Korean pickled radish has the perfect balance of sour, salty, and sweet. Also called chicken mu (치킨 무), this pairs great with Korean fried chicken or other heavy foods.
This crunchy Korean pickled radish is a quick and easy pickled radish that you can enjoy as a Korean side dish or banchan. It's ready to eat in one day and requires only five ingredients!
It's also called 'chicken mu' 치킨 무, which translates to 'chicken radish'. This is because it's almost always served with Korean fried chicken. The sour, vinegary, crunchy radish helps cut through the heaviness of fried chicken.
If you've ever been to a Korean fried chicken restaurant like Bonchon, this is the pickled radish side dish that's served alongside the fried chicken.
In Korean cuisine, there are many pickled radish side dishes that all use different varieties of radish. Out of all the radish side dishes, this is one of the easiest ones you can make!
Ingredients you'll need
- Korean radish - Make sure to buy Korean radish for the best result. You can substitute with daikon if it's not available (more on this below).
- White vinegar - Distilled white vinegar has the cleanest, brightest taste that lets the radish flavor shine through. You can substitute with rice wine vinegar but I wouldn't recommend using other varieties of vinegar.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Water
Korean radish has a rounder, shorter shape compared to a daikon radish and the top third or half of the radish is a greenish yellow. Look for one that feels heavy for its size without major blemishes.
Why do I recommend using Korean radish? It has a stronger flavor and crunchier texture than daikon radish. I find it also has slightly less water content than daikon radish which helps it keep its bite in the pickling liquid.
Step by step instructions
- Stir together the ingredients for the pickling liquid until the sugar dissolves.
- Peel the radish and cut it into half inch cubes.
- Add the radish pieces to the pickling liquid and store it in the fridge overnight.
- Serve chilled. It tastes best after 2 days.
What to serve with this
Korean pickled radish is usually served with meals that are deep fried or heavy on meat because the bright, tangy radish lightens up. You can serve this with any of these meals:
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using Korean radish because it has a stronger flavor and crunchier texture than daikon radish. I find it also has slightly less moisture than daikon radish which helps it keep its crunchy in the pickling liquid.
You can certainly substitute with daikon if Korean radish is unavailable.
Let the radish pickle for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving, though it tastes best after 2 days. I recommend serving it chilled and consuming this within 4 to 5 days.
You can find it in any Korean grocery store and at most Asian grocery stores. Look for one that feels heavy for its size and is not blemished. The top part of the radish should have a green hue.
More Korean side dishes to try:
- Spicy Korean Radish Salad | Musaengchae
- Korean Perilla Leaf Kimchi
- Korean Dried Zucchini Side Dish
- Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
- Korean Shiitake Mushroom Side Dish
- Korean Soybean Sprout Side Dish – Kongnamul Muchim
Korean Pickled Radish - Chicken Mu
☑ Ingredients
- 1 lb Korean radish - - cut into ½ inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- ⅓ cup white vinegar - - substitute with rice wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- halved chilis or sliced jalapenos for spice - - (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and cut the radish into ½ inch cubes.
- Mix together the pickling liquid until the sugar dissolves and then add the cubed radish pieces. See Note 1.
- Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
- Serve chilled. See Note 2.
✎ Recipe Notes
- I prefer a 1:1:1 ratio of vinegar, sugar, and water. If you prefer a more mild pickled radish, increase the amount of water and adjust the salt to taste.
- You can enjoy this 24 hours later but if you prefer a stronger pickled flavor, wait until 48 hours later.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 7 to 10 days, but it tastes best within 4 days.
- As this is a quick pickling recipe, sterilization of the jar isn't required since it's meant to be consumed within a few days. Keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Serve with Korean fried chicken.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
Charlotte
I already knew I'd love this since I like anything pickled. Didn't disappoint! I used daikon since I couldn't find Korean radish.
Chris
I love this pickled radish so much! Can't believe it's this easy to make, will definitely make more next time! 🙂
Jamie
Thanks for trying it out Chris. It's definitely easy and delicious!
Laura Arteaga
I've been looking for a recipe like this for a long time! We were served pickled radish in our favorite Korean restaurant and then we moved to another country. We've been missing this delicious side dish since! Your recipe reminds me of this side dish and it's so simple to make and delicious!
Jamie
Thank you Laura! I'm so glad you love this!
Gunjan
Such a wonderful combination. It tastes as amazing as it looks. Love this!
Jocelyn
Really delicious. We love to add a little sliced red chilli to ours - it adds the best pop of colour and looks beautiful on the plate. We love to let it sit for 48 hours too! Such a great flavour and really simple to do!
Jamie
Thanks Jocelyn! Great addition adding the sliced red pepper. It gives it a nice subtle red color and a hint of spice. So glad you enjoyed this!
Carmy
My partner has been asking me to make pickled radish for banchan for a while now. This is just perfect!
Jamie
Thanks Carmy! Glad you thought it was perfect! 🙂
Loreto Nardelli
Wow, my mouth is watering. I love how the pickled Korean radish adds such a brightness to Korean foods. Great tips on what to use for best results and your wings looked so good, I just wanted to reach in and grab one! Great pist and I really want to try this one! Thank you for sharing!
Ramona
I've been wanting to make pickled radish for some time now and this looks like a much more interesting recipe to try out! They look so crunchy and delicious and I can't wait to try these out soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tracy
This is SO easy and so so so yummy! My family loved it. Thank you!
Jamie
Thanks Tracy! So glad your family loved it!
Jenny
Wow, I love this. Never thought it would be so easy to make. I have had Korean pickled radish before at the house of one of my old mates from work. It was so delicious and wanted to ask for recipe and didn't. We lost touch and I forgot about it till now. This is great! I get to make it and have it all mine now. Thanks so much!
Jamie
Thanks Jenny! So happy you loved it! I agree, it couldn't be easier. 🙂
Sue
The Korean radish is so beautiful! I'm pretty sure I've never seen one around here, but I can get daikon, so I'll try that, thanks!
Cathleen
Okay, this is the best. I love the tips you had in the post, it was really helpful!! This will definitely be a favourite recipe in my house.
Genevieve
This Korean Pickled Radish looks super tasty and I love how it can be used for so many different meals!
Jacqueline
I had this pickled radish once during a meal cooked by a South Korean friend. It's really good! I'm going to make this myself, it's so easy!
Bintu
Absolutely wonderful! I love how crunchy and delicious the radish is!
Jamie
Thanks Bintu! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Maria
Finally, this one! I have been seeing this on a lot of Korean mukbangs or in kdramas that they pair it with spicy fried chicken or regular fried chicken. Never knew it was just easy to make one. No need to head to the supermarket for this. This should be really tried at home. Thanks for sharing this one.
Anita
This pickle is so easy to put together. Definitely tastes better after 48 hours, though I couldn't hold off and had to sample after 24 hours. 😀
Jamie
Thanks Anita! So glad you like it. I do the same thing!
Andrea Metlika
I cant believe how easy it is to make these pickled radishes. I making these ASAP.
Kechi
WOW! I have never seen Korean radish before, and I want it! Looks so refreshing and crunchy; thanks so much for sharing this recipe. This is coming to my holiday table.🙌🏾
Ari
I am thrilled to have come across this recipe, as it has been a favourite of mine at my local Korean restaurant for SO long. This is delicious, and I am so excited to be able to have this at home! I used a daikon on this occasion as I couldn't find a Korean radish, but I spoke to my local greengrocer and he is going to source some for me. Thank you so much!
Jamie
Thanks Ari! I'm so glad you enjoyed this. It's great with Korean radish or daikon! 🙂