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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.

overhead photo of 30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen

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.

prep photo of chili sauce

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.

Chicken Katsu cooking in skillet

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.

30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen being poured into soup bowl

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.

overhead photo of 30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen

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.

overhead photo of 30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen

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!

@halfbakedharvest

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♬ Cooking Show – Waderman

30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
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.

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Ingredients

Chicken Katsu

US Customary – Metric

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.
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30 Minute Spicy Miso Chicken Katsu Ramen | halfbakedharvest.com
This post was originally published on January 25, 2021
4.37 from 1266 votes (983 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was my first try at homemade Ramen and it was a hit! Absolutely delicious and the chili oil is my new favorite!

    Reply

  3. hello im doing this recipe in the next few days and i would love to make your chili oil! would it be possible to let me know the ingredients and the quantity’s you use to make the oil? plz and thank you

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Good grief this one’s a keeper
    Warming, spicy, fantastic depth of flavour
    I make lots of your recipes Tieghan but I don’t often comment
    You’re my favourite ?. And in Britain we have Nigella! X

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe was simply WOW!! Made this last night for a family of 8 and it definitely hit the spot. You know it’s a great dinner when there are no leftovers and all the bowls are empty. Thank you Tieghan!!

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Made this today, with leftover cabbage instead of spinach. I was absolutely delicious! Perfect for a snow day.

    Reply

  9. 4 stars
    This was a perfect thing to make on a snowy Monday evening. I’ve been tired of the making the same old stuff and this was great. I did reduce the gochujang to 1 T because I was worried it my kids would think it too spicy and it worked out great – the kids loved it! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    Made this last night in the midst of a snowstorm. It was awesome. I used kale instead of spinach, and it worked well.

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    So. I lived in Japan so this recipe had a LOT to live up to. After I saw that your brothers loved it, I gave it a try. Wow. It was amazing. My mom and husband were so shocked!

    For gluten-free katsu: pulse Simple Mills almond flour crackers in a food processor and no one will ever know it’s not panko. Your chicken will come out perfectly crispy and delicious.

    I also added a pad of butter and a couple of shakes of fish sauce in the broth at the last minute. Butter ramen is a big hit in Japan and it’s delicious!!

    Reply

  12. Hey Tieghan! Love love love basically everything you make. I’m wondering if you ever put all the nutritional facts for your meals? I see the kcals but I’m not sure how much one serving is? Would love to see the facts with the recipes. Thank you!! Keep slaying in the kitchen 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Roxana,
      Thanks so much for trying the recipes and reading along! Sorry, at this time we only plan to provide the estimated calorie count. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

      1. Agreed!! I love the HBH recipes but the prep times are WAY off for everything I’ve made. Please make your prep time more realistic for us mom’s so that we can plan accordingly! Prep should include time washing and chopping, etc. There is no way this soup can take 30 minutes altogether.

        Reply

        1. Hi Marisa,
          So sorry this took you longer than expected, everyone moves around and cooks differently in the kitchen. xTieghan

          Reply

  13. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious – having traveled to Japan, I was a tiny bit skeptical this would taste authentic and wow, it’s on point! (Note, everything I’ve made from your blog is amazing so the skepticism was completely overridden by that!)

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    @angry customer…you’re name alone does not justify a reply but since we are still “staying at home” and teigan is a totally non political person I will comment. Julia Child was not French yet quite a celebrate “French Chef”. She, as Teigan does, never claimed to be anything she was not. Teigan does a great job of bringing Asian recipes, as well as other cultures, to the home cook. We take them for what they are and enjoy them, Please stop with you internet anger and just go to a different blog, I enjoyed reading about other people’s substitutions and outcomes. We don;t all have miso paste on hand but want to try something new and do the best we can. Just take a breath and let it go. If you would like to educate us all on your culture please start a blog and change your name. A lot of us love to learn and would appreciate you knowledge instead of your anger. PS…didn’t have any raman and used rice is it was pretty good!

    Reply