Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen
Easy homemade chicken ramen, with a flavorful broth, roasted chicken, fresh veggies, lots of noodles, and a soft cooked egg. Inspired by traditional Japanese ramen, but on the table in under an hour.
The Honey’s parents are American ex-pats living abroad in Tokyo, Japan, and while visiting them over the last seven or eight years, he’s collected dozens of favorite eateries throughout the city.
There’s the best izakaya in Kichijoji, serving up casual Japanese pub food, and countless kiten-zushi restaurants, where my English-speaking Honey can choose small plates of freshly-made sushi from a moving conveyor belt without having to order in Japanese.
He always makes sure to buy at least one Pocari Sweat from a vending machine (think Japanese gatorade), and of course, there’s his favorite ramen shop in Shinjuku, a tiny, crowded restaurant with a line out the door. Paintings of pigs adorn the walls, and big, steaming bowls of pork ramen are served to hungry patrons at a single bar counter.
what you’ll love about this easy chicken ramen
Real Japanese ramen, the kind that my Honey tells stories about, takes years and great skill to perfect. I wanted to create a simple ramen noodle soup that reminded him of Japan, but could be made quickly, with ingredients on hand.
I opted for chicken instead of pork, but kept the rest of the ramen vibe somewhat traditional: a killer chicken soup base with garlic, ginger, shitake mushrooms and soy sauce, filled with squiggly ramen noodles and slices of succulent chicken, and topped with fresh spring onions and a soft-boiled egg.
My version is on the table in less than an hour – and half that if you opt for store-bought chicken – and while it might not be completely authentic, it’s a flavorful, comforting soup just in time for the unmistakably crisp, chilly autumn weather that these first days of October have ushered in.
Be sure to check out these other weeknight dinner favorites:
- Easy spinach and goat cheese pasta
- Ginger noodle soup with Swiss chard
- Lemony kale and white bean soup
If you make this ramen, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura
PrintSimple Homemade Chicken Ramen
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Saute, Pan-Roast,
- Cuisine: Japanese, American
Description
Easy homemade chicken ramen, with a flavorful broth, roasted chicken, fresh veggies, lots of noodles, and a soft cooked egg. Inspired by traditional Japanese ramen, but on the table in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skin-on)*
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to season
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp sesame or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 4 cups rich chicken stock
- 1 oz dried shitake mushrooms (or 1/2 cup fresh)
- 1–2 tsp sea salt, to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
- 2 (3 oz) packs dried ramen noodles
- optional: fresh jalapeño or chili slices, for serving
Instructions
Cook the chicken: ¹
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
- Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until golden.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven, transfer the chicken to a plate, and cover with foil until ready to serve.
Make the ramen broth:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the soy sauce and mirin, and stir to combine. Cook for another minute.
- Add the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the dried mushrooms. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes, and season with salt, to taste.
Make the soft-boiled eggs:
- Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs, and bring to a boil. Gently lower the eggs (still cold from the fridge) into the boiling water, and let simmer for 7 minutes (for a slightly-runny yolk) or 8 minutes (for a soft, but set-up yolk).
- Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. When the timer finishes, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Wait at least 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away the shell and slice in half, lengthwise. Set aside until ready to serve.
Assemble the ramen bowls:
- Meanwhile, chop the scallions and jalapeño (if using). Slice the chicken into thin pieces. Set aside. When the eggs finish cooking, add the ramen noodles to the boiling water.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft, then divide the noodles into two large bowls. Add the sliced chicken and the ramen broth. Top with the fresh scallions, jalapeño, and the soft boiled egg. Serve immediately. Enjoy!!
Notes
¹ Ask your butcher to remove the rib bone from the chicken breasts (leaving the skin on), or use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and increase the oven roasting time 5-10 minutes, as needed. You can also cut your ramen prep time in half by using a store-bought whole rotisserie chicken, simply slice off as much as you wish, and add to the ramen.
Keywords: ramen, chicken ramen, homemade ramen, easy ramen, japanese, soup, dinner, noodle, broth, quick, healthy
This looks amazing! I love that everything is so fresh. I will definitely be trying this one!
Thanks, Marissa!! Hope you love it!
I made this tonight and it was amazing. I’ve never had real authentic ramen before, but I loved this simple version! I made it with regular white mushrooms instead because we had to use them and it was great! I’ll be saving this recipe!
Thanks so much, Laura! I’m so glad to hear you love the recipe!
Tried this tonight, absolutely amazing! I added shredded lettuce at the end as a garnish and to add the kick, added 1 and half chillies and cooked it with the garlic and ginger! Have to say, the 8 minutes for the egg was absolutely perfect! thanks a lot for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Sagar! I’m glad to hear you loved the ramen!
