Next Post
Crispy Baked Parmesan Tater Tots.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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
This was so easy and SO GOOD. Better than most local ramen places around me in DC. Some of the ingredients were a little on the pricier side BUT now that I have them I can make this a zillion more times! This is a must!
Hey Christa,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
How do you adapt this to the instapot? Can you post instructions for the instapot version please 🙂
Hey Nicole,
Add everything to the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Cook the chicken as directed and serve soup as directed. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I made two separate broths because I have someone in the house on a fodmap diet for stomach issues and they were both amazing. Can you imagine how creative I have to get for someone that can’t have garlic or onion? AND… I used coconut milk from the quart in the fridge instead of a can and I have no complaints! I love your recipes as a core idea and then alter as needed. Your creativity in my inbox inspires me daily! I can’t recommend you to any of my friends because they already know HBH. That group includes a professional chef! I can’t wait to see what you put out tomorrow. I can’t thank you enough……xoxoxo!!!!
Hey Sam,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I made this for the first time tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Everyone wanted seconds and even asked to bring it for lunch tomorrow! I’ll definitely make this again 🙂
Hey Kelsey,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi! I have red miso on hand, can I use that instead of the white miso? Cant wait to make this, looks delicious!
Hey Mariam,
Sure, I think that would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was the ultimate comfort food for a snowy day. I didn’t have chili past but spooned on a little chili crisp to serve and it was out of this world. The coconut milk made the broth creamy and delicious. Highly recommend this one!!
Hey Dana,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This was the best recipe!!! I added the remaining coconut milk to thicken it. I also made soft boiled eggs marinated in mir, soy sauce, and garlic that took it to another level. The chicken was so crisp and flavorful for just using salt, sesame, and salt. My husband and I love ramen and this was equal or not better than our favorite ramen restaurant. Thank you for all your hard work in creating these recipes.
Hey Larissa,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
We lived in Japan for three years. Katsu was one of our favorite dishes. This recipe does not disappoint! Excellent Katsu; some of the best ramen noodles & soup we’ve ever had. YUM!
#HALFBAKEDHARVEST.
Hey William,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Thanks for the recipe! I believe you have a typo in the story section – it’s “gochujang”, not ” Gochunchag”. You spelled it correctly in the recipe box.
Thanks so much Anna! xTieghan
Made this tonight. Absolutely delicious!! I added Bok Choy instead of spinach. I cooked the noodles separate, do you think I can freeze the broth?
Hey Jaime,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Yes, totally fine to freeze the broth without the noodles. Have a great week:) xTieghan
Loved this recipe!I just had to make it once I seen it online! The broth is spicy and delicious and the chicken really makes! My husband said it was his new favourite dish – will make again!
Hey Stacey,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was excellent! We used veggie broth for my vegetarian daughter and it was nice to have the chicken for the meat eaters. we all loved it!
Hey Karen,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Oh my goodness!!!!! This.is.amazing. Closest thing to our authentic Japanese ramen! SLAMMING!!!!!
Hey Jillian,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Made this last night and it is definitely your best ramen recipe yet! I ended up using half beef broth because it’s what I had on hand, a splash of fish sauce, and added some bok choy. This one will be made again and again!
It wasn’t clear if I was to remove the crispy bacon, but I did and just added it back to the broth at the end.
Hey Sara,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
This was delicious! I was surprised how flavorful the chicken was, especially since it’s only panko, sesame and salt. Complex and rich broth with just the right amount of spice. Family loved it!
Hey Stuart,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan