Easy Chicken Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep the content on my site free. please read my disclosure here
If you are a fan of chewy, bouncy noodles and sweet-and-savoury flavours, this Easy Chicken Japchae is about to become your new weeknight obsession!
Believe it or not, the very first time I tried Japchae was a frozen version from Costco. I bought it on a whim, and to my absolute surprise, reheating those frozen noodles still yielded an incredibly springy, bouncy chew! I was instantly hooked. From that moment on, it became my mission to create an ultimate from-scratch copycat version, packed with extra protein and loads of vibrant, julienned vegetables.
Every bite of these gorgeous noodles features juicy chicken thigh strips and crisp veggies coated in a mouth-watering sesame-soy sauce. Plus, because traditional Korean glass noodles are made from sweet potato starch, this entire delicious stir-fry is naturally gluten-free! (Looking for more noodle inspiration? Check out my Spicy Teriyaki Wonton Noodles or my Creamy 20-Minute Sesame Peanut Noodles!)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- That Bouncy Texture: Korean sweet potato noodles (Dangmyeon) have an incredibly satisfying, chewy texture that never gets mushy and doesn’t tear easily when you toss them.
- The Magic Sauce: We mix one large batch of sweet-and-savoury sesame-soy sauce and use it three ways: as a chicken marinade, a cooking liquid, and a final noodle glaze!
- Delicious Hot or Cold: Japchae is incredibly versatile. It is a phenomenal hot dinner, but it also tastes amazing served at room temperature for lunch the next day.
Ingredients You Will Need
You can find these ingredients at any local Asian grocery store, and increasingly in the international aisle of your standard supermarket!
The Base:
- Korean Sweet Potato Noodles: 14 ounces of uncooked noodles (often labelled as Dangmyeon or cellophane noodles). They look grey and wiry in the package, but turn beautifully translucent when cooked!
The Sesame-Soy Sauce:
- The Base: 1 cup of soy sauce and ¾ cup of brown sugar (or white sugar).
- The Flavour: 2 Tablespoons of pure sesame oil and 2 Tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds.
The Protein:
- Chicken Thighs: 15 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 pieces), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch strips.
- The Aromatics: 3 teaspoons of minced fresh garlic (about 4 cloves) and 2 stalks of green onions (cut into 2-inch pieces).
The Vibrant Vegetables:
- The Crunch: 2 large carrots and 1 large red bell pepper, both peeled/rinsed and julienned into ¼-inch thick sticks.
- The Onions & Greens: 1 large yellow or white onion (cut into thin wedges) and 2 ounces (about 2 handfuls) of fresh spinach leaves.
- The Mushrooms: 5 dehydrated shiitake mushrooms (soaked in warm water for 1-2 hours, stems removed, and sliced thin) and 5 ounces of brown beech mushrooms.
- The Seasoning: 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
How to Make Chicken Japchae
Phase 1: Mix the Sauce & Marinate
It may seem like a lot of sauce, but we are dividing it up to build layers of flavour!
- The Sauce: In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds until the sugar dissolves.
- The Marinade: Place your chicken strips into a large bowl. Add the minced garlic and pour exactly ¼ cup of your sesame-soy sauce over the meat. Toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Phase 2: Stir-Fry the Vegetables
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Add the julienned carrots, shiitake mushrooms, beech mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Sauté constantly with a spatula for 3 minutes.
- Add the salt and black pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Toss in the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes just until wilted.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables into a massive mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to trap the heat.
Phase 3: Cook the Chicken
- Keep the pan on medium-high heat. Add your marinated chicken (along with its juices) to the hot pan.
- Pour in another ¼ cup of the reserved sesame-soy sauce. Cook for about 7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F/74°C) and the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze.
- Toss in the chopped green onions, stir a few times, and transfer the entire chicken mixture directly into the large bowl with the resting vegetables and combine. Cover with plastic wrap again.
Phase 4: Boil and Toss the Noodles
- Fill a large pot ¾ full with water, add 2 Tablespoons of sea salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Add the dry sweet potato noodles and boil for exactly 7 minutes.
- Drain the noodles well, but do not rinse them!
- Immediately add the hot noodles to the large bowl with your chicken and vegetables. Pour the remaining sesame-soy sauce over the top. Use tongs to toss everything together. (It will look very saucy at first, but the hot noodles will absorb all that liquid magic within minutes!)
