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
Made this for dinner on a very cold Friday night. It was delicious and warming due to the spicy kick from the chili paste and red pepper flakes. The broth is very flavorful. There are a lot of ingredients, but it actually came together in less than an hour and everyone loved it. Leftovers were just as good for lunch the next day – but definitely store the broth, chicken, and noodles in separate containers.
Hey Susan,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This looks so good! I want to make this for dinner a few hours ahead…Do you think I could let the broth simmer for an hour or two?
Hey Katie,
Yes, that would be totally fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This recipe is stellar!! I love the creamy, salty miso broth.
Hey Anne,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Another amazing warm and cozy recipe that’s getting me through winter! My husband (who is not a soup lover like I am) declared that this was the best broth ever!!
Hey Lauren,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
So delish and a comfort taste bomb. This recipe was tasty and easy. Please continue to appropriate more cultures, because as I am a whitle, english/irish background deplorable, I enjoy taking others food and living life to the fullest. I also enjoy midwestern comfort foods and would gladly share the very unhealthy and somewhat bland food with anyone
Hey Linda,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
This recipe was great! Very flavorful and rich. I didn’t use bacon, but used olive oil instead per a suggestion below. I will definitely be making this again!
Hey Emily,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
Made this a couple days ago and it was SO good. Ramen is one of our favorite meals, and this was so easy to make and tasted great. I will definitely be making this again.
Hey Jaime,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
My family loved this recipe and I will make it again for sure! My husband told me that it was better than the fancy ramen restaurant that he used to eat at in NYC!
Hey Melanie,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
Delicious!! We made the chicken in our air fryer and it was perfect. Even my husband liked it, who claimed he never wanted to try ramen!
Hey Ashley,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
Wow! This was incredible! It took me longer to put together; but worth every moment. It tastes that great! I have leftovers for tomorrow, yeah! Tiegan, as my sister says, “Tiegan makes me a more confident cook.” That’s exactly how I feel. You make cooking and new recipes accessible and less daunting. My husband labeled this as “restaurant quality!” Can’t beat that. Thank you so much! I love your IG and blog, and am the very happy owner of your new cookbook.
Hey Jenny,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
So yummy! Perfect on a cold northeast winter day. Spicy but not to much, Yum!
Hey Kathleen,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
I made this last night for a ramen and movie kind of night… so delicious! I have made other ramens that took sooo much longer and broths that were much unhealthier ?. The chicken Katsu was perfect with the broth and noodles. I used the millet and brown rice noodles from Costco. I really loved the spinach in it too! I also used the bacon but removed it before adding the shallot, ginger, and garlic. Will make again for an easy, quick but delicious ramen. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hey Kat,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Sorry, somehow forgot the stars! ***** = 5!
Thanks again:)
I’ve made this last night and it was delicious. I especially liked how easy it was to make the broth. I have to admit, I just topped the soup with cut up chicken nuggets (because my store was out of organic chicken breasts but I still had some organic chicken nuggets for the kids in the freezer), but it worked shockingly well. Thanks for the recipe, we’ll surely make it again!
I want to reply to “angry customer” – I sort of hope his/her comment is not meant as sincerely as it sounds. But I would like to add the following: if you take the ‘problem of cultural appropriation’ to its extreme, people also should never learn another culture’s language, about another culture’s inventions (or use them), try out another culture’s sport, appreciate another culture’s art etc. etc…. and where would that leave us? Would that leave the world in a better place with more understanding and compassion for each other??? I’m afraid it would not…
Hey Oda,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Absolutely fantastic. It was my first time making ramen and I didn’t have the EXACT ingredients but my goodness, so good.
Hey Becca,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan