Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (2024)

  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Comfort Food
  • Chicken Soups
  • Chicken Breast
  • Ramen

A warm bowl of ramen need not be a big ordeal of time or fuss.

By

Sally Vargas

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (1)

Sally Vargas

Sally is the author of four cookbooks and is a regular correspondent for the Boston Globe Wednesday Food Section. She also is a food photographer.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated November 26, 2023

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (2)

A bowl of ramen is a bowl of comfort. Oodles of soft noodles immersed in a bowl of fragrant broth can send you into weeknight—or late night—heaven.

These kinds of meals don’t typically come without a lot of time and effort. However, with a few shortcuts, you can make a bowl of ramen any night of the week in under half an hour.

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (3)

Great Ramen Without the Seasoning Packet

In Japanese culture and cuisine, ramen has been elevated to a high art form—watch Tampopo if you haven’t seen the movie already. You will become a believer.

It's also so popular that you can find inexpensive packages of dehydrated ramen noodle soup on every supermarket shelf—quick comfort food slurped by everyone from penniless college students to hungry office workers.

With this weeknight ramen, we're aiming for a middle ground: bowls filled with chewy noodles, flavorful store-bought chicken stock, a few vegetables, a soft-cooked egg, and slices of chicken.

If you are a good planner, cook a couple of chicken breasts early in the week so they're ready for the soup.

These days you often find fresh ramen noodles in a well-stocked supermarket, but dried noodles are fine, too—just ditch the seasoning packet!

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (4)

A Quick But Tasty Ramen Broth

This quick weeknight ramen depends on store-bought chicken stock, so use a brand you really like. (Here are the Simply team's favorites!) Even better, if you regularly make your own chicken stock, this is the time to pull it out of the freezer.

Sesame oil, garlic, ginger, carrots and scallions fortify the flavor of the broth, and a touch of brown sugar, while optional, adds a hint of sweetness.

How To Make Chicken Ramen

Once you have the broth, then the rest of this meal is about assembling components.

  1. For the greens, choose any that you might have around, like spinach, sliced kale, or sliced cabbage. So far, so good, right?
  2. While the broth simmers, cook the eggs in their shells and the noodles—use the same pot to cook both of them and save on cleanup.
  3. Cook the eggs to your liking. Nine minutes will yield a yolk that is firm, but if you like a little more softness, take the eggs out after seven or eight minutes. Once the eggs are done, add the noodles to the simmering water and cook briefly.

All that's left is to divide everything into bowls. Cilantro, limes and spicy Sriracha add some bright flavors to finish. That was easy!

More Easy Asian Noodle Dishes

  • Quick Chicken Pho
  • Soba Noodle Soup with Chicken and Bok Choy
  • Vietnamese-Style Noodle Bowls with Chicken
  • Soba Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Poached Egg
  • Bibim Guksu (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles)

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings4 servings

This recipe calls for cooked chicken breast. If you don't have any on hand, poach two chicken breasts in the chicken broth before beginning the recipe, or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

Ingredients

For the broth:

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • 4 medium scallionsthinly sliced, including some of the green part

  • 1 clove garlic,minced

  • 1 small carrot, thinly sliced

  • 4 ounces button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

  • 1 1/2 cups thinly shredded Napa cabbage, spinach, kale, or other greens

  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional

  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

  • Lime wedges, optional

For the soup:

  • 4 large eggs

  • 20 ounces fresh ramen noodles, or 12 ounces dried noodles

  • 2 medium cooked chicken breast halves, sliced (see Recipe Note)

For the garnish:

  • Soy sauce

  • Sriracha or other hot sauce

  • Handful fresh cilantro, leaves removed from stems

  • Lime wedges

Method

  1. Make the broth

    In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the scallions, garlic, carrot, mushrooms, and cabbage. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.

    Stir in the ginger and brown sugar (if using) and cook for 30 seconds. Finally add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.

    Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (5)

    Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (6)

  2. Cook the eggs

    While the broth is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil. Set a bowl of cold ice water nearby.

