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This quick and easy 30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen is for those nights when you’re craving your favorite bowl of Ramen, but need it fast and made at home. All cooked in one pot, using healthy, pantry staple ingredients. This ramen is flavored with miso and chili paste. It’s creamy, spicy, and yes…filled with plenty of ramen noodles. Each bowl is topped with crispy sesame Katsu chicken for the best bowl of homemade ramen…even better than a restaurant! Best enjoyed on cold days, because there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of ramen on a cold winter’s night.
I’m sure I’ve told this story a million and one times by now, but growing up there was a time when my mom and I practically lived on ramen (we called it Oodles of Noodles). I must have been in third or fourth grade because I know I got out of school earlier than my brothers.
I’m not going to lie, these were the school years that were my favorite. It’s no secret that as the only girl growing up in a house with five brothers, I craved my mom’s attention more than anyone. And trust me, her attention was hard to get. With six kids, she always had something to be doing. But when I was able to come home from school two hours earlier than my brothers (my school got out at 2:45 pm, but the middle didn’t get out until 4 pm) it meant that I had my mom pretty much to myself for two hours. Yeah, my younger brother Kai was home too, but he always entertained himself and never needed much. And then Red was just a tiny baby, so though he required attention, it honestly wasn’t much. Those were my two hours, five days a week and I loved them.
On the cold, rainy Cleveland days, I’d come home and my mom would make up ramen. We’d eat sitting by the fire while she worked away on whatever she was doing and I chatted her ear off…or just watched Gilmore Girls.
I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I loved that time. And to this day, I love ramen.
So do you see where I’m going with this? Ramen will always be a special dish for me. I love creating new versions every winter. This year’s version is hands down my favorite yet.
It’s all about the miso broth and that crispy sesame Katsu chicken. I’ve never done anything like it, but I am fully obsessed. The chicken on top really makes it that much more delicious.
Making this ramen is quick, start with the broth.
This is quick, but you have to know, the broth is really the star of this ramen. It’s so simple, but the combination of miso and chili paste is just something extra special. I like to use white miso paste and my favorite chili sauce is Gochunchag, which is actually Korean chili paste. But it’s SO GOOD.
Crisp up some bacon in a big Dutch oven. I use the bacon only for flavor, but if you prefer to not use bacon, you can just omit it from the recipe and instead use a couple tablespoons of olive oil or sesame oil.
When the bacon is crisp, toss in lots of fresh garlic, shallots, ginger, and a good pinch of chili flakes. We LOVE this ramen spicy, but you can, of course, use as little or as many chili flakes as you’d like. Once everything is super fragrant, just pour in some broth, add some miso, chili paste, and a touch of coconut milk. Let this all simmer for a few minutes.
Now, onto the chicken Katsu.
Yes, the broth is the star, but the chicken has a major supporting role. Really, it’s the broth and chicken together. They make for the best bowl of ramen.
I made sure to keep the chicken simple and easy. I used chicken cutlets, then simply breaded them in Panko and sesame seeds. Super simple, but atop the spicy broth…so delicious.
For the actual ramen noodles, I love using Brown Rice and Millet Ramen noodles (which you can find at Whole Foods and in many grocery stores). These taste just like real deal ramen noodles, but they are much healthier, gluten-free, and vegan. Also, I recommend storing the soup and noodles separately, then adding the noodles just before serving. If you let the noodles sit in the soup, they will soak up all the broth and become very mushy.
And of course, no bowl of ramen is complete without the toppings, they’re the best part after all, right? I do soft-boiled eggs, plenty of green onions, toasted nori sheets, and lots of chili oil.
Each and every bite is so good.
My two younger brothers, Malachi and Red have both been to Japan and enjoyed plenty of ramen while there. But Kai said that this bowl has been the only bowl he’s had since Japan that actually tastes like the ramen they had there. It’s creamy, but spicy, and the flavor is spot on. They also very much enjoyed the excess amounts of chili oil I put on their bowls. I love a little chili oil.
So, I took that as a pretty darn good sign that this is my best bowl of ramen yet. It’s honestly perfect and the best bowl for cold nights. So how are we feeling? Monday night ramen? Promise it will not disappoint.
