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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.
Mmmmmm, delicious fall dinner. I added sliced collard greens with the onions instead of spinach later on. Add this to the excellent Ramen recipe pile.
Thanks so so much for trying out this recipe! Have a lovely day! xT
Can you make this in an instant pot?
Hey Molly! I haven’t ever tried this in the instant pot! So sorry! xT
I’ve made this twice now and I love it! Just the right level of spice with about 2-3 tablespoons of chili paste. I have yet to learn how to make a soft boiled egg and the crumbs on the chicken always stick to the pan, but the ramen is still great.
Thank you Corinne! xT
Hi there! For the chicken katsu, do I just dredge the chicken directly in the panko or do I need to first do egg and flour?
Hey Ashlee,
I just do the panko, but a little egg wouldn’t hurt if you want to do that:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I use this recipe whenever i want ramen. What I love most about this is the broth isn’t overly salty-the spice from the chili paste, the coconut milk and miso all marry well, creating a rich, flavorful soup. It’s unlike anything I’ve found in a ramen shop. I love it. I’m not a fan of frying anything so I toast the breadcrumbs and sesame seeds before coating the chicken and baking. It comes out perfectly each time. I like to add mushrooms too. I usually cut the recipe in half since there are only two of us and there is always some broth left over. This recipe is perfect.
Hey Brittany,
Happy Friday!!☀️🐰 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was delish! xT
Have made this recipe several times and love it each time! My wife said it is better than going out for ramen!
Hey Dave,
Happy Wednesday! ⛅️🌈 I’m so glad to hear that this recipe worked well for you and I appreciate you giving it a try! xx
This was delicious! Kids and hubby loved it. Will add this to the rotation for sure!
Hey Jess,
Happy Sunday!💐 I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a hit! xT
This shows up regularly on our menu. Everyone loves it! I always add alot of steamed broccoli to it as well. Really delicious flavors! Thank you!
Hi Stehpanie,
Happy Thursday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Omg. This recipe is so so good. I make a lot of HBH recipes, but this one is at the top for me and my partner! I didn’t use low sodium soy sauce or chicken broth this time around, and it was a bit in the salty side. Next time I will do low sodium 🙂
I love extra veg and added extra spinach. I saw that others suggested mushrooms and I think I will also add those in next time!
Love love love!!!
I ate so much that now I need to recover on the couch.
Hey Devin,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was a hit! Thanks for trying so many recipes!! xT
I just made this and it was SO good! So much flavor, I didn’t add quite as much spice between the ginger, gochujang, and red pepper flake…but I think what I did add was the perfect amount! Just enough that you could get the heat in the broth but not too much for us personally. Everything was really good and went well together. Adding that to the list of keepers 🙂
Hey Erin,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)
I’ve made this several times now and it’s quickly becoming a family favorite during these cold winter months. Thank you for sharing another amazing recipe Tieghan!
Hey Sue,
Happy Friday!😁 Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Made this tonight and it was SO delicious! Hard to believe we made such a tasty ramen at home. Used bone broth instead of regular stock and added some mushrooms to the step when sautéing shallots – loved both additions. Highly recommend!
Hey Lauren,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was tasty and thanks a lot for trying it out! xT
Delicious! I did not add miso paste because I could not find it, so I substituted a little more soy sauce. Regardless, yummy yummy! I plan to add some peanut butter to my leftovers tomorrow.
If I had one comment, it was a tad bit oily. I think next time I would drain the bacon grease.
Hey Kaitlyn,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad it turned out well for you! xx
My older son and I made this today and it was so delicious. Recipe was easy to follow and we made the recipe exactly as written. Definitely making this again and again. Will try w salmon or pork katsu next. Wish I could share the pic of ours. It’s so pretty. Thank you Tiegen for another fabulous recipe!
Hey Cindy,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT