Korean chicken gizzards or ‘dak dong jib’ are one of the most popular Korean appetizers. It’s particularly common to eat this when you’re drinking some type of alcohol like soju, beer, and makgeolli. This type of food is called ‘anju’ in Korean, which means food that you eat while drinking. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, these gizzards will still be a delicious snack, appetizer, or side dish!
Growing up, my parents would make this all the time so it’s a recipe that I adopted from my mom. It brings back memories of quality time spent with my family around the dinner table and I always looked forward to having this! If you love chicken gizzards like me or are interested in giving them a try, I’m confident you’ll love my mom’s recipe just as much as I do. Get ready to crack open that bottle of soju, cus it’s about to go down!
Why you’ll love this recipe
If chicken gizzards aren’t one of the top foods on your list to try, this recipe will be the one to change your mind! Chicken gizzards are chewy, a little crunchy, and the perfect appetizer for your meal or drinking snack! The dash of chili flakes adds a touch of spice and the garlic adds a beautiful aroma that will have you coming back for more. They’re crispy, salty, spicy, and absolutely addicting. I wouldn’t be surprised if you cleared the plate in a matter of minutes!
This recipe is also very easy to make. After cleaning the gizzards, cooking them will also be a breeze since most of the ingredients used are everyday pantry staples.
Which part of the chicken is gizzard?
If you’ve never had chicken gizzards before, you might be wondering… which part of the chicken does the gizzard come from?! It’s actually a muscle that’s found in the digestive tract of a chicken and it helps them digest their food.
One interesting fact that I found about chickens is that they intentionally swallow grits and small rocks that eventually stick to their gizzards to help them grind their food before it travels down to their stomachs. Since this muscle is constantly at work, it has a tough and chewy texture when cooked. It also has a distinctive taste, which can easily be enhanced with the right ingredients – like lots of garlic!
Korean Chicken Gizzard Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken gizzards: chicken gizzards are chewy, a little crunchy, and taste similar to dark meat. It can be found at most Asian markets or your local butcher shop. You could also make this recipe with chicken hearts!
Flour: the flour is used to clean the gizzards.
Salt: salt is used to clean and season the gizzards.
Milk: marinating the gizzards in milk will make a huge difference in their texture, but you can also use buttermilk!
Garlic cloves: this is a heavy-handed garlic dish. The sweetness of the soft cooked garlic deliciously complements the crunchy chicken gizzards. Feel free to use more but not less!
Onion powder: onion powder helps build the flavors of this recipe but you can also use onion salt or grate some fresh onions instead!
Garlic powder: while we’re already adding garlic cloves, the garlic powder adds an extra layer of flavor to the chicken gizzards.
Black pepper: a pinch is all you need!
Red chili flakes: if you can’t find red chili flakes, you can also use:
Sesame oil: sesame oil adds a bold, rich, and nutty taste to the chicken gizzards.
Oil: any neutral-tasting oil would work best for cooking the gizzards including:
How do I prepare Korean Chicken Gizzard?
If you’re in the mood for a drink or two, you can never go wrong with this crispy chicken gizzard recipe as your ‘anju’. Get your ingredients ready, and follow these step-by-step instructions below!
Step 1: Clean the gizzards
First, you’ll need to clean and trim the chicken gizzards. Gizzards have a yellow sack with a hard membrane that needs to be pulled off.
Once the gizzards are clean, place them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and water. Gently scrub the flour and salt mixture onto the gizzards to remove the impurities. Drain the water, rinse the gizzards, and repeat until the water runs clear.
Step 2: Tenderize the gizzards
To soften the gizzards, pour 3 cups of milk into the bowl or until the gizzards are fully submerged. Let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3: Prepare the ingredients
Prepare the rest of the ingredients by peeling the garlic cloves and slicing them in half lengthwise.
After the gizzards have been soaking for 20 to 30 minutes, strain the gizzards then rinse them with water. Make sure to drain them well and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 4: Cook the gizzards
In a pan or skillet, preheat oil over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the chicken gizzards.
Season with salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. You’ll notice that there will be water coming out from the gizzards, just let them cook until all of the water evaporates. (While waiting, you can even put on some music and dance around your kitchen!)