    Use a slotted spoon to gently lower the eggs, still in the shell, into the water. Simmer for 7 minutes for eggs that are soft and a little runny in the center, or 9 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

    Transfer the eggs to the bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to serve.

  3. Cook the noodles

    Return the pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender. Drain in a colander.

    Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (7)

  4. Assemble the soup

    Divide the noodles among 4 large bowls. Ladle the broth and vegetables over the noodles.

    Remove the eggs from the ice water. Tap the shells with a spoon to crack and then peel off the shells. Pat the eggs dry and cut them in half.

    Top each bowl with the egg halves and the sliced chicken. Serve with soy sauce, hot sauce, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
749Calories
20g Fat
95g Carbs
51g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories749
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g25%
Saturated Fat 4g22%
Cholesterol 343mg114%
Sodium 409mg18%
Total Carbohydrate 95g34%
Dietary Fiber 3g10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 51g
Vitamin C 17mg85%
Calcium 116mg9%
Iron 7mg41%
Potassium 910mg19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen Recipe is Ready in 30 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make 2 minute ramen better? ›

Sauce it Up

Well, Instant ramen is a great way to use up some of those sauces. You can stir sambal, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, gochujang, soy suace, or any number of other sauces into your broth for more flavor. Or add them to the finished bowl as a sort of table seasoning.

How long does it take for ramen to be done? ›

Boil 1 ¼-cup of water, then remove the seasoning packet and dump the noodles into the water, along with any extra ingredients. Let it boil for around three minutes, and remove it from the heat. Stir in your flavoring, and it's done.

Can you just crack an egg into instant ramen? ›

In a medium bowl, combine the noodles and the seasoning packet with 2 cups of water and microwave on high power until the noodles are cooked, 4 minutes. Stir the noodles and crack the egg on top. Microwave on high power until the egg white is just cooked through but the yolk is still runny in the center, 1 minute.

How to cook 3 minute ramen noodles? ›

You need to prepare a small pot of water (500mL), and an instant ramen packet. First, bring the water to a boil. Then put the noodles in the pot and wait for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, turn off the heat and mix the seasoning packet with the noodles.

How do you know when ramen is ready? ›

When the noodles are starting to turn slightly yellow, they are done. At this point, the ramen should be completely broken apart, and, when you put your fork in the water, a few noodles attach themselves to your fork. The ramen is ready to eat when it is flexible.

Can you just add boiling water to ramen? ›

Add boiling water, wait a few minutes, and you've got yourself a lunch with all the appeal of instant noodles, but with actual flavor and freshness trapped under that lid.

Do you drain ramen before eating? ›

Serve Ramen Like a Pro

Get the water boiling for the noodles, and have the broth piping hot. Add noodles to the boiling water and give them a stir so they don't clump together. While the noodles are cooking, add hot broth to each serving bowl. Drain the noodles (no need to rinse) and add to each bowl of broth.

What makes chicken ramen taste better? ›

Instant ramen can taste even better and more filling with a few quick modifications. Famed chef Roy Choi has said he adds American cheese, butter, and egg to his instant ramen. You can also try adding soy sauce, kimchi, or peanut butter for added flavor.

How do you make instant ramen taste like restaurant? ›

Insider talked to chefs about the best ways to upgrade instant ramen noodles. Cooking the noodles in stock can add flavor, and you can also add things like eggs or bacon. Soy sauce, herbs, and seaweed are also easy additions that can boost instant ramen's flavor.

How to make a 6 minute egg for ramen? ›

Using a spider or slotted spoon, carefully lower eggs into water. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer (about 190°F/88°C). Cook for exactly 6 minutes for a liquid egg yolk and 7 minutes for jammy egg yolk. Drain hot water and carefully peel eggs under cold running water.

Can I cook ramen in the microwave? ›

Cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, or for the indicated cooking time in the back of the package. Cooked noodles should be tender, bouncy, and easily spin on a fork or chopsticks. Add the seasoning packet, if desired. Customize with your favorite toppings like an egg or strain and use in quick noodle dishes.

References

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