Made this tonight and it was perfect for a snowed in Friday night. I added bok choy and shredded carrots, and the bok choy especially fit in nicely. My husband and I prefer a lot of spice so we did the jalapeño and sriracha paste that someone else suggested and that gave it the kick we needed 🙂 I loved how visually appetizing this turns out with the garnishes and all. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★
Thanks so much, Kate!! Your additions sound great.
Do you cook the noodles in the broth or just in plain water?
Hi, Heather – sorry I missed your comment! I tend to cook the ramen noodles in the boiling egg water, or the broth because I’m lazy, but you can definitely cook them in fresh water if you don’t mind using another pot. Hope you enjoy!
This was amazing!!! I think my dried mushrooms could’ve used a little more time to soften, so now I know that for the future. I also added a “spice bomb” at the end, which was a jalapeno with sriracha chopped in the food processor to a rough paste. My eggs were perfect for me at 8 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Nicole!! I love your “spice bomb” idea!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I used fresh made Ramen noodles from the 99 Ranch Market which were absolutely delicious. I used a rotisserie chicken from the store and I also added in baked teriyaki tofu and shredded carrots. I love this; simple, quick take on Ramen to have at home. Fresh ingredients and, for the most part, healthy! Yum! Thank you for this.
★★★★★
Thanks, Ashton! I frequently use rotisserie chicken for this ramen, which makes it come together SO quickly. Love the addition of baked tofu and carrots!
Fixed this on Sunday. It is sooooo good! Best thing I’ve cooked in a very very long time. Added some shredded carrot, cabbage and bamboo shoots for serving.
★★★★★
Thank you so much! Your add-ins sound delish!
My wife and I are OBSESSED with ramen! Ramen joints are popping up all over NYC right now, and we’ve quickly found our favorites. I just bought a ramen cookbook (knowing full well the process is crazy complex and takes a long time), but haven’t taken the plunge yet to try it at home. I love your quick version here… so much more approachable!
Wow Laura…this was amazing!!! Easy recipe to follow and ingredients were my cupboard staples. I did substitute fine egg noodles instead of ramen as a personal preference and used shredded turkey and it was absolutely delicious. My Fiancé said it smelt just like a famous Japanese restaurant in the house. It was so good we had it the following night aswell and scored it a 10/10!!!
Do you have any more fantastic recipes up your sleeves?!
Thank you so much xxx
I was really skeptical about this recipe since authentic Japanese ramen is so much more intricate and complicated than your recipe, but I just tried it and the flavor was incredible! I couldn’t believe it tasted so close to authentic Japanese ramen. Sharing this recipe with my friends! Thanks!
★★★★★
This was fantastic, super filling and fairly easy to make. Turned out just like the picture and everyone loved it, thanks!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Madi!!
This dish is gorgeous! That broth looks extremely flavorful.
Thanks, Jennie!
I am OBSESSED with Ramen. The real stuff. It is hands down my favorite food, and I literally squealed with joy when I saw this recipe. I must admit, since ramen is such an art form, my expectations weren’t super high… but you nailed it!! Of course, since it isn’t full of bones and didn’t take a million years to make, it isn’t exactly like the real stuff, but the flavors are there, and it is the perfect quick and easy version!! I’ve made it twice already and am making a third batch this weekend to eat for lunches all week. Your egg recipe is perfection too. I’m addicted. Thank you SO much!!
★★★★★
I blogged my version of this and gave you tons of credit 🙂 Thank you again!!
Thank you, April!!
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Loved this recipe! I used fresh shiitake mushrooms and it was delish!
★★★★★
Thanks, Darcy! So glad you loved it!
I just made this and it was a hit! The broth was delicious. I baked skinless chicken breasts because that’s all I had so I didn’t get that golden brown skin. My only issue was that the eggs didn’t set. I followed all the instructions and, when I cracked them open, the whites were still mostly liquid. I would make it again and just simmer the eggs a little longer and use 1/2 the amount of ramen noodles (I prefer the broth over the ramen). As a lover of soft boiled eggs, I know how difficult it is to get them just right!
★★★★
So glad you loved the recipe! The broth is my favorite part as well 🙂 I’m sorry your eggs didn’t turn out… I’m quite surprised that the whites didn’t set. After 7 minutes, the yolk might still be soft/runny, but I’ve never had an issue with the whites not setting. I’d love to hear how the second time around goes!
This is making me so hungry right now! Looks perfect for fall weather!
Thank you, Suzanne!
I love ramen! And this looks simple yet delicious!
Thanks, Trang!
I’m sending to Japan- obsessed friends. One of favorite memories here was an exchange student from Tokyo who stayed with us.
Thank you, Lydia!!
Love love love ramen. It’s the one of the biggest crazes right now in NYC. Your’s looks absolutely stunning. Definitely need to try 🙂
Thank you, Chris!