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Also known as, glorified Ramen.
Soooo, you guys have had Ramen, right?
I think it is probably the most consumed food among high school and college students out there. I kind of have a feeling that if I was a normal twenty-year old, sharing a dorm with other normal people, that this said dorm would most likely be packed with Ramen.
College readers? Am I right?
I have not had Ramen since third grade when my mom and I discovered that our beloved noodle soup actually had not an ounce of nutritional value.
This was a huge bummer for the both us.
Like fudge, what the heck are we going to eat now. It was mid winter in Cleveland when we found this info out and if you have ever been to Cleveland mid-winter, then you know just how much we needed this soup. Seriously, all Cleveland winters NEED a good noodle soup and even though Ramen was maybe twenty-four cents and came from a bag, it was still our soup of choice.
Until we found out it really was doing nothing for us. Oh, and do not ask me why I cared about this in third grade. All I can say is that I have always been a really healthy eater. Meaning I really just only prefer good homemade food that I know what went into it. It’s more a control thing than a healthy thing.
So we ditched the Ramen right then and there.
Whatever, no biggie. And it really wasn’t for me, but I am pretty sure my mom had some serious withdrawals. She is a noodle soup freak and by noodle soup, I really only mean noodles and broth. She takes it heavy on the noodle with a decent amount of broth, but she is good with just that. Nothing else. So, obviously Ramen was her favorite.
I had not thought about Ramen for so long, but then I got a text from my brother, Brendan. If you are somewhat new around this blog, Bren is the brother who lives in Tahoe. Well, actually I think right now he is in Salt Lake City, but I am thinking that is only for the next couple months. No actually I heard he is going to Iceland at the end of the month. I do not know, he is kind of all over the place doing his snowboarding thing. He might creep you out just a bit when you first meet him, but don’t let his bad boy image freak you out. He is honestly one of the most kind and caring guys you will ever meet. And he is a crazy fun, go with the flow, loving life kind of guy. Trust me, you’d like him.
Anyway, he text me after this post and asked for budget meals, “you know, something I could actually afford”.
Budget meals? Ahhh, you mean I can’t use a block of eight dollar cheese? Fudge.
One of his ideas? Glorified Ramen.
I kind of just loved the sound of that, so I went with it. I was this close (imagine me pinching my index and thumb finger together to show you how close) to titling this post “Glorified Ramen”, but the logical side of my brain went with the pungent flavors in the glorified Ramen instead. So lame, I know.
I am not sure how cheap this meal actually is with all the chicken, coconut milk and Thai curry paste, but it’s a pretty dang good, and healthy too! Well, minus the Ramen noodle part, but I am told that if you don’t use the seasoning packet, which is full of sodium and MSG, and boil the noodles, that they are not THAT bad. Ah, yeah and don’t tell me otherwise or I may freak.
Obviously, if you want to make this über health you can swap in your favorite whole grain pasta, but make sure to cook the pasta in the soup a little longer. Oh, and this can be made on either the stove or in the crockpot. The stove is the super quick 30 minute version and the crockpot is the throw everything in, walk away for six hours and come home to dinner version. Both are just as good!
Thai Peanut Chicken and Ramen Noodle Soup
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 367 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs or breast or a mix sliced (or left whole if using the crockpot)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated (you may add more to your liking)
- 1 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 sweet potato chopped (skin removed if desired)
- 2 red peppers thinly sliced
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup thai red curry paste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ounce can coconut milk 14
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 packages Ramen noodle soup seasoning packets discarded (you may also just use your favorite pasta)
- chopped peanuts for serving
- chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- To make this on the Stove: Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and the chicken. Brown the chicken, stirring once or twice for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot.
- Add another tablespoon of peanut oil, the ginger, garlic, sweet potato and peppers. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender. Add the mushroom and cook 5 more minutes. Add in the curry paste and smoked paprika, stirring until the curry paste has coated the veggies.
- In the meantime, add 1 cup of chicken broth to a heat safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or unitll very hot. Carefully stir in the peanut butter until completely smooth.
- Add the chicken back into the pot along with the coconut milk, remaining chicken broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut butter mixture, lime juice and brown sugar. Stir until the peanut butter has been fully incorporated into the soup. Bring the soup to a boil and then add the ramen noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes (if using regular noodles you will need to cook the noodle for a longer period of time, probably about 8 minutes).
- Once the noodles are ready serve soup immediately and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and peanuts.
- To make this in the crockpot add the peanut oil, chicken, ginger, garlic, sweet potato, red peppers, curry paste, smoked paprika, coconut milk, chicken, broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut butter and brown sugar to the crock pot bowl. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, stirring if you can once or twice.
- During the last 30 minutes add the mushrooms and then during the last 5 minutes add the noodles (if using regular noodles you will need to cook them for a longer period of time, probably about 10 minutes). Once the noodles are cooked serve immediately and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and peanuts.
Notes
*The ramen noodles soak up a lot of the broth if not eaten right when the noodles are done cooking. You can prepare this ahead of time, just make sure to add the noodle right before you are ready to eat.
