Learn the secret to the best homemade chicken ramen! It features a rich, savory, unctuous chicken bone broth with roasted chicken, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and ramen noodles.
You Will Love This Homemade Ramen!
The first thing I ate while visiting Japan with my husband Brian was a steaming bowl of ramen. It was heavenly, and I’ll never forget it. There’s something truly magical about a steaming bowl of ramen, especially when it’s crafted from scratch.
The secret to the best ramen lies within its broth. We recently shared a delightful homemade chicken stock that’s elevated even further here by adding ginger, garlic, mushrooms, and bonito flakes. Homemade chicken broth not only adds richness and flavor to this ramen but also brings warmth and comfort that store-bought versions can’t match.
The slow-simmered chicken bones create a rich and soothing base. Tender noodles in a savory broth, enhanced by the roasted chicken, fresh bok choy, and the umami of nori. This is more than a meal; it’s an experience that warms the heart and satisfies the soul.
What is Ramen?
Ramen, if unfamiliar, is a traditional Japanese noodle dish that consists of wheat noodles served in a rich, flavorful broth. Typically, the broth is made from meat (like chicken or pork) and flavored with ingredients such as soy sauce, miso, or salt. Ramen is often topped with a variety of ingredients, including sliced meats, green onions, nori (seaweed), eggs, and vegetables. The dish is known for its comforting qualities and can vary widely in flavor and presentation depending on regional styles and personal preferences.
Ramen vs. Pho
While both ramen and pho are noodle soups, they originate from different countries and culinary traditions. Pho originates from Vietnam and features a light, clear, fragrant broth infused with five spice, giving it a distinct aromatic quality, served with rice noodles, bean sprouts and lime.
Ramen hails from Japan, with a broth that is rich and unctuous. Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour. Toppings typically include a jammy egg, green onions and shredded nori.
Ramen Noodles Recipe Ingredients
- Cooked chicken breast: Use chopped or shredded chicken. See notes for how to make quick roasted chicken.
- Ramen noodles: Visit your local Asian food market for the best ramen noodles. Regular grocery stores will sell the ramen with a flavor packet, which you can discard.
- Chicken broth: Try making our chicken stock for even richer depth of flavor.
- Fresh ginger, garlic cloves, and green onions: Savory aromatics for a deeply flavorful broth.
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms: To enhance the umami flavor of the broth.
- Bonito flakes: Optional, but bonito flakes add a layer of ocean-y flavor.
- Soy sauce and mirin: Add salty, tangy flavor to the broth. You can substitute shuyo for the soy sauce ( or gluten-free liquid aminos), rice wine vinegar, or sherry for the mirin.
- White pepper: Adds earthy, sweet complexity.
- Baby bok choy: Or napa cabbage, spinach, or other greens.
- Toppings: Soft-boiled eggs, toasted nori pieces or wakame, green onions, fresh cilantro, chili threads or chili flakes, sriracha, hot sauce, or chili paste, furikake or toasted sesame seeds, chili oil, or crispy shallots.
- Optional veggies: Shredded carrots, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, peas, bamboo shoots, spinach, or corn.
How to Make Ramen
1. Prepare the ramen soup base. Sauté ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for a minute. Add two chopped scallions, sliced shiitakes, and broth. Bring to a simmer.
2. Add bonito flakes. Place the bonito flakes in a small glass bowl or measuring cup. Add a cup of simmering broth and let sit for 5 mins. Strain the mixture back into the pot of broth. Add soy sauce, mirin and white pepper, stir to combine.
3. Cook the noodles and prep remaining ingredients. While the broth simmers, cook the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water. While the noodles cook, get your toppings ready. Wilt the bok choy or greens in the broth. Remove broth from the heat.
4. Assemble. Use tongs to divide the noodles among bowls. Top with chicken and pull the bok choy out of the broth and place in the bowls. Ladle the broth overtop.
5. Garnish. Serve with fresh scallions, soft boiled eggs, crispy shallots, and chili threads. If you want some heat, serve with our Homemade Chili Oil.
Ramen Recipe Variations
- Switch up the protein: Serve with roasted turkey breast, slow-roasted pork or pork belly, or braised beef. You can also serve this with vegetable broth and crispy tofu.
- Use your favorite broth: We use our homemade chicken stock, but you can use mushroom broth, dashi broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Add veggies: Shredded carrots, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, peas, bamboo shoots, spinach, or corn are all great additions!
- Customize your toppings: Top with soft-boiled eggs, toasted nori pieces or wakame, scallions, fresh cilantro, chili threads or flakes, sriracha or chili paste, furikake or toasted sesame seeds, or crispy shallots — choose your favorites!
How to Serve Ramen Soup
To preserve the integrity of the broth, avoid combining the noodles and the broth until you’re ready to serve. Add the noodles to the bowls first, then add any greens or veggies, and finally, ladle the broth over the top. Garnish with your desired toppings.
Ramen is a satisfying meal all on its own, but if you’re looking for an appetizer, here are some good pairings!
