Chicken and Vegetable Ramen Noodle Soup is a healthy and hearty dinner, ready in only 40 minutes. Packaged ramen noodles get an upgrade with pan-seared chicken breast, plenty of vegetables, and a soft-boiled egg.
We’re all familiar with packaged ramen noodles, the stereotypical cheap food for broke and/or culinary-challenged young adults. I wouldn’t place myself into either of those categories exactly, but my husband and I still love ramen noodles. I remember last winter we both had a snow-day where we were working from home. After we finished our workday, we spent two hours outside shoveling snow. It was about 10 degrees and very windy. When we were done, we came in the house, freezing and ravenous, and I cooked a couple packages of ramen noodles. We relished the steam in our faces and almost burned our tongues because we couldn’t wait to slurp the hot soup. It hit the spot.
But look, it’s carbs and saltwater.
Sometimes I’ll dump some frozen veggies into the pot to try to make packaged ramen into a more balanced and filling meal. But when I have just a little more time, I like adding chicken, fresh vegetables, and soft-boiled eggs. I finally wrote down the recipe and photographed it to share with you today. I’ll definitely be making this again on chilly autumn nights and all through winter.
Here are some of the main ingredients. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts that I pounded thin. Boneless skinless thigh cutlets would also be good. Ginger and garlic enhance the ramen broth. For vegetables, I used shiitake mushrooms, a carrot, enoki mushrooms, and baby bok choy. Any kind of mushrooms you like work here – this recipe is very versatile. Lastly, there are some eggs and the ramen noodles.
First I sautéed the garlic and ginger, then added the broth and some soy sauce. Let that simmer so the broth picks up the flavors from the aromatics. I also cooked the soft-boiled eggs while that was going.
Next I cooked the chicken. I love using boneless skinless chicken breasts in meals like this because they only take a few minutes per side to cook. Instant protein boost!
I cooked the veggies in the doctored-up broth.
The last step is to put it all together and dig in.
Looking for another hot noodle dish to keep you warm this winter? Tired of ramen?
Check out my Beef Sukiyaki with Pan Fried Tofu recipe.
Chicken and Vegetable Ramen Noodle Soup
Chicken and Vegetable Ramen Noodle Soup is a healthy and hearty dinner, ready in only 40 minutes. Packaged ramen noodles get an upgrade with pan-seared chicken breast, plenty of vegetables, and a soft-boiled egg.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 slices ginger (about the size of a quarter)
- 9 cups chicken broth (or use water with ramen seasoning packet)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 eggs
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- salt and pepper
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 8 baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise (about 10 ounces)
- 5 ounces enoki mushrooms, broken into 4 clumps
- 12 ounces packaged ramen noodles (about 4 packets)
- sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth or water with ramen seasoning packet and soy sauce. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and add eggs. Cook for 6-7 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 10-12 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Remove eggs from pot and immediately place in an ice-water bath. Peel once cool enough to handle.
While eggs are cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Chicken should reach internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove cooked chicken to a plate and tent with aluminum foil.
After broth has been cooking for 10 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. (I normally wouldn’t add salt at this point due to the salt from the chicken broth or seasoning packet and the soy sauce. If it’s too salty, add some water.) Add carrot and shiitake mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes. Then add bok choy and enoki mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add noodles and cook for 3 more minutes.
To serve: Divide noodles, vegetables, and broth between serving bowls. (Remove the pieces of ginger if you find them.) Slice the chicken and arrange it on top of the noodles. Cut the eggs in half and add 2 pieces to each bowl. Top the egg with some freshly ground black pepper. Finish with sliced scallions.
Recipe Notes
If you plan to make-ahead or eat part of the soup as leftovers, don’t add the noodles for the portion you won’t be eating right away. When reheating the broth with veggies, chicken, and egg, add the noodles once broth is hot and cook for 3 minutes.
Bon Appétit!
Leave a Reply