Huchamjal Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken Review [Korean Food]

Hello! Today’s pick is the Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken from Huchamjal (Hooraideu Cham Jalhaneun Jip, “the place that fries chicken really well”). It’s a new menu from Huchamjal after quite a while! There had been almost no new releases since the second half of 2025, so with this one finally out, I ordered it right away without even checking what it was. Between the surprisingly strong aroma and the added meoktae (dried pollack) and sauce inside, it felt like the perfect snack to pair with a drink! So let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Table of Contents

📋 At a Glance

Product: Huchamjal Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken (bone-in / boneless)
Store: Huchamjal (a Korean fried-chicken franchise)
Price: 21,000 won (22,000 won for boneless)
Main components: fried chicken + cheongyang-mayo seasoning + grilled meoktae (dried pollack), with a cheongyang-meoktae dipping sauce, mustard sauce, pickled radish, and a 500 ml cola included
Verdict: ★3.5 — the seasoning alone is ordinary, but the cheongyang-meoktae dip is the real kick; generous portion and a perfect drinking snack!

Huchamjal Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken: Price and Key Points

This is my first Huchamjal review since January 2024! After the Mapdalking, there had been no standout new releases, and then this appeared out of nowhere. The concept is “crispy chicken loaded with savory meoktae.” They generously dust fried chicken with cheongyang-mayo seasoning, then add meoktae on top. The base price is 21,000 won, and the boneless version adds 1,000 won for 22,000 won.

Sweet spicy cheongyang meoktae seasoning feature

Huchamjal cheongyang meoktae premium snack chicken

For reference, ordering this menu gets you a cheongyang-meoktae dipping sauce and a mustard sauce as standard. On top of that, the base setup includes pickled radish and a 500 ml bottle of cola. Since Huchamjal is a franchise that gives fairly generous boneless-fried portions, the value really is quite good! I went with the boneless version.

Cheongyang meoktae seasoning spicy flavor

What’s in the Order

So let’s check the layout. Even before opening the box, the savory chicken scent mixed with a slightly sweet-and-spicy cheongyang-mayo seasoning aroma that spread right out! I moved it into a bowl. Quite a lot, right?

Fried chicken meoktae composition comparison

Brazilian Boneless and Cheongyang-Mayo Seasoning

For reference, Huchamjal’s boneless menu uses Brazilian chicken thigh. The bone-in regular menu uses domestic chicken, so if you’re sensitive to the smell that can come with Brazilian chicken, the regular menu might be the better pick. That said, this menu is loaded with so much seasoning that it should be fairly free of that issue. On a light taste of the seasoning alone, the heat is milder than the aroma suggests.

Sauce specialist cheongyang meoktae feature

The seasoning is fairly generous overall. It’s not the kind just sprinkled on top but more like it’s been tossed through. As I said, even people who don’t quite take to the Brazilian-thigh boneless menu should be able to eat it without much issue at this level of seasoning. The meoktae isn’t as much as I’d expected, but since the main is the chicken anyway, a little bit here and there should do.

The Meoktae and Overall Impression

Even as a boneless menu, the overall setup feels pretty solid, I’d say. I expected a Cheongyang meoktae chicken to be quite spicy, but the heat was weaker than expected. The meoktae is a little light in quantity, yet real meoktae is in there, so there’s a quiet fun in picking at it! It’s a nice setup to eat as a casual drinking snack.

Taste Test: How Does It Actually Taste?

Now let’s dig in! First I ate a decently sized piece of chicken right away. On a small taste I was a little on the fence, but the seasoning gave a slightly savory note with a fairly strong sweetness. As for heat, it was more of an “is there any?” level.

Looking up the press release, it says real meoktae is ground into the seasoning to maximize the savory taste. Honestly, though, eaten as is, it tastes a lot like a typical consommé seasoning. Both carry a savory note with a fairly strong sweetness, right? Still, the base flavor is there, and it does a good job masking the chicken smell unique to boneless, so by my standards it felt decent.

Pairing the meoktae, tucked in as a side alongside the chicken, seemed to push the savory taste up a notch. The meoktae itself isn’t too tough and is grilled crisp, so there was no awkward chew at all. Honestly, I’d have cut the chicken back a bit and added more of this meoktae!

The Cheongyang-Meoktae Dip Is the Real Main

And when I dunked it deep into the cheongyang-meoktae dipping sauce that comes with it, it really felt like this dip, more than the seasoning, is the main event! Eating just the seasoned chicken, there wasn’t much difference from other chicken. But after a good dip in the sauce, a sharp heat came through and that signature savory meoktae note sprang to life! The cheongyang-meoktae mayo sauce packs a serious punch. If you want the full experience, ordering one extra on top of the base is one way to go.

Final Verdict

Of course, even eating the chicken on its own without sauce, the base flavor is decent, and if you’re eating with kids, plain chicken is perfectly fine. Still, to enjoy this menu properly, ordering at least one extra sauce looks like the way to go! Personally, I’d have liked the meoktae to be a bit more generous, too. Either way, the sheer amount was one thing that satisfied me.

Huchamjal cheongyang meoktae anticipation

Since Huchamjal itself is a value-focused franchise, adding a seasoned-fried menu like this still lands in a similar price range to most other chicken franchises, which is an upside, I suppose! The flavor isn’t wildly unique, but it’s great when you order various sides to go with it. It’s the kind of menu I’d recommend when you’re in the mood for an easygoing drinking snack. For anyone in Korea looking for a beer pairing, it’s a fun one to try.

For more on the launch of the Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken and its cheongyang-meoktae seasoning and grilled-meoktae topping, you can read the (Korean source) The CEN News report on the Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken launch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much is the Huchamjal Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken?

It’s 21,000 won, and 22,000 won for the boneless version (plus 1,000 won). A cheongyang-meoktae dipping sauce, mustard sauce, pickled radish, and a 500 ml cola come included, making it decent value among chicken franchises.

Q. Is the Cheongyang Meoktae Chicken very spicy?

Despite the strong aroma, the heat is milder than expected, more like a savory, sweet consommé-style seasoning. The real key is the cheongyang-meoktae dipping sauce that comes with it. A good dip brings out a sharp heat and the savory meoktae note, making it a perfect drinking snack.

Q. How’s it best eaten?

Dip it well in the cheongyang-meoktae sauce and eat it with the grilled meoktae. The seasoned chicken on its own isn’t very different from other chicken, but the dipping sauce changes the flavor completely. To enjoy it fully, ordering one extra dipping sauce is a good move.

image sources