 chicken breast
- 1 tbsp oil
For the braised potatoes:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice wine/cooking wine
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp oil
- 15-20 little potatoes, halved
- 1 carrot, quartered
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 purple cabbage, sliced
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a large bowl, mix together your soybean paste, grated onion, minced garlic, brown sugar, ground pepper, and water. Once throughly mixed together, place your chicken breasts into the bowl and let it marinade for 30 minutes.
- Heat your oven to 400F.
- On a cast iron with some oil on medium-high heat, place your chicken into the pan with the remaining marinade. Brown both sides for 3-4 minutes each.
- Transfer to oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
For the Braised Potatoes
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, minced garlic, ground pepper, and water. In a large skillet, sauté the halved potatoes and quartered carrots in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium high heat.
- Add in the onions and your sauce mix into the skillet. Stir and then bring the sauce to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to low heat and cover the skillet, letting it cook until the potatoes are tender for 7-8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through, stirring it occasionally.
- Once ready, combine the purple cabbage with the braised potatoes and chicken in your container (or serve immediately).
Nutrition Per Serving
For Recipes That Uses Soybean Paste:
MORE EASY WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY
- Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Vietnamese Grill Chicken Meal Prep
- Chicken Pepperoni Pasta Salad
- Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles
- Chicken and Vegetables Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce
- Honey Lime Garlic Chicken with Pistachios
Other places to connect with me
Instagram: @carmyshungry
Meal Prep Support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mealprepsupport/
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Email: [email protected]
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