Chicken mu is Korean pickled radish that is specifically for pairing with Korean fried chicken, but it is also a great side dish for pretty much anything. It’s sweet, tangy, crunchy, and totally necessary with Korean fried chicken in my opinion!

Mu is Korean radish, and it is used to make MANY things in Korean cuisine! You may be familiar with Korean radish kimchi, also known as kkakdugi, but it isn’t only used for pickling. Mu is often used in Korean cooking as well- you can find it in soups, stews, braises, and more.

Any time I order Korean fried chicken, I make sure to ask for extra mu. If I’m making Korean friend chicken at home (recipe coming soon!), I also make sure to have plenty of mu.

It cuts through the fat from frying the chicken in oil, and the flavor combination is just perfect! It doesn’t matter whether you are eating plain Korean fried chicken, soy sauce glazed, or sweet & spicy- having it with mu is a MUST!

Ingredients:

• Korean radish- Most of the time I can find this at any Asian supermarket, but sometimes it is only available at Korean markets. If you can’t find Korean radish, you can use Daikon radish.
• Pickling liquid- this is an extremely simple pickling liquid made with ingredients that you should already have in your kitchen. Salt, sugar, white vinegar, and water. Thats it!

How to make it

It is SO easy to make Korean pickled radish! It takes me less than 5 minutes to prepare and there is no cooking involved.

1. Peel the radish

2. Cut into discs that are about 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick, depending on your preference. I love to have mu with every bite of Korean fried chicken, so I make them about 3/4 inch thick.

3. Cut the discs in half, then cut those halves in half. The number of cuts you make will depend on how big your radish is, as well as your size preference for chicken mu. 

4. Rotate the cut radish and make the same cuts the other way to make cubes. 

5. In an airtight container, combine the salt, sugar, white vinegar, and water until dissolved. Then add the radish cubes, making sure they are fully submerged in the pickling liquid.

How to store

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The radish will not be ready to eat for a few hours. Wait at least 2-3 hours before eating, but I’d recommend 1 day for the best flavor. 

You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

More easy banchan recipes

If you like this recipe, try some of my other easy banchan recipes on the blog:

• Oi muchim– this is a quick cucumber kimchi that is spicy, tangy, sweet, and refreshing!
• Bok choy kimchi– I always say that if you only make one of my recipes, let it be this one! This quick bok choy kimchi comes together in less than 5 minutes, and it tastes AMAZING! So refreshing and flavorful- I can eat this all by itself like a salad.
• Seasoned spinach- another Korean classic, this is a side dish I ALWAYS have in my fridge. It’s healthy, easy to make, and delicious!