Next Post
Crispy Baked Parmesan Tater Tots.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
The flavour palette was good but it was too salty.
Hey Amanda,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear about the salt! xTieghan
I left out the soy sauce from the broth and it was divine! Can’t wait to make this again.
Hey Whitny,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
LOVED this recipe. I didn’t have miso paste so I just doubled the soy sauce and it was perfect. Added the egg on top, that was a must. Chicken cooked perfect. Added wonton strips for a little crunch. Will make this again soon.
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
Delicious. I will definitely make this again. I didn’t do the egg on top but read one of the comments and will have that on top for sure next time I make it.
Hey Linda,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
This was AMAZING! The Mr and I will be fighting over the leftovers!
Hey there,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
I made thiscexactly as written and it was delicious! In my opinion, the egg was critical to making the complex flavors of yhe broth, so when I make it again, I might skip the chicken in favor of tofu or more veggies, but I definitely would keep the egg. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hey Laurie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
LOVED it!! Thank you very much for this recipe, big success in our house (in London). Will definitely do it again – my husband already asked when I’d do it again 😉
Hey Connie,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
So delicious! Made this on a cold winter night and my husband was floored. The only edit I’d make when I make it next is to add a bit less soy sauce. I used low-sodium soy sauce but it was just slightly too salty. The miso was crucial to the flavor. Used chopped kale because I had it on hand, though I’m sure spinach would be great too! Fantastic recipe — one of your best, I’d say!
Hey Pamela,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
This is so delicious! All of your recipes are. I send your recipes to everyone I know. Everything is so different and scrumptious. I can’t wait to get your new cookbook.
Hey Kelli,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
I make ramen a couple times a month, I’ve tried many recipes, and this is by far my favorite! I am a vegetarian and my husband eats meat, so I made his by the recipe, but I made mine without the bacon and I used tofu instead of chicken in the katsu. I was soooooo good! The katsu is so simple but wow! I don’t think I will be looking any further for a good ramen recipe.
Hey Gwyneth,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear it was enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your comment! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have miso paste so I used Trader Joe’s Miso broth for the base which worked perfectly! I used the packages of regular ramen for the noodles and tossed out the seasoning packets. The chicken was amazing. Love this recipe.
Hi Alice,
Wonderful!! I am so so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks a bunch for making it! xT
The flavors were delicious, easy to make, and I’d def make agai
Hi Heather,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This recipe is amazing and has been on repeat in my house the past few Saturdays! The chicken katsu is the best! Was wanting to try the recipe with beef instead for a change. Any thoughts on that and would I be better off using beef broth instead of chicken in that case?
Hey Lindsay,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Sure, beef broth would also be great!! xTieghan
My bf raves about all of the HBH recipes I try out, and this one was so perfect for a chilly night. Thanks for another good on Tieghan!
Hi Mackenzie,
Fantastic! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xxT
So, so good. Just do it.
Hi Stephanie,
Fantastic! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xxT
Looking forward to making this. Can you tell me how many ounces of noodles to use? If I can’t find the ones you use, the measurement doesn’t really make sense.
Hey Tim,
Sorry, I really don’t know the ounces, I buy this pack of ramen and use 4 of the squares from it.
https://rstyle.me/n/c9g6p6b9wzf
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Thanks for you fast reply. How many squares come in the bag? I can figure it out from there.
The bag I purchase has 12 squares, but you can also just use 4 packets of the individual ramen bags too!