How to Store Homemade Ramen
Store the broth and the noodles in separate airtight containers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Ramen Broth can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Chef’s Tips for the BEST Ramen
- Cook the noodles separately. This will help keep the broth clear and prevent it from becoming starchy and gummy.
- Garnish with scallion curls: With a sharp knife slice scallions in thin strip and place in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
- How to make quick roasted chicken: 2 chicken breasts, 2 T soy sauce, 1 T sesame oil, 1 T each minced ginger & garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Marinate 30 min.-2 hours. Roast at 400°F for 25-30 min. until chicken registers 165°F.
- For the perfect soft boiled ramen egg: Boil 3 inches of water in a medium pot, and once boiling, gently, with a spoon, place 2 eggs in the water and simmer gently for 6 minutes. Cool and peel, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
FAQs
Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour, salt, and a type of alkaline water called kansui.
The tare (seasoning) that is added to its broth. This refers to the soy sauce and mirin, which enhances the umami-rich and complex flavor.
Go for it! The broth is the tastiest part of the dish and it requires some effort to perfect. Go ahead and gulp down what is left in your bowl after you’ve eaten the noodles!
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
More Favorite Ramen Recipes
Homemade Ramen Recipe
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 Bowls
- Category: soup, noodles,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Description
Learn the secret to the best homemade chicken ramen! It features a rich, savory, unctuous chicken bone broth with roasted chicken, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and ramen noodles.
Ingredients
- 12–16 ounces cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded *see notes
- 8 ounces dry ramen noodles (or 16 ounces fresh) *see notes
- 2–3 baby bok choy, quartered (or sub napa cabbage, spinach or other greens)
Ramen Broth
- 6 cups chicken stock- homemade stock is richer and more unctuous and will elevate.
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 4 large fresh shiitake mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup bonito flakes (optional, but elevates)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, shoyu, or gluten-free liquid aminos
- 2 teaspoons mirin or rice wine vinegar or sherry *see notes.
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Ramen Toppings
- 4 soft or jammy boiled eggs (see notes)
- 1/2 cup toasted nori, cut into strips, or other seaweed like wakame
- 1/2 green onions, sliced or make curls *see notes
- few drops of toasted sesame oil
- fresh cilantro
- chili threads or flakes
- sriracha or chili garlic paste
- furikake or toasted sesame seeds
- crispy shallots
Optional veggies: carrot shreds, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, peas, bamboo shoots, spinach, corn
Instructions
- For the ramen broth: In a medium saucepan, saute ginger and garlic for 1 minute over medium high heat, add two chopped scallions, sliced shiitakes, and broth. Let it come to a simmer.
- Put bonito flakes in a bowl or glass measuring cup, add a cup of simmering broth, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then strain the mixture back into the pot of broth.
- Add soy sauce, mirin and white pepper into the broth, stir to combine.
- Prep Noodles and Veggies. While the broth simmers, cook your noodles in a separate pot of boiling water (according to package directions) and get your toppings ready. Wilt the bok choy or greens in the broth. When ready to serve, remove the broth from the heat. Taste, and adjust salt if needed. See notes.
- Assemble. Divide the cooked noodles among the bowls. Divide the chicken, pull the bok choy out of the broth and add to the bowls with tongs, and ladle the hot broth broth overtop.
- Garnish with fresh scallions, soft-boiled eggs, sesame oil, crispy shallots, and sriracha, and red pepper flakes
Notes
Chicken: Use leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or make our quick chicken below.
Quick roasted ramen chicken: Marinate 2 large chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon each minced ginger & garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Roast on a sheet pan at 400°F for 25- 30 min. until it is cooked through and the chicken registers 165°F. Shred with two forks.
How to make Scallion Curls- Using a sharp knife, slice scallions lengthwise into 4-inch thin strips and place them in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes. Watch them curl!
Perfect Jammy Egg: For the perfect soft-boiled ramen egg, boil 3 inches of water in a medium pot, and once boiling, gently, with a spoon, place 2 eggs in the water and simmer gently for 6 minutes. Cool and peel, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Ramen broth. If you skipped the mirin and used rice vinegar, you may need to add a little sweetness- start with ½ teaspoon honey, add more to taste.
Storage: Store broth and cooked noodles separately in airtight sealed containers in the fridge up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large Bowl-with one egg
- Calories: 456
- Sugar: 3.6 g
- Sodium: 676.1 mg
- Fat: 9.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 54.5 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 42.4 g
- Cholesterol: 248.1 mg
Loved. As did everyone in the family. The eggs were a perfect addition and I roasted the chicken as you suggested and it was a definite flavor enhancer.
Great to hear Brynn! Really appreciate the review and rating. 🙂
I follow a plant-based diet so made this version of Ramen for my husband. He loved it.
Great to hear Laurie!
I’m a bit confused with what to do with the Soy Sauce and Mirin and white pepper…I am adding them to the broth as that seems the only sensible thing to do.
That’s right! I’ll make sure the recipe is more clear.