💡Pro Tips for Perfect Japchae
- Do Not Rinse the Noodles: Unlike some noodles (such as soba), you should never rinse sweet potato noodles after boiling. Leaving them hot and starchy helps them act like sponges, instantly absorbing the remaining soy sauce mixture when you toss the bowl together!
- Practice Your Knife Skills: When prepping your carrots, peppers, and mushrooms, aim for uniform julienne cuts (matchsticks) that are roughly ¼-inch thick. This guarantees that all the vegetables cook at the exact same rate so nothing turns out mushy or raw.
- Vegetarian Adjustment: If you decide to skip the chicken to make this meal vegetarian-friendly, you will not need as much liquid. Simply cut the sauce recipe directly in half so your noodles don’t end up swimming in soy sauce!
Complete the Noodle Menu
Craving more Asian-inspired noodle dishes? Add these Sweet2Savoury favourites to your weekly meal rotation!
- Spicy Gochujang Noodles with Pork: If you love Korean flavours, the deep, spicy, fermented chili paste in this quick pork noodle dish will blow your mind.
- Garlic Butter Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles: Looking for a low-carb alternative? These zoodles are tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce that hits all the right comfort notes!
- 20-Minute Creamy Sesame Peanut Noodles: A quick and highly customizable dish that’s velvety, creamy and versatile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other proteins instead of chicken?
You know my answer will be a resounding yes! Japchae is incredibly versatile. Instead of chicken thighs, you can easily use thinly sliced beef or pork. For vegetarian options, toss in some pan-fried tofu strips, or slice up a thin egg omelette into ribbons and mix it in!
Which is better: fresh or dehydrated shiitake mushrooms?
Both are fantastic! Fresh shiitakes are great if they are in season and easy to find. Dehydrated shiitakes are deeply savory and available year-round in the Asian aisle. Just remember that dehydrated mushrooms must be soaked in warm water for 1 to 2 hours before you cook with them! Not a fan of the pungent shiitake flavor? Swap them out for sliced white button or cremini mushrooms.
What do Korean sweet potato noodles look like?
In their dry package, they look like long, grey, stiff wires. However, once boiled, they transform into beautiful, bouncy, translucent glass noodles! They are totally tasteless on their own, making them the perfect canvas for rich sauces.
Pin it for later
Japchae with Chicken (Korean glass noodle stir fry)
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar or white sugar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 large carrots peeled & julienned into 1/4-inch thick sticks
- 1 large red bell pepper rinsed & julienned into 1/4-inch thick sticks
- 5 dehydrated shiitake mushrooms soaked in warm water for 1 – 2 hours, stems removed & cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
- 5 ounces brown beech mushrooms (optional) or your choice of mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips (if needed)
- 1 large yellow or white onion peeled & cut into thin wedges
- 2 ounces fresh spinach leaves (2 handfuls) rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 15 ounces boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (5 pieces) rinsed, patted dry & cut into 1-inch strips
- 3 teaspoons garlic (4 cloves) peeled & minced or pressed
- 2 stalks green onion trimmed & cut into 2-inch pieces
- 14 ounces Korean sweet potato noodles (uncooked)
Method
- Mix the Sauce: In a large measuring cup, thoroughly whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds until the sugar dissolves.
- Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken thigh strips into a large bowl. Add the minced garlic and exactly ¼ cup of the mixed sesame-soy sauce. Toss with a spatula to coat the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables: Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Sauté constantly with a spatula for 3 minutes. Add the kosher salt and black pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Transfer all the vegetables to a very large mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap to retain heat.
- Cook the Chicken: Keep the pan on medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan and pour in another ¼ cup of the sesame-soy sauce. Cook for about 7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F/74°C) and the sauce has reduced. Stir in the chopped green onions at the end. Add the cooked chicken directly into the bowl with the resting vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap again.
- Boil the Noodles: Fill a large pot ¾ full with water, add 2 Tablespoons of sea salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the dry noodles and cook for 7 minutes. Drain the noodles, but do not rinse them!
- Combine and Serve: Immediately add the hot, cooked noodles to the large bowl with the chicken and vegetables. Pour in the remaining sesame-soy sauce. Use tongs to toss everything together until well combined. (The heat of the noodles will absorb the extra sauce within a few minutes). Serve hot or enjoy at room temperature! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
