Are you craving a big, steaming, and soul-warming bowl of authentic, restaurant-quality ramen, but don’t have hours to spend making a traditional broth from scratch? This incredible, “hacked” Spicy Chicken Ramen recipe is your new secret weapon! We’ll show you how to take a simple packet of instant ramen and elevate it into a gourmet masterpiece with a savory, sweet-and-spicy chicken, a medley of fresh, crisp-tender vegetables, and a perfect, jammy soft-boiled egg.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s your definitive guide to the ultimate “better than takeout” comfort food. Forget the sad, plain instant noodles of your college days. This is a complete, hearty, and satisfying meal that is bursting with incredible, complex flavor and is on the table in about 30 minutes. Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate ‘Better Than Takeout’ Ramen
What makes this Spicy Chicken Ramen so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, multi-layered flavor built from a few smart shortcuts. This recipe is a masterclass in elevating simple ingredients. The foundation of the dish is a high-quality, fried garlic chicken instant ramen, which provides a deeply savory and aromatic broth base. This is then loaded with a colorful medley of fresh, crisp-tender vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, and baby bok choy. The true star of the show, however, is the homemade spicy chicken topping. Tender, bite-sized pieces of chicken are marinated in a simple but powerful blend of soy sauce, sriracha, and honey, and then seared to perfection. The entire bowl is finished with the quintessential ramen topping: a perfect, jammy, soft-boiled egg.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 35 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 2 large bowls |
The Ramen Upgrade Kit: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality ingredients and smart shortcuts to create its signature authentic flavor.
- The “Shortcut” Base:
- High-Quality Instant Ramen: Using a good quality, craft instant ramen (like the Mike’s Mighty Good® suggested in the recipe) is the key to an incredibly flavorful broth with zero extra work. A good packet will come with a rich seasoning blend and a fragrant finishing oil.
- The Spicy Chicken:
- The Marinade: A classic and perfect, sweet, savory, and spicy Asian marinade made with soy sauce (or tamari), sriracha, honey, ginger, and garlic. This simple blend infuses the chicken with a ton of flavor and helps it to caramelize beautifully in the pan.
- The Perfect Ramen Egg (Ajitsuke Tamago):
- A beautiful, jammy, soft-boiled egg is the absolute hallmark of a great bowl of ramen. The secret to that perfect, liquid-gold yolk is a precise cooking time. We’ll show you how below!
- The Fresh Vegetables: A simple, fresh, and crunchy medley of thinly sliced carrots, earthy mushrooms, and tender, sweet baby bok choy adds a beautiful color, a fantastic, crisp-tender texture, and a healthy dose of nutrients to the rich soup.
Step-by-Step to the Best Spicy Chicken Ramen
This delicious meal comes together in a few simple, parallel stages. It’s a great idea to get your eggs started first!
Part 1: The Perfect Jammy Ramen Egg
Step 1: Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Step 2: Gently lower your 2 eggs into the boiling water and let them cook for exactly 7 minutes. Step 3: Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool completely before you peel them. This is the secret to a perfectly set white and a beautiful, creamy, jammy yolk.
Part 2: Prepare the Spicy Chicken
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together your marinade: the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the 1-3 tablespoons of sriracha, the 1 tablespoon of honey, the 1 teaspoon of ginger powder, and the 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Step 2: Add your 1 cubed medium chicken breast to the bowl and toss to coat. Let it marinate while you prepare your vegetables. Step 3: In a separate skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over a medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 9 to 10 minutes, until it is fully cooked and has a beautiful, caramelized glaze. Set the cooked chicken aside.
Part 3: Build the Ramen Soup
Step 1: In a deep saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over a medium-high heat. Add your 2 cups of chopped carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Step 2: Next, add in the 1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Step 3: Slowly pour in the 3 3/4 cups of chicken broth and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Step 4: Add in your 2 packets of instant ramen noodles and their seasoning packets. Stir well and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes, until the noodles are tender. Step 5: Add in the baby bok choy leaves, the 1/4 cup of sliced radishes, and the 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions. Let everything simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the bok choy has just wilted. Step 6: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the oil packet from your ramen soup package.
Part 4: Assemble Your Perfect Bowl
To serve, ladle the hot ramen soup and vegetables into two large bowls. Top each bowl with half of your spicy chicken. Slice your soft-boiled eggs in half and place one half in each bowl. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if you desire, and enjoy immediately!
Spicy Chicken Ramen (Easy 30-Minute Recipe!)
