Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen

Find the full recipe with all the details at the end of this post.

This recipe was inspired after a trip to New York City. It was the first time I had tried an authentic Japanese ramen bowl. Let me tell you, it was love at first spoonful! I told my husband that if I could, I’d eat ramen bowls every day. The warm, rich, flavorful broth, fresh vegetables, tender chicken, delicious noodles, and soft-cooked egg were like heaven in a bowl. Eating my first bowl of ramen that day felt like a warm hug in my belly. I knew that that ramen bowl wasn’t going to be my last.

As soon as we got back home, I started coming up with my own ramen creations. The beauty of ramen is that it’s very customizable. Ingredients can be added and omitted depending on one’s taste. This easy weeknight chicken ramen recipe is one of my favorites, mostly because it’s full of flavor AND quick to make. It can be on the table, ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

Although there are more traditional Japanese ramen recipes out there, they take much more time to make than this one. My recipe may not be completely authentic, but it definitely encompasses the overall flavor of chicken ramen. It’s healthy, quick, delicious, and very comforting, especially on cold nights.

In preparation to make chicken ramen, first, shred the rotisserie chicken. Then, chop and mince the garlic, ginger, bok choy, green onions, and jalapeños (if using them).

Making the Ramen Broth:

Now it’s time to make the ramen broth. First, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat then add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the soy sauce and mirin then stir to combine. Allow the ingredients to cook for about a minute. Then, add the broth to the pot and cover it with a lid. Bring the broth to a boil. Remove the lid, and let it simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Next, add the dried mushrooms and bok choy. Simmer them gently for another 10 minutes, and season the broth with salt, to taste.

Making the Soft-Boiled Eggs:

To make the soft-boiled eggs, fill a pot with water so the eggs are covered and bring the water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs (still cold from the refrigerator) into the boiling water. Simmer the eggs in water for about 7 minutes (for a slightly-runny yolk) or 8 minutes (for a soft, but set-up yolk). While the eggs are boiling fill a large bowl with ice water. Once the timer ends, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. After about 5 minutes the eggs will be cool enough to handle. Carefully peel away the shell and slice the egg in half, lengthwise. Set the eggs aside until the ramen is ready to serve.

Assembling the Chicken Ramen Bowls:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the ramen noodles and cook them for 2-3 minutes, until they are soft. Then divide the noodles into four bowls. Pour some ramen broth over the noodles then add some shredded chicken to each bowl. Top each ramen bowl with fresh scallions, jalapeño, and the soft-boiled egg. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Shop this post:

Today’s easy weeknight chicken ramen is a great baseline recipe to use when you make it. However, the beauty of ramen is you can add (and omit) ingredients depending on taste and preference. The one thing I will recommend is that you don’t omit the Shiitake mushrooms or mirin. Both ingredients provide umami (deliciousness) to the ramen.

What is umami, you ask? Thank you for asking. Along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter, umami is the fifth basic taste. It’s most commonly defined as savory, but it can also be described as “meaty” or “complex”. Umami is a Japanese word and it’s pronounced: “oo-ma-mee”.

Although I don’t recommend omitting the mushrooms and mirin, some additions I would recommend and sometimes include are:

• Bean sprouts
• Fresh spinach
• Edamame (shelled soybeans)
• Broccoli florets
• Carrot matchsticks
• Dried seaweed
• Kimchi

If you enjoyed this recipe, be to check out these other easy and delicious Asian-inspired dishes:

Asian Inspired Chicken and Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Honey Garlic Chicken with Broccoli