This easy and comforting one-pot homemade chicken ramen features tender chicken thighs seasoned with the ramen packets, savory noodles, jammy eggs, shiitake mushrooms, blanched baby bok choy, sweet corn, and a final drizzle of sesame oil topped with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Cozy, customizable, and ready in about 30 minutes!
One-Pot Chicken Ramen: A Weeknight-Friendly Classic
I did my best to keep this recipe as close to traditional as possible—without making broth from scratch or marinating jammy eggs for hours. I simplified a few steps to keep it accessible for everyday cooking and doable as a 30-minute one-pot meal, but it still stays true to classic Japanese and East Asian flavors.
- Authentic Umami Base: I keep it simple with chicken broth, but build flavor by adding fresh shiitake mushrooms, minced ginger, and garlic to capture traditional Japanese flavors. For extra umami, I like to add either dashi powder or white miso paste—dashi brings a deep, savory boost, while miso adds a nutty, slightly salty richness. Personally, white miso paste is my go-to.
- Use ramen noodle flavor packets to cook the chicken! I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, season them with the ramen noodle seasoning (from the packets!), and pan sear them in the soup pot. Instead of discarding the flavor packets, I sprinkle them directly onto the chicken. Brilliant way not to waste any food, if you ask me.
- Toppings I Love for my Chicken Ramen: I top this savory noodle soup with bok choy, soft-boiled eggs, corn, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and green onions—it’s the perfect mix of textures and flavor. Serve it with my crunchy Asian cucumber salad or Asian noodle salad with peanut dressing.
- Weeknight-Friendly 30-Minute One-Pot Meal & Fully Customizable: I've included plenty of tips below on how to make it gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or extra spicy. This ramen comes together in about 30 minutes, making it one of my go-to dinners when I want something quick, comforting, and flexible. For more ramen ideas, check out my super popular Thai red curry chicken ramen soup and family-favorite ramen noodle stir-fry with ground beef.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Dark green veggies: If bok choy isn’t available or you prefer something else, feel free to use kale, swish chard, and spinach.
- Instant ramen vs. fresh noodles: You are more than welcome to use fresh ramen noodles or even yaki soba noodles if you like! Since fresh noodles don’t usually come with a seasoning packet, use either chicken bouillon powder, seasoning mix of your choice, or just plain salt and pepper to season your chicken!
- Other proteins: You can replace the chicken thigh with chicken breast, thin pork cutlet, or even a small piece of steak. I also love using shrimp in Asian soups - like in this shrimp coconut soup.
- Beef, vegetable, or vegan broth: If you have another type of broth you prefer, feel free to use it! If you are using seafood instead of chicken for your protein, seafood stock would be a good fit.
- Other veggies: I suggest using corn because the sweetness balances out the umami flavor of everything else. However, carrots, radishes, daikon slices, bean sprouts, and edamame are great substitutes or even great things to add to your ramen!
- Salt, low sodium, or tamari: Other options for the soy sauce include salt to taste, low sodium soy sauce, or even tamari.
- Tip: The photo below shows all the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Take a screenshot for your shopping list!
How to Make Chicken Ramen (Step-by-Step)
Note: This is a quick rundown of the recipe, complete with helpful step-by-step photos! For the full recipe & instructions please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Season chicken thighs with the ramen seasoning packets.
- Blanch the bok choy in boiling water for 2–3 minutes and set aside.
- Cook the ramen noodles until al dente, drain, and divide them among four serving bowls.
- In the same water, boil your eggs (8 minutes for jammy yolks, 10 for firmer ones), then transfer to an ice bath to cool. Peel once fully cooled.
- Drain and rinse the pot, then heat oil over medium-high.
- Sear seasoned chicken thighs until cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.
- In the same pot, sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add shiitake mushrooms.
- Pour in the broth, stir in dashi powder or miso paste if using, and simmer until the mushrooms are tender. Adjust seasoning with soy sauce.
- To assemble, ladle hot soup over the noodles. Top with sliced chicken, halved eggs, bok choy, corn, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions. Mix and enjoy while hot!
Variations
- Gluten free: Feel free to use your favorite gluten free ramen noodles! I personally love brown rice ramen by Lotus Foods brand.
- Vegetarian: Use a vegetarian or vegan based instant noodle and feel free to replace the chicken with firm tofu! You will need to squeeze all the water from the tofu and slice prior to browning, but follow the remaining directions to complete the ramen. Omit the dashi powder as well.
- Vegan: To make this ramen vegan, use your favorite vegan instant noodles! You can also add the tofu or more vegetables if you prefer such a sauteed zucchini, kale, or any other vegetable you like! Omit the eggs as well.
- Spicy: Adding hot chili oil, Sriracha, or even red pepper flakes to your ramen is a great way to kick things up a notch!