It’s Glorified Ramen time. Slurp.
Hi! I’m def making this tomorrow! Looks absolutely delicious! Do you think rice noodles (for pad Thai) would work here instead of ramen? Trying to stay away from gluten. Thanks so much
Hey Ivana,
Yes, totally, rice noodles would be great. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was really easy to put together once everything was prepped and even a hit with my kids! A fun treat that will become part of our meal rotation for sure!
Hi Shannon,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
This was absolutely delicious! I omitted the curry and added Cumin, and Allspice. I also omitted the fish sauce and added a bit more soy sauce. I made it using the Instant Pot method and it was ridiculous!!! We will be having this again! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe!!! My family gobbled it down!!
Hey Bonnie,
I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try!! xxT
Hi there, I have a quick question and sorry if it was answered before. Is it 1 ounce of canned coconut milk? I was a little confused by the number 14 listed after coconut milk in the ingredients list. Thank you very much XOXO
Replying to myself here…I read further down in the comments and found my answer. ?
Hey Melissa,
Sorry for the confusion, yes it is one 14 ounce can of coconut milk. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Thank you! This was my question too.
I’m looking forward to making this for my family this weekend!
I hope you love the recipe Laura!
This recipe was amazing and absolutely delish, but the prep time takes much longer.
Hey Mary,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear it was enjoyed. Sorry this took longer than expected. Thanks for sharing your comment! xTieghan
This is amazing! Made as written and it’s so good. I do cook the ramen separately as leftovers are abundant as just hubby and I. My sis and law said there was an instant pot instruction for it? I made in crock pot but she had sent it to me for instant pot. Doesn’t change a thing for me. It’s sooooooo good.
Hey Christina,
Wonderful!! I am so so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks a bunch for making it! I would do 8 minutes on high pressure and then add the noodles to warm through. xT
Loved the recipe and added a few things the second time I made it….I came back to look for more recipes of yours but dang those pop up ads are annoying and slow your page way down!
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I hope you loved it! So sorry if the blog has been slow for you! Happy Tuesday 🙂 xTieghan
Can I substitute the chicken for tofu?
(Will the tofu get mushy? Should I pan fry the tofu first?)
Hey Teresa,
Sure, tofu would work, you could also do veggies! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was amazingly good and super easy to make and it makes alot! If you think that you wont finish the pot at the time you make it, then I recommend cooking your ramen noodles seperately and do the soup by the bowl. Otherwise any left overs will just be a bowl of mush. The noodles soaked up the soup really well with out actually adding them to the pot of soup.
Hi Michelle! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, and thanks for the tips! Have a great day xTieghan
Making this this weekend! If we know we’ll have leftovers, do you recommend only putting in part of the noodles and then saving the rest to add when heating up leftovers?
Hey Cameron,
Yes, if you think you will have leftovers I would keep the noodles out of the broth. I hope you love the soup, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I forgot how I originally stumbled upon this recipe. I’ve made it countless times over the past year, exactly as written, and it’s a hit every time! I’ve made it for coworkers and potlucks, It was one of the first dishes I every cooked for my boyfriend, and he tells me it’s one his top five dishes, ever. We recently went to visit his family abroad, and made them this dish and they loved it equally as much. (We did make one separate pot with out fish sauce because of an allergy. Still good, but definitely not as good as the full on original version.) You now have two fans in Mexico already making their versions of this!
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. I am so glad you enjoyed! xTieghan
Do I just add the chicken raw into the crock pot? Newbie over here!
Hey Katie,
Yes you sure do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
seems to be a typo- “1 ounce can coconut milk 14” is that a 14oz can of coconut milk?
Hey,
Sorry, it should be 1 (14) ounce can of coconut milk. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just wanted to update my comment above – I went ahead and added the lime juice. The only changes I made were since I couldn’t find red curry paste, I used a mild curry paste. I also used 3 bunches of GF millet & brown rice ramen noodles (sold at Costco) at the very end, and it was delicious! This was so flavorful, and worth all the ingredients! My kids even ate the mushrooms!
Yes! So happy this turned out so well for you Darlene! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! xTieghan
In your directions for the crock pot, you don’t mention adding the lime juice. Was that intentional, or should lime juice be added to the crock pot? Thanks!
Hey Darlene,
I like to add the lime juice as a garnish. Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Oh.my.word. Slurp is right, this is so delicious! Only thing I did differently was to put the hot soup in my bowl and then add the ramen so it wouldn’t get too soggy. Excellent recipe, thank you!
YES!! I am so glad you enjoyed this Jennifer! xTieghan
This was an absolute hit with both my two-year-old and my husband. They both loved it, and my two-year-old was asking for more “drink food.” (He skipped the spoon and just poured the soup into his mouth.) My small edits were a doubling of the peanut butter, a halving of the noodles, and adding a can of water chestnuts. I also didn’t have enough curry paste and so I added a little more paprika, but I don’t think it suffered too much! All in all, we will definitely be making this when I get in. Thanks for the recipe!!
Wow that is os great!! I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Gwen!! xTieghan