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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
This ramen is so flavorful. It has so many flavors that really stand out. The chicken katsu adds some crunch and goes with the broth really well.
Hey Renisha,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I made this recipe and it was very tasty but I felt like it was too coconut forward. I used a Thai brand of canned coconut milk. It almost tasted like a Thai style soup! Do you know if there is a difference between Thai brands of coconut milk and other brands? Otherwise, great deep flavors!
Hey Caitlin,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! I like Native Forest coconut milk, but you can also just use a plain milk here. xTieghan
This was so delicious, the whole family enjoyed! The broth was perfection.
Hey Adrie,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Wow! I never thought I will be able to make a ramen as tasty as this in just 30 minutes (ok, maybe 45 min!) Thank you for sharing this recipe! Will definitely make this again!
Hey Steph,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and even my 5 year old (who is not a soup lover) loved this!!! Yum!
Hey Rachael,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was so good! My husband and I ate it 2 nights in a row:) I want to make it for my mom but she can’t handle too much spice. Do you have any tips to make it taste just as good but less spicy?
Hey Kate,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! To make less spicy, just reduce your chili paste and omit the red pepper flakes. xTieghan
This was so good! The broth is outstanding. Had trouble with panko sticking to the chicken, so might try egg next time or just skip that step. But seriously, the broth is amazing!
Hey Meg,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
My husband was on chicken duty and cut up the chicken before panko/sesame seeds. A little more time consuming but he dredged each chicken piece in panko/sesame mixture and the dish turned out great! Took us a lot more than 15 min. prep. time but we got it done and it was delicious!
Hey Lynne,
I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
This was delicious! I, too, used gochugang and 1 tsp of hot red pepper flakes, which made it pretty spicy, but not overpoweringly so. I also liked using 4 packages of ramen so there was enough left over for a lunch. I did end up boiling the sauce for a few minutes after I put the noodles in because they didn’t seem to be cooking just sitting in the pot.
Hey Helen,
I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
This ramen is better than our local ramen restaurant and that’s saying something!! I’m making it again this time I’m going to sub shrimp for the chicken!
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This was INCREDIBLE! I found the recipe so easy to follow and was ecstatic with the end result. I am a baby about spice so I omitted the red pepper flakes and stuck with 2 tablespoons of the gochujang and it was perfect! Enough of a kick to make it interesting but not too much. I also subbed out spinach for cabbage since that’s what I have in season from the farmers market right now and I loved the texture! 10/10 will be remaking this.
Hey Mary,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
In Step 4, you say add the noodles, spinach, and sesame oil and let sit. Does that mean turn off the burner, or keep it at medium-low while it “sits”? Thanks!
Hey Joan,
You are going to keep the burner on so the noodles can cook. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was… unbelievable. Made this dish last night, and during the night I woke up and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wanted to sneak into the kitchen and finish the leftovers behind my husband’s back haha. He said it was the first thing he thought of when he woke up. No joke. Half baked harvest recipes literally never disappoint, and this one was the farthest thing from disappointment. This dish is now going to be a staple in our house. I’ll honestly struggle not to make it every other night. Amazing. So so crazy delicious. Nice. Work. Tieghan. Appreciate you! (Also meant to take a picture of it but once I tasted it, there was no stopping me. That dish was a force.)
Hey Erin,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Delicious recipe. So spicy and I am pretty sure that chicken would be amazing on anything! I am curious if you have any recommendations for a particular soy sauce?
Hey Alison,
I am so thrilled the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! I like Kikkoman soy sauce. Happy Friday! xTieghan
Just made this for dinner and it was a HUGE hit! Even my extremely picky husband loved it! Only changes I would make next time is to not add the Red pepper flakes! We topped ours with Cilantro and green onion!! So delicious!!
Hey Sherylle,
I am so thrilled the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Friday! xTieghan