A quick and easy recipe for a flavorful and spicy chicken ramen bowl, elevated with fresh vegetables. The dish features cubed chicken breast marinated in a spicy-sweet sauce of soy, sriracha, and honey, which is then pan-cooked separately. A rich soup base is made by sautéing carrots and mushrooms, then simmering them in chicken broth. Packaged ramen noodles and their seasoning packets are cooked directly in the broth along with fresh baby bok choy. The finished soup is served in bowls, topped with the spicy chicken, a soft-boiled egg, and green onions.
Ingredients
- For the Spicy Chicken:
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-3 Tablespoons sriracha
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 medium chicken breast, cubed
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- For the Ramen Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cups chopped or thinly sliced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 3 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 packages ramen soup (e.g., Mike’s Mighty Good Fried Garlic Chicken)
- 1/4 cup sliced radishes
- 1/2 bunch baby bok choy
- 2 Tablespoons chopped green onions
- 2 medium soft-boiled eggs
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sriracha, honey, ginger powder, and garlic to create the marinade.
- Add the cubed chicken breast to the marinade and set it aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a deep saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- While the vegetables are cooking, cook the marinated chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for about 9-10 minutes, until fully cooked. Set aside.
- Once the vegetables in the soup pot are soft, slowly pour in the chicken broth and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the ramen noodles and the seasoning packets from the packages to the broth. Stir well and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add the baby bok choy leaves, radish slices, and green onions, and let the soup simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the oil packet from the ramen package.
- Ladle the ramen soup into bowls. Top each bowl with the cooked spicy chicken, half of a soft-boiled egg, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe elevates instant ramen by adding fresh vegetables and a homemade spicy chicken topping.
- Cooking the chicken separately ensures it gets nicely browned and doesn’t overcook in the soup.
- The fresh vegetables like bok choy and radishes are added at the very end to ensure they remain crisp-tender.
- The spice level can be easily adjusted by using more or less sriracha in the chicken marinade.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive meal, you can get a head start by preparing all your components in advance. The spicy chicken can be cooked, the eggs can be boiled and peeled, and all your vegetables can be chopped.
- Storage: It is best to store any leftovers in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Storing the broth and the noodles separately is the key that will prevent the noodles from becoming too soft and mushy.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a perfect, jammy soft-boiled egg for ramen?
The secret is a precise cooking time and an ice bath. Cooking the egg for exactly 7 minutes in boiling water will give you a yolk that is perfectly cooked but still beautifully soft, creamy, and jammy. Plunging the egg into an ice bath immediately after it has cooked is the crucial step that stops the cooking process and prevents the yolk from becoming hard and chalky.
Q2: Can I make this ramen ahead of time for meal prep?
Yes, this is a perfect meal-prep recipe! The best method is to store all your prepared components separately in the refrigerator. You can have your soup broth, your cooked noodles, your cooked chicken, and your soft-boiled eggs ready to go. Then, you can simply reheat the broth and assemble a fresh, delicious bowl in just a few minutes.
Q2: Can I make this ramen ahead of time for meal prep
Yes, this is a perfect meal-prep recipe! The best method is to store all your prepared components separately in the refrigerator. You can have your soup broth, your cooked noodles, your cooked chicken, and your soft-boiled eggs ready to go. Then, you can simply reheat the broth and assemble a fresh, delicious bowl in just a few minutes.
Q3: Can I make this recipe vegetarian or vegan?
Yes! To make this recipe vegetarian, simply substitute the chicken with about 8 ounces of extra-firm tofu or some more mushrooms, use a high-quality vegetable broth, and use a vegetable-based ramen packet. For a completely vegan version, you would also need to omit the egg.
Q3: Can I make this recipe vegetarian or vegan?
Yes! To make this recipe vegetarian, simply substitute the chicken with about 8 ounces of extra-firm tofu or some more mushrooms, use a high-quality vegetable broth, and use a vegetable-based ramen packet. For a completely vegan version, you would also need to omit the egg.
Q4: What is baby bok choy?
Baby bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage with a mild, sweet, and slightly peppery flavor. The tender, green leaves and the crisp, white stalks are both delicious. Using baby bok choy is fantastic because it is very tender and cooks in just a few minutes.
Q5: What are the best toppings for a bowl of ramen?
A great bowl of ramen is all about the toppings! Other classic and delicious additions include some sheets of nori (dried seaweed), some sweet corn, some bamboo shoots, or a drizzle of a spicy chili oil.