Chicken thigh gomtang ready in 30 minutes — a summer stamina boost

If the summer heat is sapping your energy, a simple chicken stamina dish may be just what you need. Even without hours of simmering over a flame, you can have a full bowl on the table in about 30 minutes.

The recipe is chicken thigh gomtang. The chicken thighs are first pan-seared until golden, rendering a nutty chicken fat, then simmered in anchovy broth for a clean, light finish. The result keeps all the tenderness and deep flavor that thigh meat is known for.

Stirring in a minced seasoning paste at the end gives the soup a spicy kick. You can also drop in knife-cut noodles to turn it into chicken thigh gomtang noodles — a satisfying variation in its own right.

The key to the soup's rich, nutty depth is using the chicken fat left in the pan after the skin has crisped up to build the broth.

For a cleaner broth, remove the green onion, onion and other aromatics once the soup is done. Skim the foam frequently and keep the heat at medium — that is what keeps the broth clear.

Base ingredients: 500g chicken thighs, 1½ green onion stalks, 1 onion, 6 peeled garlic cloves, 1.5L anchovy broth, salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 servings of steamed rice (or cooked knife-cut noodles)

Minced seasoning: 2 tablespoons red pepper powder, ½ tablespoon soup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 3 tablespoons chicken broth

Seasoning: 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon anchovy fish sauce

Chicken thigh gomtang

1. Pour olive oil into a pot and place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear, then flip to cook both sides through. Cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Add the green onion, onion and garlic to the pot and stir-fry briefly, then pour in the anchovy broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Skim off any impurities from the surface.

4. Add the seasoning ingredients and bring to a boil. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper as needed.

5. Combine the minced seasoning ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

6. Ladle the broth and chicken thighs into bowls. Top with sliced green onion and a pinch of pepper.

Source: Woori's Table