My homemade chicken ramen recipe is rich, cozy, and packed with savory flavor! Made with a shoyu-style broth, tender shredded chicken thighs, and chewy ramen noodles, this soup is the most comforting dinner idea. And it’s ready in just 1 hour! Load it up with soft-boiled eggs, chili oil, or extra veggies for an easy, customizable ramen bowl the whole fam will love.
Shoyu Ramen with Chicken Thighs
Ramen is one of my favorite soups to make during the cooler months, and I love how easy it is to customize using simple ingredients. I always dream of the most delicious chicken ramen I had in Osaka, Japan at a small spot called Ramen Tendo. The broth was unbelievably rich and creamy, made in a long-simmered chicken tonkotsu style, and the noodles were cooked fresh to order.
Recreating that exact bowl at home isn’t ideal for me because it takes lots of time and hands-on effort. So instead, I focused on creating a homemade chicken ramen I’d actually be able to cook and eat on weeknights. My easy ramen uses a shoyu-style broth with soy sauce and sautéed mushrooms to build deep, savory flavor without the complicated process!
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Building Flavor Without a Long Simmer
Most traditional ramen broths get their richness from hours (or days) of simmering bones and fat, which isn’t realistic for my kind of home cooking. For a quicker chicken ramen like this one, browning chicken thighs before simmering is the key step that adds body and depth to the broth. As the soup cooks, the rendered fat and browned bits dissolve into the stock, creating a richer, more savory broth without extra time or ingredients.
Homemade Chicken Ramen Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (*)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil (divided)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 (2-inch piece) fresh ginger (minced)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (**)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 cups chicken stock (or broth)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (sliced***)
- 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (divided)
- 12 ounces instant ramen noodles (4 packets, any flavor; seasoning packets discarded)
Optional Toppings:
- chopped green onions
- soft boiled eggs
- sesame seeds
- Sriracha
- chili oil
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of the chicken thighs.1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, salt and pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once heated, add in the chicken thighs and cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides until browned and crispy but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate.1 tablespoon olive oil
- In the same pot, add in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Then, add in the ginger and garlic, cooking for a minute until fragrant.3 teaspoons sesame oil, 4 cloves garlic, 1 (2-inch piece) fresh ginger
- Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and broth. Add the chicken back to the pot. Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes.¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 6 cups chicken stock
- Reduce heat to low. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and transfer to a plate to shred.
- In a skillet over medium high heat, add a teaspoon of sesame oil. Sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes until browned. Then, add 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce to the pan and mix. Transfer to a plate.8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- In the same skillet, heat another teaspoon of sesame oil. Add in the shredded chicken and saute until the edges are crispy and browned. Then, add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce. Take the pan off the heat.
- Bring the broth to a simmer. Add in the ramen noodles, and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente.12 ounces instant ramen noodles
- Ladle an equal amount of broth and noodles into 4 bowls. Top with an equal amount of mushrooms and chicken. Add additional toppings if desired.chopped green onions, soft boiled eggs, sesame seeds, Sriracha, chili oil
Notes
- Ramen is notoriously high in sodium. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium soy sauce and unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock.
- Crisping the chicken in the pan with teriyaki sauce is optional, but highly recommended for even more flavor.
- Broth reduces slightly while simmering. If it’s too salty, add a splash of water or extra stock before the noodles go in.
- Instant ramen cooks really fast and continues to soften over time in the hot broth, so it’s best to slightly undercook it (al dente) so it doesn’t get mushy.
- If you’re planning for leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them back to the broth before reheating.
- To soft boil an egg, gently lower it into boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes for a runny yolk (or 7-8 for jammy), then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Ramen Broth Styles
There are four main types of ramen: shoyu, shio, miso, and tonkotsu. Each one has a unique flavor profile and texture. I chose to make my chicken thigh ramen with a shoyu broth for extra depth and flavor, but it would be delish with shio or miso broth instead.
- Shio: This pale golden broth is made with chicken or fish bones, vegetables, and salt (similar to classic chicken broth). To make this broth, omit the soy sauce, and add an equal amount of extra chicken broth.
- Shoyu: This rich brown broth is made with soy sauce, chicken bones, vegetables, and water.
- Miso: This type of ramen can be made with shio or shoyu broth, but has a generous helping of miso (fermented soybean) paste added for a sweet and tangy flavor. To make this broth, add ¼ cup of miso paste to the broth.
- Tonkotsu: This broth is made with pork bones and is dense, thick, and milky thanks to loads of collagen. It’s rich and delicious, but it takes many hours to make, and I recommend going to a restaurant for this one.
How to Make Chicken Ramen Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed to make this easy chicken ramen recipe. Mince the garlic and ginger, and slice the mushrooms. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Sear the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add in the seasoned chicken thighs and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned and crispy (but not yet cooked through). Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the Garlic and Ginger: In the same pot (no need to wipe out), add in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Then add in a 2-inch piece of minced ginger and 4 minced garlic cloves, cooking for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Take care not to burn them, or they will add a bitter taste to your broth.
Cook the Chicken: Stir in ¼ cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 6 cups of chicken stock or broth. Add the seared chicken thighs back to the pot, and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
Shred the Chicken: Reduce the heat to low. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and transfer to a plate to shred. I like to do this with two forks, but you can also transfer the chicken to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and let it do the work for you!
Sauté the Mushrooms: In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Sauté 8 ounces of sliced shiitake mushrooms for a few minutes, until browned. Then add 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce to the pan and mix. Transfer to a plate.
Sear the Chicken: In the same skillet (no need to wipe out), heat the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil. Add in the shredded chicken and sauté until the edges are crispy and browned. Then add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and stir to coat. Take the pan off the heat.
Cook the Noodles: Bring the broth to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding some water if the broth tastes too salty. Add in 12 ounces (4 packets) of instant ramen noodles (seasoning packets discarded), and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until al dente. Don’t overcook the noodles, as they will continue to soften in the hot broth.
Garnish and Serve: Ladle an equal amount of ramen broth and noodles into 4 bowls. Top with an equal amount of mushrooms and chicken. Add additional toppings, such as chopped green onions, soft boiled eggs, sesame seeds, Sriracha, and chili oil, if desired.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover chicken shoyu ramen components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you know you’ll have leftovers, I recommend cooking the noodles separately so you don’t have to fish them all out for storage. Recombine all ingredients in large pot or Dutch oven and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
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