When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the garlic cloves and cook until the garlic and gizzards are charred on both sides. Finally, season with black pepper and red chili flakes.
Step 5: Plate and serve!
Before removing the gizzards from the heat, don’t forget to have a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! Once you’re satisfied, place them on a plate and drizzle some sesame oil on top for extra flavor. Serve and enjoy!
Cooking Tips for Korean Chicken Gizzard
If you haven’t tried cooking chicken gizzards before, you’ll want to keep these cooking tips in mind:
- Don’t skip the step of marinating the gizzards in milk since this will tenderize their tough and chewy texture.
- Make sure the gizzards are dry before cooking to minimize the oil from splattering.
- If you don’t want a spicy dish, you can also omit the red chili flakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy chicken gizzards?
You can buy chicken gizzards from any supermarket or at your local butcher shop. Most gizzards sold at markets are already partially cleaned, but it’s always best to double-check. If not, you can ask the butcher to clean the gizzards for you or you can also do it at home.
Depending on how the chicken gizzards are cleaned before being sold, you may need to remove the yellow membrane in the sac. It’s distinctly yellow and texturally noticeable so you can’t miss it! It’s very easy to clean – all you need to do is peel off the membrane.
Even if the gizzards come fully cleaned, I still like to do the extra step of scrubbing them with flour and salt to make sure there are no impurities left. Rinse the gizzards until the water runs clear and they’re ready to use! If you’re not cooking the gizzards the same day you bought them, you can store them in the freezer and thaw them until they’re ready to be used.
Do you have to trim chicken gizzards?
Aside from cleaning the chicken gizzards, you can also trim off their silverskin before cooking however, it’s not necessary. To do this, you just need to slide the tip of a knife between the silvery membrane and the meat to slowly scrape it off.
The silverskin is a tough connective tissue that’s commonly found on beef and the gizzards of fowl meat. Personally, I don’t remove it because I think it adds a nice textural crunch and the milk tenderizes it enough for it to be enjoyable.
Can I reheat chicken gizzards?
Yes, you can reheat chicken gizzards but like most recipes, I recommend eating them while they’re hot and fresh. If you have any leftovers, make sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat them. To warm them up, pan-fry them with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil to bring back their crunchy exterior, or reheat them in the microwave. Just be careful not to overcook them since they’ll turn tough and become difficult to eat.
What other dishes can I eat with Korean Chicken Gizzard?
Whether you’re having this delicious chicken gizzard as ‘anju‘ or as a tasty appetizer, these chicken gizzards can be easily paired and enjoyed with many other dishes! Here are some of my suggestions:
1. Savory pancakes – Korean pancakes or ‘jeon’ are great for sharing and enjoying other ‘anju’ appetizers like these chicken gizzards. For some inspiration, check out these pancake recipes:
2. Soup – To help wash everything down, you can make these light and refreshing soup recipes to complement the crispy texture of the chicken gizzards.
3. Flavored nuts – If you want to keep your ‘anju‘ spread simple and minimal, enjoy the chicken gizzards with some delicious nuts like my:
4. Tteokbokki – Pair these delicious chicken gizzards with a hot and chewy tteokbokki dish to fill you up. I recommend checking out these recipes:
5. Fried finger food – You can’t go wrong with finger foods! Choose these recipes to enjoy these gizzards with:
Korean Chicken Gizzard Recipe (Dak Dong Jib)
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken gizzards
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups milk
- 20-24 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes substitute with gochugaru, chili powder, paprika, or your choice of spice
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
- Clean and trim the chicken gizzards. To clean, place the gizzards in a bowl with 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt. and water. Gently scrub the flour and salt mixture onto the gizzards to remove impurities. Drain, rinse, wash, and drain until the water runs clear.
- To tenderize the gizzards, pour 3 cups of milk or until the gizzards are completely submerged. Let this sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice them in half lengthwise.
- Strain the gizzards and rinse in water. Drain well and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a pan or skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken gizzards and season with salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook until all the water has been evaporated.
- When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the garlic and cook until charred on both sides.
- Season with black pepper and red chili flakes. Adjust the seasoning (salt, onion powder, garlic powder) to taste.
- Remove from heat and top with sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Video
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