Storage Tips
- Fridge: You can save any leftover chicken ramen in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Just note that if you store the noodles and the broth together, the noodles will absorb some of the broth and get a bit mushy so plan to eat the ramen sooner than later. If I don’t plan to eat the ramen right away, what I usually do is make the broth and other ingredients as stated in the instructions, but don’t cook the noodles at this point. When ready to eat, I cook the noodles, heat the broth, and combine.
- I do not recommend freezing the ramen.
More Asian-Inspired Dinner Recipes
Homemade Chicken Ramen (30-Minutes, One-Pot)
This easy and comforting one-pot homemade chicken ramen features tender chicken thighs seasoned with the ramen packets, savory noodles, jammy eggs, shiitake mushrooms, blanched baby bok choy, sweet corn, and a final drizzle of sesame oil topped with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Cozy, customizable, and ready in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 large baby bok choy cut in half lengthwise. washed very well
- 4 packages instant ramen noodles flavor packets saved
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoons neutral oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs pat dry, excess fat trimmed
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced or grated
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1-3 tablespoons soy sauce to taste
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder or white miso paste (optional)
Toppings
- ½ cup canned corn drained, or cooked fresh corn
- 4 teaspoons sesame seed oil divided
- 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds divided
- 4 stalks green onion green parts thinly sliced
Instructions
- Gather 4 large bowls you will be using for serving your ramen. Set aside, but keep close by. Fill a separate bowl with ice water and also set aside.
- Boil water in a large pot. Blanch the bok choy for 2-3 minutes, remove and set aside. Work in batches if necessary.
- Next, cook the noodles al dente. Drain and divide the noodles into the bowls you gathered earlier.
- In the same pot of boiling water (the water may be murky, but it’s OK), cook your eggs to your desired doneness, 8 minutes for a softer yolk and 10 minutes for a firmer yolk. Drain and transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice water and gently stir to help the eggs cool down. Once cooled, about 10 minutes, peel and set aside.
- Pour out the water in the pot, rinse, and return to the stovetop empty. Heat the oil on medium high while you season each chicken thigh with the seasoning packets from the noodles.
- Sear the chicken until fully cooked, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Once cooked, place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- To the pot, add the ginger and garlic, sauteing until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with the chicken broth, add the dashi powder or miso paste if using, and simmer covered until the mushrooms are fully cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt or soy sauce.
- Ladle 1 ½ cups of the hot soup base with the mushrooms over your noodles. Slice each chicken thigh and place into the bowls. Slice the eggs lengthwise, and place one half into each bowl. Add the blanched bok choy as well.
- Garnish each bowl with ⅛ cup corn, 1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds, and green onion. Mix together and enjoy!
Notes
- Bone-in skin-on proteins: I don’t recommend using any proteins with bones or skin. They take a lot longer to cook, will require you to use your hands to eat, and the skin will get rubbery in the soup. However, if that kind of protein is your preference, I recommend serving it on the side and not combining it with the ramen.
- Baby bok choy: It is really important to cut your bok choy in half and wash it thoroughly or even soak it in some water. Sometimes bugs and dirt can get into the cracks of the leaves so make sure you don’t skip this step!
- Dashi powder or miso paste are optional. However, you can easily find these at the Asian market. I love using dashi powder as a base for soup - it amplifies "umami" factor. If I want to add a nutty, savory, and slightly salty flavor to my ramen, I go for white miso paste—it’s my favorite. Honestly, for this chicken ramen, I’d use both dashi powder and miso paste. For a clearer broth, use the dashi powder. For a milkier broth, use the miso paste.
- If you cook each portion of noodles separately, you will have perfectly portioned bowls of noodles!
- Some ramen seasoning packets can be quite salty! What I usually do is open a seasoning packet, taste a tiny bit, and determine the saltiness level. If it is really salty, I only use ½ pack of seasoning per chicken thigh. For my homemade ramen, I used 1 packet per thigh and even though the chicken was a bit saltier than I normally like, combined with the rest of ingredients, it balanced out quite well. Use your best judgment!
You wil need these supplies:
- knife
- cutting board
- large pot
- ladle
- tongs
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Homemade Chicken Ramen (30-Minutes, One-Pot)
Amount per Serving
Calories
673
% Daily Value*
Fat
30
g
46
%
Saturated Fat
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
0.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
12
g
Cholesterol
196
mg
65
%
Sodium
3497
mg
152
%
Potassium
655
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
63
g
21
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
38
g
76
%
Vitamin A
2797
IU
56
%
Vitamin C
29
mg
35
%
Calcium
157
mg
16
%
Iron
6
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I would Rather not use those seasoned packages that come with the noodles, is there some other seasonings I could use instead?
Hi Elaine, here is the seasoning you can mix and use to taste instead of the ramen packets:
Combine 1/2 teaspoon each of the following
onion powder
garlic powder
ground ginger
mustard powder
Then, add salt and black pepper to taste
You can also add a touch of chili powder or paprika. I would definitely add a touch of chili powder.