Easy Chicken Ramen Recipe. Japanese food has become popular in the last few years and today we are going to look at an incredible dish: Ramen. It has been out for a couple years now but I hadn’t tried ramen until a few months ago. I had a feeling I would love it and I was not wrong. I quickly started making my own Chicken Ramen Recipe at home and this is the result. Today’s dish makes the most satisfying chicken ramen recipe you’ll ever have and is so simple to make.
The once unusual sounding dishes, such as sushi, Tempura, Miso Soup and Matcha, are now familiar to most people worldwide, Ramen is slowly becoming popular thanks to ramen bars opening in different countries. Do you like Japanese food? It is delicious, nutritious, and uses super-fresh seasonal products.
But is ramen a Japanese speciality?
Ramen noodles are originally Chinese style noodles, but it was in Japan where this humble bowl of soup has evolved over the years and has almost become Japan’s national dish.
But let’s talk more about ramen. This chicken ramen recipe is such a flavourful dish; it is made of layers of noodles, tender meat, ramen egg, veggies topped with a rich broth. The secret why ramen is so tasty is down to its complex broth. Real ramen, like the one you will find in Japan, is made with a traditional broth recipe, however I created mine with chicken broth.
My version of chicken ramen reci[pe is on the table in less than half an hour because I’m using store-bought chicken broth. It might not be completely authentic, but if you buy a high-quality natural broth it will be as flavourful as a traditional ramen recipe.
Easy Chicken Ramen Recipe Ingredients:
Before we start cooking this chicken ramen recipe, let’s check out some of the different Japanese ingredients & condiments used to make ramen, these are easy to find in Asian groceries:
Mirin: It’s a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content and slightly sweet. It can be substituted for rice vinegar.
Soy Sauce : It has to be made with soybeans. Cheap soy sauce often contains flour so try to get a high quality soy sauce or Tamari sauce.
Chicken Breast Or Pork Belly: a much more simple alternative to pork belly is to stir fry ground pork or use chicken breast for a healthier version as I have used in this recipe.
Ramen noodles If you can’t find noodles labeled “ramen,” you can still make a bowl of ramen with any fresh or dried egg noodle you find at an Asian market. I make ramen with soba noodles (buckwheat) and rice noodles as well.
Shiitake mushrooms: If you can’t find fresh or dry shiitake mushrooms in an Asian market use Chestnut mushrooms instead.
Now for the ramen toppings…we can keep it traditional and add: shiitake mushrooms, pak choy, seaweeds, bamboo… or add vegetables we have in our cupboards. The choice is yours!
All in all, ramen is a soup made with noodles, but still simple in essence. I encourage you to try this easy chicken ramen recipe for a soul warming dish. You can tell people it’s your own recipe, don’t worry I won’t tell 😉
Did you like this Chicken Ramen Recipe recipe? Take a picture and share it on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #thefoodiebunch. Cheers, friends!
Easy Chicken Ramen Recipe
Ingredients
For The Ramen Broth:
- 1 liter chicken broth
- 3 centimeters fresh ginger piece peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons mirin optional
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- ½ stalk leek chopped
- 200 grams dried ramen noodles can also use rice noodles or soba noodles that are gluten-free
For The Ramen-Style Eggs:
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon mirin
For The Moist Chicken Breast:
- 2 pieces chicken breast 160 grams each, boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive or sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
For The Sauteed Mushrooms (optional):
- 1 clove garlic sliced
- 1 tablespoon sunflower or sesame oil
- 5 pieces fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced (can be substituted for mushrooms)
- 5 pieces mushrooms sliced
For The Additional Toppings:
- 2 heads pak choy or a handful of spinach leaves
- 1 medium carrot finely sliced (optional)
- 1 stalk green onion sliced, for garnishing
Instructions
Make the soft-boiled eggs:
- Whisk together 1 tablespoon mirin, ¼ cup soy sauce and ½ cup water or rice vinegar. Set aside. Prepare a bowl with cold water and ice cubes (if possible).
- Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs, add a splash of vinegar and bring to the boil. Gently add the eggs into the boiling water, and allow to simmer for 7 minutes (for a slightly-runny yoke) or 8 minutes (for a soft, cooked yoke). Remove from the pot and rinse under cold water to stop the eggs from cooking further. Leave them in the bowl of cold water and ice for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, gently peel away the shell. Place the eggs in the marinade and make sure they are completely covered or turn them from time to time to ensure they are evenly coated. Leave to marinade for at least 1 hour or overnight for a darker color.
How to make moist chicken breast:
- In a small bowl or zipper bag mix the soy sauce, oil and chili flakes together. Place the chicken breast inside. Mix well. Leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Heat a medium skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the hot pan and seal for 2 minutes on each side.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for around 10 minutes depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. Remove from the heat and allow the chicken to rest, covered, for a further 10 minutes.
- Place the cooked chicken breast on a chopping board and wait 5 minutes for it to cool down. Slice the chicken breast and set aside.
How to make the chicken broth:
- Combine the chicken broth, fresh ginger, garlic, leek, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons mirin (optional) in a large pot. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Set aside. Heat again just before serving.
How to cook the Noodles:
- Cook the noodles according to the package. If using ramen noodles: add the ramen noodles to a pot of boiling water, simmer for 4 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water and divide the noodles into 4 large bowls.
Prepare the toppings:
- For Pak choy: cook it in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice to stop it cooking and to keep its green color. Drain and set aside.
- For the Mushrooms: sauté the mushrooms and shiitake together in a pan with a bit of oil and sliced garlic for 3-5 minutes until tender. Set aside.
Assemble the ramen bowls:
- Add half pak choi, some mushrooms and the sliced chicken to each bowl. Then pour the hot ramen broth over them. Top with fresh spring onion, carrot and the soft boiled egg. Serve immediately.