Looking for more warming winter soups? Here are a few to try:
Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic
Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 867 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (or preferred milk)
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white miso paste
- 2-4 tablespoons chili paste, to taste (I use Gochujang)
- 4 squares ramen noodles
- 4 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- soft or hard boiled eggs, for serving
- Toasted nori sheets, sesame seeds, green onions, and chili oil, for serving
Chicken Katsu
Instructions
- 1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, shallots, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Pour in the broth, milk, and soy sauce, then whisk in the miso and chili paste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.2. Meanwhile, make the Katsu. Place the Panko and sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Season with salt. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the Panko, pressing to adhere by using your fist to really pound the crumbs in. Place the chicken on a plate.3. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt. Slice into thin strips.4. To the soup, stir in the noodles, spinach, and sesame oil. Let sit 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft. 5. To serve, divide the noodles between bowls and ladle over the soup back overtop. Add the chicken. Top as desired with eggs, green onions, sesame seeds, and chili oil. Serve immediately.
This post was originally published on January 25, 2021
We absolutely love this recipe and can’t get enough of it. It definitely takes longer than 30 mins to make all of the things though!
This is amazing!!
One of my favorite Ramen choices at a restaurant is with buffalo sauce and blue cheese. I added this to this recipe and it was scrumptious!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week! xTieghan
This looks delicious! Do you have a miso paste that is your favorite? My local grocery store doesn’t have it so I’d have to order it online.
Haven’t made this one yet – but I’ve made a bunch of your other recipes and I love your them! Thanks for always keeping it fresh and delicious.
We just made this recipe for dinner tonight. I had never used miso paste before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was so good and I definitely plan on using the recipe again.
Hi Stacey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! 🙂 xTieghan
I come back to this one over and over, I could not love it anymore!!!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
This was super tasty, but the broth ended up being crazy salty. Hoping the my homemade chicken stock was mostly to blame, but I’m not sure. Definitely still worth it though, I’ll see what I can tweak next time I make this!
Hey there,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) Sorry about the salt! xTieghan
What I have to say is not about the recipe.
From pictures, the chopstick placements are very messy, it look like a 3 year old child made mess.
Would you similarly wrap pasta around your fork and take pictures of it looking like you are about to eat it?
This is abnormal from cultures that use chopsticks.
I’ve made this a few times already and it’s one of my favorite noodle recipes. I live in NYC and have had lots of ramen, some of the best and some not so good. I prefer this to a lot of the ramen places out there, and even better that I can make it at home. My kids love it too! The broth is surprisingly very rich and flavorful considering the short cooking time. The one thing I do differently is strain out some of the shallots and garlic bits because I think it distracts from the “slurping”. But this is absolutely one of the best!
Hey Kristin,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Amazing! I added two chicken bouillon cubes for enhanced broth flavor. This is a keeper!!!
Hey there,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Hi I tried the recipe last night both my daughter and hubby were in food heaven. My daughter told my I must make it at least once a month ?. I used sweet potatoes noodles it was soooo delicious.
Hey Marie,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend☀️ xTieghan
We made it! We’ve eaten Ramen in Seattle, New York and anywhere we could find good quality Ramen. This is our favorite and we made it at HOME. Thank you Thank You!!!! So grateful and we cannot wait to make this rich flavorful broth, crispy chicken, and spicy wonder again! Perfect!!!!
Hey Heidi,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Made this dish last night for my husband and I! I cut the broth/noodles in half for the recipe but kept the same amount of protein. It was wonderful! The broth was rich and the chicken was the perfect protein for pairing. Thanks for the recipe, Teighan!
Hey Maddie,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
This is a family favorite. Good flavor, the broth can easily be made ahead. My college age daughters have it in their recipe binder because it’s filling and they can have a couple of meals on it for the week!
Hey Barbara,
Happy Weekend! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
On our second time making it. Just fantastic!
Hey Stephanie,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
I have made it 3 times. The last 2 times I substituted Char siu pork for the chicken katsu and it was great. Make the pork the night before. then slice thin and place on top of the Ramen bowl. Spinach is a nice touch as well
Hey Thomas,
Happy Friday! I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan