The Scoop
Chicken Ramen: A delightful homemade journey, ideal for new starts.
The first time I made chicken ramen, I had just gotten home after meeting my new editor for the first time, a milestone in my somewhat wobbly freelance writing career. We had lunched at a bustling ramen joint downtown, and as I sampled the rich broth, it dawned on me that I'd never ventured to make my own. Feeling both inspired and a bit intimidated, I decided to dive in. Digging through my pantry, I found two packages of dried ramen noodles tucked behind a forgotten can of chickpeas. Fresh scallions peeked out from the fridge, eager to be used.
That evening, I seared those boneless chicken breasts with their skins on until they were golden, pulling the skillet from oven to table with a practiced ease only achieved through repeated attempts. The soy sauce and mirin transformed my kitchen into a fragrant landscape of promise. I stood over the simmering pot, letting the shiitake mushrooms release their earthy depths into the broth. Adding a swirl of sesame oil at the end, a tip gleaned from a culinary friend, made all the difference in achieving that delightful finish.
As I cracked soft-boiled eggs over steaming noodles, the thought occurred to me that I'd never been prouder of an impulsive culinary leap. The bean sprouts added a refreshing crunch, and a squeeze of lime elevated the entire bowl. It's funny how a new start, be it in work or ramen, can unfold into something unexpectedly comforting. Perhaps the best advice for new ventures, like good ramen, is to let it rest a moment before immersing in its delicious chaos.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skin-on
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the ramen broth:
- 2 teaspoons sesame or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms or 1/2 cup fresh
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
For serving:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 (3 ounce) packs dried ramen noodles
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
- bean sprouts, optional, to taste
- 1 lime, optional, to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side-down.
- Cook until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Flip and cook until cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes.
- Place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Whenever the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate until ready to serve.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop.
- Heat the oil until it shimmers.
- Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in the soy sauce and mirin, and stir.
- Add the chicken stock.
- Place the lid on the pot until the contents come to a boil.
- Remove the lid and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes to draw some of the mushroom flavors into the broth. Season with salt to taste.
- Fill a small pot with enough water to cover the eggs.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Lower the eggs into the boiling water.
- Simmer until the eggs reach desired doneness, about 7-8 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
- Once cooled, peel and slice in half lengthwise.
- Cook the ramen according to package instructions, discarding any flavor packets.
- Drain the noodles.
- Slice the cooked chicken.
- Divide the cooked noodles into two large bowls.
- Pour the broth over the noodles.
- Top the noodles with the eggs, scallions, and fresh bean sprouts, and a slice of lime.
- Serve.
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