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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
The panko didn’t adhere to the chicken
Hi Ted,
So sorry to hear this, thanks for trying the recipe. Please let me know if you try again and have better luck! xx
My family already loves chicken katsu. I made this ramen and katsu meal, and everyone loved it.
I like spice, so I added an additional tbl of gochjang chili paste, and at the table I topped my bowl with chili crisp. I added frozen peas, carrots, and corn to the soup, because I want to get my kid to eat some vegetables. It worked. 🙂
This was easy to make, extremely tasty, and everyone loved it. I will definitely make this again!
Love to hear this, Kate! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Have a great day!
Very good! Next time I make it I’ll leave the ginger whole and boil it in the broth that way. I didn’t like eating little pieces of ginger
Hey Laura,
Wonderful! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it! Have the best weekend:)
Do you think I could use miso ginger broth for this?
Hi Karen,
Sure, I don’t see why not. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I’ve made this several times and my whole family loves it. It’s better than the ramen I’ve had in restaurants. Thank you!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad your family enjoyed this dish and appreciate you making it! Have the best day! xx
This is a fabulous recipe that my family has enjoyed many times! It’s wonderful just as written, but I also want to share a few variations I sometimes use (as I often enjoy reading others’ recommendations on the HBH site). I usually dip the chicken in flour and egg before rolling it in the panko to help the breadcrumbs adhere better. And, inspired by the HBH Thai Chicken Ramen recipe, I will occasionally toss in mushrooms and red bell pepper in addition to the spinach, just to up our veggie intake. Regardless, it’s always a delicious and healthy meal—thanks, Tieghan!!
Hey Annie,
Awesome! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, love to hear it was a hit! Thanks for sharing all of the ways you love to make this! Xx
Amazing! Loved it!
Thanks so much, Sabrina! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad it turned out well! Xx
Made this tonight and my husband and I both loved it. I only made it with two packets of ramen – that way I can reheat the leftover broth with fresh ramen packets to prevent soggy leftover noodles. Loved it!
Hey Kelli,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have the best weekend! x
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe, Tieghan! It is now one of our go-to recipes.
We would love to make more Japanese dishes. Would you be interested in developing and sharing a recipe for okonomiyaki, Japanese savory pancakes, on your blog, too?
Thank you for your kind consideration!
Best wishes,
Sarah
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for your kind message and making this recipe so often, love to hear that it is always enjoyed!! I can definitely try to do some recipe testing, thanks for the suggestion:) xx
I like your recipes and really want to try them someday.
Thanks so much, Dennis!!
Think this is my favorite HBH recipe I’ve tried! The flavor in the ramen is amazing and the chicken katsu was so simple but delish. I’m definitely going to duplicate the chicken recipe to add into other dishes as well. Only thing I need to work on is soft boiling eggs. What’s your method, Tieghan?
Hey Michelle,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you! I bring my water to a boil, then add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Xx
This recipe is so delicious! I will definitely make again. Mixed up the egg and dropped it into the soup to fully cook it, but that was the only thing I did differently than what the recipe called for. The ramen tasted better than anything I’ve ever had in a restaurant.
Hey Melanie,
Happy Holidays!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! xx
I absolutely love this recipe! It’s become a go-to dish whenever I crave Ramen (which is often)!
Hey McKenzie,
Happy Sunday! Love to hear that this recipe is always a hit, thanks so much for making it so often and your comment! xT
I’ve made this a few times and recommended it to others. Soba and wheat noodles work, too. It’s delicious and doesn’t take much more time than the recipe promises. Thank you!
Hey Daphne,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback! xT
Hi Tieghan. I am a super fan of your recipes! Yesterday and today I have been having problems printing them. I think you have changed the system. I used to print them well. There was your logo, etc. Now, it is different. But the real problem is that I get a 1/2 page white, or I miss part of the recipe. Please fix it. Thanks!
Hi Carmen,
Thanks so much for your kind message! So sorry to hear you are having some issues printing, we will look into this! Thanks for letting me know! xx
This was the absolute best….
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for your comment! Have a great weekend! xT