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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
AMAZING. The perfect “first meal after losing appetite to covid” bahaha. My family was so happy to have some real, tasty food with a surprising number of nutrients! Thrive was all out of miso paste, so I subbed instant miso soup packets(??) Haha, it worked well though! I also struggled so much getting the panko to stick to the chicken like yours, but it was still good! This recipe made so much more than expected, so we have a ton of leftovers to get us through the weekend. Thanks for another great one Tieghan 🙂
Hey Kari,
Awesome! I love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy New Year!? xTieghan
This recipe is a winner!! My husband and I lovee your thai peanut chicken ramen recipe, so when I saw this I knew I had to give it a try. It did not disappoint! I did dip the chicken into flour and egg before the panko to help it stick, and it made the most delicious crispy breading. Followed everything else as-written! Thanks Tieghan, for another easy & tasty soup recipe for the cold winter months!
Hi Nicki,
Fantastic! Love hearing that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
This ramen is so good, the broth is amazing. I did “oven fry” the chicken the second time and it came out just as good as pan frying it. I will say the coating doesn’t really stick well to the chicken so the second time I made it I first dipped the chicken into a beaten egg so the coating would adhere better. The second time I put the chicken on a sheet pan and put under the broiler for a few minutes on each side until it was golden brown and then just finished cooking it in the oven on 375. I will be making this ramen again and again, the whole family loves it.
Hi Betty,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe twice now within the last 4 days it’s that good! Second time I dumped in a bag of frozen mini dumpling instead of doing the ramen and I definitely recommend!
Hi Ashley,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This is so good! Added dried shiitake and let it simmer longer because I had the time.
Hey Jen,
Happy Friday! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this recipe tonight with my 10 year old niece and it was a hit with everyone in the family. Seconds all the way around. We didn’t have sesame seeds so substituted everything bagel spice and omitted the salt.
Definitely a make again recipe!!!
Hey Allison,
Wonderful! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This was very tasty my family LOVED IT made it two ways with chicken and Katsu shrimp for the pescatarian Will make again.
Hey Belkys,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
I love ramen, and this is absolutely a ramen-lovers recipe. It tasted phenomenal, did not take 3 days to make, and left plenty of room for personal preferences. For example, I baked my chicken, eliminated chili flakes for my “no pycee peez” toddler, and used some really good noodles (no offense maruchan brand.)
What cannot be understated is that all of the ingredients for this recipe do not even equal the cost of a great bowl of ramen from a restaurant. It felt great to feed my family a favorite dish without groaning at a takeout receipt.
Hey Sara,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thursday❄️ xxT
This was delcious, I used soy milk instead of coconut which is a hack i’ve learned before. Chicken broth + soy milk = tasty ramen broth. I would recommend cooking the noodles seperately as well, as they really soak up the broth and thicken it as well. But so good. All the family devoured it.
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Could I replace the miso with something else? We live in a small town and no miso available here, only going to the city in 2 weeks for supplies. Thanks so much x
Hey there! Yes, you can replace miso with soy sauce 🙂 xxTieghan
So delicious, perfectly spicy ramen. Going to save a lot of money on take out Ramen 🙂
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! xxTieghan
So good! The broth was amazing, and that’s comparing it to a local Japanese restaurant. I can’t believe all that flavor came together so quick! I can’t wait to dive into your other ramen recipes, but right now I’m making the cider braised short ribs and your mashed potatoes. Thank you!
Hey Miranda! I am SO glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
I made this and loved it! I did 1/2 chicken broth and 1/2 beef broth and I think it made it better. The chicken was great but I think I may sub chicken and add some mushrooms next time. This is now a staple in my home! Do you have any other topping suggestions?
Mushrooms would be delish! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe 🙂 xTieghan
OK I have to thank you MANY times for this recipe Tieghan!
My boyfriend and I first tried this recently on our date night in, one of the first cold weekends of fall here in Toronto, Canada. Paired it with your spiced honey bourbon old fashioned and we were actually getting excited for winter and cozy nights to come! Next we will try your cider braised short ribs. My boyfriend’s not one to be as verbal in his reviews of good food like me, and even he couldn’t stop raving how good this soup (and cocktail) was! Since having the white miso on hand now, I’ve made the soup on my own quite a few times, each with homemade chicken or turkey broth. This broth is liquid gold!
This past weekend I came down with a cold and have admittedly been eating it every day with some variation of the add ins based on what I have on hand… it’s just the BEST and I know the recipe off by heart now LOL
Thank you so much Tieghan, you bring so much joy to life!
xx Sherry
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was the best thing I’ve made in a LONG time. It took me about 45 minutes, not 30, to make it, but I think that’s because it was an unfamiliar recipe and the child and dog were chasing each other around the kitchen. Next time I’m guessing I’ll be able to shave 10 minutes off that time. And there WILL be a next time — my picky husband and preschooler and I ALL liked this, which is a major win. Next time I’ll probably cook the broth on the weekend and reheat it to add the noodles right before serving while I cook the chicken – that would make this a seriously fast meal.
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed 🙂 xTieghan
Fabulous! Amazing! Whole family loved it. So much flavor, soooo good! Added some sautéed cabbage to throw in a vegetable. Did I say amazing!
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan