Chicken Ramen Bowls
This is probably my most popular recipe - I’ve gotten tagged in more posts of people making these ramen bowls than anything else. Ramen bowls are a labor of love, which makes them perfect for a fun date night or group activity! There are a lot of steps involved and a lot of multi-tasking is required, so you’ll want to have at least one extra pair of hands in the kitchen for this one. It takes about an hour to make, so pour yourselves a glass of something yummy, turn on some tunes, and get to it!
INGREDIENTS: (Makes 2 Servings)
2 packs of Maruchan Ramen Noodles (remove flavor packets) *
3-4 tbs Butter
1-2 large chicken breasts
2 Eggs (1 per serving)
Cilantro (garnish)
Jalepeno (garnish)
* optional: substitute spiraled zucchini noodles.
Broth:
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1-2 tbs fresh ginger (minced)
2 tbs Mirin
4 tbs Soy Sauce
1 box chicken stock
1/2 onion (cut into thin slices)
3-4 carrots (julienned)
2 stalks of kale (chopped w/ stem)
Sriracha
1/2 tbs salt
Dash of pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Prep all fresh ingredients before starting. (I often prep things as I go, but if it's your first time making this recipe or if you're making it by yourself, I'd highly recommend prepping everything first!) Mince the fresh ginger and cloves of garlic, peel and chop the carrots into thin, even strips that look like matchsticks, slice half an onion into strips, and chop kale into strips, leaving the stem attached.
Prep the chicken and throw it in to start cooking. Coat the chicken with butter, then sprinkle it with salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. (You can get really creative with this - it really just depends on what spices you love! We mix it up from time to time.) Bake for 25-30 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, start the broth. In a large pot, let the garlic and ginger simmer in olive oil for about a minute on medium heat. Then add the Mirin and soy sauce and let that simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Add salt + pepper and bring to a boil. As it’s heating up, throw in some Sriracha to taste. I’m usually pretty liberal with it, but keep in mind that a little goes a long way! Once the broth starts boiling, turn the heat down to Medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Let everything simmer, tasting as you go and adjust accordingly. The chicken should be done at this point, so take it out and check to make sure it’s cooked all the way. Cover it with tin foil to keep the heat in and set it aside.
After the chicken is done and the broth is simmering nicely, soft boil the eggs. Make sure to keep the eggs in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them. Bring a small sauce pan of water to a boil and add the eggs. Let them cook for 7 minutes. While you’re waiting for them to cook, make an ice bath by putting ice in a bowl and adding water. When the eggs are done cooking, drop the eggs in the ice bath so they’ll stop cooking. Wait a couple of minutes until they are cool enough to touch, then remove their shells. They will cool down pretty quickly so you want to make sure not to cut them in half until the very end - but don’t worry if they get cold, the broth will warm them up pretty quickly. After you’ve cooked the eggs, add the kale to the broth and stir.
The noodles are the last thing I cook. Take the dried noodles out of the package and throw away the flavor packets and packaging. Don’t crush the noodles. Place them in boiling water for about 3 minutes, or until fully cooked, then drain. Divide the noodles into two bowls, and pour the broth on top of the noodles. Cut the baked chicken into thin slices, and divide among the bowls. Cut the eggs in half and set them in the broth. Garnish with cilantro and slices of jalepeno, and voila! Serve immediately.