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Chicken Breast with Beltfish Kimchi Steamed Dish
A one-pot steamed dish cooking chicken breast, beltfish, and kimchi together. The tender chicken breast, savory beltfish, and spicy kimchi combine for a rich flavor. Simple to prepare, making it suitable as a main dish on busy days.
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CreatedAbout this recipe
Chicken breast with mackerel kimchi steam is a main dish cooked in one pot by combining lean chicken breast, oily mackerel, kimchi’s acidity, and a spicy kick. Start with one cup of water; as moisture comes from the ingredients and kimchi liquid, the dish finishes more like a moist braise than a soup with lots of broth. Chicken breast can seize up if boiled too long, and mackerel flesh can crumble easily, so it’s important not to stack ingredients. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cover to minimize moisture loss and cook through. Since the salinity and aging of kimchi vary, it’s safer to taste at the end and only add salt if needed. Cook time is about 30 minutes, which is relatively quick, but you should check both the center of the chicken and the bones of the mackerel for doneness. If the kimchi is too sour or too salty, it’s better to adjust the kimchi amount rather than adding more water, so as not to dilute the fish and chicken flavors further.
Taste and Texture
The tangy, sharp flavor from the kimchi when it boils balances the chicken breast’s mildness, and the rich aroma of the mackerel adds depth to the broth. Finishing with a dash of chili powder makes the aroma and color even more vivid. When the chicken is cooked properly, it shreds tenderly along its grain, and the mackerel becomes so soft it can be pulled apart with chopsticks. However, mackerel flesh can break apart easily if stirred too much after cooking, so use a wide spatula when serving.
Key to making it delicious
- Place the chicken breast and mackerel in the pot so they do not overlap, allowing heat and broth to contact each ingredient evenly.
- If you layer the kimchi on top, its seasoning and moisture will gradually work down to the lower ingredients, enhancing flavor; avoid mixing vigorously from the start to preserve the mackerel’s shape.
- When the broth boils, reduce to a low simmer and cover the pot to prevent the chicken breast surface from tightening too quickly. If the boil is too strong, further lower the heat.
- After 20 minutes, check the thickest part of the chicken to ensure it’s opaque through, and confirm the mackerel meat separates easily from the bone, then decide whether to cook longer.
- Taste for salt right before serving. The kimchi and mackerel’s natural saltiness will flavor the broth, so only add a small amount of salt and simmer about 5 more minutes if it tastes bland.
Common mistakes
- If you start with too much salt and the broth becomes too salty, add only a little water along with the solid ingredients, and skip additional salting.
- If you boil on high heat, the mackerel flesh may fall apart and the broth may reduce too harshly. Adjust to a gentle simmer with a slight amount of rising steam at the edge of the lid.
- Frequent turning with chopsticks can cause the flesh and bones to separate and break apart. Check doneness by gently shaking the pot or carefully lifting one piece.
- If chicken breast pieces are too large, center may remain undercooked even after 20 minutes. For thick pieces, cut in half to match sizes, or cook a few more minutes as needed.
- Cutting kimchi too finely can cause it to break down during cooking, reducing texture. Keep pieces to a bite size so it’s easy to pick up with the chicken and fish.
Application Ideas
- If you want more heat, sprinkle chili powder just before serving—if the kimchi is already spicy and salty, you can skip adding more to maintain balance.
- If you want a more viscous broth, add a little water only when moisture is evaporating too quickly during cooking. Adding water from the start will make the dish closer to a soup than a braise.
- Rather than swapping to a different fish, this method keeps in mind mackerel’s delicate flesh, using low heat and minimal stirring.
- If you’re worried about the chicken breast’s texture, cut into bite-sized pieces to increase the surface area in contact with kimchi and broth, but avoid making the pieces too thin to overcook.
Pairing ideas
- Serve in a deep dish with a generous amount of the broth so you can enjoy kimchi, fish, and chicken in one bite.
- Because there may be bones in the mackerel, present on a wide plate or shallow dish to ease separating the flesh at the table.
- Pair with warm rice to balance the spicy and salty kimchi broth, making a complete meal.
- Offer chili powder on the side for each person to adjust their heat level while preserving the base flavor.
Essential ingredients
Chicken breast
Beltfish
Kimchi
Water
Optional ingredients
No separate optional ingredients.
Cooking order
Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and trim the beltfish.
Cut the kimchi into bite-sized pieces.
Place the chicken breast and beltfish in a pot without layering, then top with kimchi.
Pour in 1 cup of water.
Heat over medium heat until it starts to boil, then reduce to low and cover, cooking for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, uncover and check that ingredients are cooked through.
If underseasoned, add a little salt and cook for 5 more minutes while mixing well.
Serve the completed steamed dish in bowls; optionally sprinkle chili powder before serving.