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The best chicken ramen includes a tasty broth with roasted chicken, mushrooms, noodles, and a jammy egg – a quick, comforting Japanese-style meal in just 30 minutes!
In Japan, ramen made from scratch is practically an artwork and a skill that takes years to perfect; from crafting the perfect ramen noodle to the ultimate full-bodied broth.
Luckily, for those of us living elsewhere, you can still create a delicious “cheat” version at home using a fairly quick and simple method and easy-to-find ingredients. This flavor-packed homemade ramen recipe is easily customized to taste and is a warm, soothing, delicious, and nutritious meal.
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Ingredients
- Chicken stock: For a delicious, wonderfully full-bodied flavor, I recommend using rich chicken stock – store-bought or homemade.
- Chicken: You need roasted chicken breast, sliced or shredded. You can roast it fresh, use cooked leftovers, or even buy cooked chicken from the store.
- Sesame oil: Just a little provides the broth with a toasty, nutty flavor.
- Aromatics: Make a fairly typical ramen broth base with fresh garlic and ginger.
- Soy sauce: To add an umami-rich salty, savory flavor. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred.
- Mirin: (rice wine) This sweet rice wine adds amazing depth to the broth. You could replace it with Shaoxing wine or white wine/white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar. For an alcohol-free version, a small amount of white miso paste will provide umami.
- Shiitake mushrooms: You can use fresh or dried (as you’ll rehydrate them).
- Eggs: Use sweet soy-marinated ramen eggs or soft-boiled eggs.
- Noodles: Both wavy and straight ramen noodles suit this ramen soup.
- To garnish: I love sprinkling finely chopped scallions (green onions) and (black or white) sesame seeds. You might also like serving it with a lime wedge, nori or furikake, and/or fresh chili slices.
How to make chicken ramen
While simple to make, this easy homemade ramen recipe requires preparing several elements before assembling them.
Cook the chicken breast: If you don’t already have cooked chicken, first season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, brush lightly with oil, and roast in a preheated oven at 425ºF/220ºC for 15-18 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165ºF/75ºC. Then leave it to rest under foil until needed.
Make the soft-boiled eggs: If you don’t already have ramen eggs prepared/ready to use, you can make regular soft-boiled eggs. To do so, add the eggs to boiling water and simmer for 7-8 minutes (depending on how runny you prefer the yolk). Then, immediately transfer them to an ice bath and wait at least 5 minutes before peeling the eggs and slicing them in half.
Make the ramen Broth: First, clean the mushrooms if needed, mince the ginger and garlic, and slice the scallions. Then, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Add the soy sauce and mirin, stir well, and cook for a minute. Then pour in the chicken stock, cover, and bring to a boil before removing the lid and reducing it to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Cook the ramen noodles: You can cook the noodles in the same water used to boil the eggs or in fresh water. Refer to the package instructions for the cooking time (usually just 2-3 minutes).
Cooking the noodles separately rather than directly in the ramen broth prevents the release of starch into the liquid, which can make it cloudy and heavier and result in overly soggy noodles.
Assemble the chicken ramen bowl: First, slice the chicken. Then divide the noodles and chicken between two large bowls (or into as many portions as you are making) and pour the broth over that. Add the sliced egg halves and finally sprinkle them with the scallions and some sesame seeds. Enjoy this delicious Japanese ramen!
More Asian-inspired recipes
If you try this chicken ramen soup recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
The Best Chicken Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cooked is best, though you can use raw and cook it fresh
- 4 cups chicken stock rich, homemade, or store-bought; use low-sodium if preferred
- 6 oz ramen noodles or udon noodles, 2 bundles
- 1 oz shiitake mushrooms dried (or 2/3 cup fresh mushrooms)
- 2 large eggs or marinated ramen eggs
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce use low-sodium if preferred
- 2 Tbsp mirin or Shaoxing wine/white wine and a pinch of brown sugar; add just a little white miso paste for an alcohol-free version
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- To garnish scallions and sesame seeds; you could also add a lime wedge, nori, furikake, and/or fresh chili slices
Instructions
Cook the chicken
- If you don't already have cooked chicken, first season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, brush lightly with oil, and roast in a preheated oven at 425ºF/220ºC for 15-18 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165ºF/75ºC. Then leave it to rest under foil until needed.
Make soft-boiled eggs
- If you don't already have ramen eggs prepared/ready to use, you can make regular soft-boiled eggs. Add the eggs to boiling water and simmer for 7-8 minutes (depending on how runny you prefer the yolk). Then, immediately transfer them to an ice bath and wait at least 5 minutes before peeling the eggs and slicing them in half.
Prepare the ramen broth and noodles
- Clean the mushrooms if needed, mince the ginger and garlic, and slice the scallions.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.
- Add the soy sauce and mirin, stir well, and cook for a minute. Then pour in the chicken stock, cover, and bring to a boil before removing the lid and reducing it to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the mushrooms and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- While simmering the broth, cook the noodles. Refer to the package instructions for the cooking time (usually just 2-3 minutes).
Assemble
- Slice the chicken. Divide the noodles and chicken between 2 large bowls and pour the broth over that. Add the sliced egg halves and finally sprinkle them with the scallions and some sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I add beef ?
Hi Barbara,
Yes, you can add beef if wanted. I recommend thin cuts and then cooking the beef in the broth for 5 minutes or so until it cooks through.
Amazing recipe Samira!! The true test has to passed by my kids and it did!!
They loved it and asked for more.
Shukran habipti
Thank you so much for your comment! Glad you are enjoying the recipe 🙂