Chicken Ramen

A rich, soul-warming homemade chicken ramen with a deeply savory broth, tender chicken, and perfectly soft-boiled eggs.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Real ramen shops spend days on their broth. This version doesn’t, and it is still good. It is a shoyu-style ramen, with a light, clear, savory broth built from chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and mirin simmered for half an hour. The chicken cooks in the broth and then goes in the bowl, so nothing is wasted.

The bowl has a few extras that make it ramen: jammy soft-boiled eggs, a sheet of nori, sliced green onions and sweet corn. The egg is the one that takes care. Six and a half minutes in simmering water, then straight into ice water, gives you a set white and a soft, custardy, orange yolk.

It serves four. The whole dish takes about an hour, most of which is simmering. The noodles and eggs are the last-minute steps, so have the bowls ready.

Read this first

1. Cook the noodles in a separate pot of water, not in the broth.
2. Time the eggs exactly. 6 1/2 minutes gives a jammy yolk.
3. Serve at once. Noodles get soft in hot broth.

Prep time: 20 mins · Cook time: 40 mins · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Chicken thighs, bone-in
• 4 portions Ramen noodles
• 6 cups Chicken broth
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1-inch piece Fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 Large eggs
• 4 Green onions, sliced
• 4 Nori sheets
• 1 cup Corn kernels (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine chicken broth, chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and mirin in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Look for: A fragrant, golden broth at a very gentle simmer, with a few bubbles at the edge. The chicken is cooked through and tender.
2. Remove chicken, shred the meat, and discard bones. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Stir in sesame oil. Look for: A clear, savory broth that tastes of soy and ginger, and a pile of tender shredded chicken.
3. Soft-boil eggs in simmering water for exactly 6.5 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath, peel, and halve lengthwise. Look for: An egg with a set white and a deep orange, soft yolk when cut open.
4. Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide between bowls. Look for: Springy noodles with a slight bite, rinsed of loose starch.
5. Ladle hot broth over the noodles. Top with shredded chicken, halved eggs, green onions, nori, and corn if using. Look for: Noodles under a ladle of steaming broth, with toppings arranged on top.
6. Drizzle with a little extra sesame oil and serve immediately. Look for: Glossy, fragrant broth with a drizzle of sesame oil.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 1000
• Fat: 33g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 113g
• Fiber: 37g
• Sugar: 11g
• Protein: 66g
• Sodium: 3940mg
• Cholesterol: 240mg

Notes

• Storage: Store the broth, noodles, and toppings separately in the fridge for up to 3 days — combined, the noodles soak up the broth and turn soft.
• Freezing: The broth freezes well on its own for up to 3 months; cook fresh noodles when ready to serve.
• Soft-Boiled Egg Timing: Exactly 6.5 minutes, as the recipe specifies, gives that jammy, still-soft yolk — a minute more and it sets firm.

Cook It With Me

Simmer the broth

In a large pot, combine the 6 cups of chicken broth, the 1 1/2 lbs of bone-in chicken thighs, 4 garlic cloves (smashed), the sliced ginger, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of mirin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is fragrant. Skim off any foam.

Shred and strain

Remove the chicken. When it is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin. Strain the broth to remove the garlic and ginger, and return it to the pot. Stir in the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Taste, and add a little more soy sauce or salt if needed.

Soft-boil the eggs

Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Lower in the 4 eggs with a spoon and cook for exactly 6 1/2 minutes. Move them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Peel, and halve lengthwise.

Cook the noodles

In a separate large pot, cook the 4 portions of ramen noodles according to the package directions. Drain and divide between four bowls.

Assemble

Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top with the shredded chicken, halved eggs, sliced green onions, a sheet of nori and corn, if using.

Finish

Drizzle with a little extra sesame oil and serve immediately.

The Ingredients, One by One

Bone-in chicken thighs

The bones and skin give the broth body and flavor. They cook until tender, and the meat is shredded for the bowl.

Ramen noodles

Fresh or dried ramen noodles are best. Instant ramen noodles also work. Don’t use the seasoning packet.

Chicken broth

Six cups is the base. A good quality, low-sodium broth is best, because the soy sauce adds salt.

Soy sauce and mirin

Soy sauce gives salty, savory depth. Mirin is a sweet rice wine that rounds it out.

Sesame oil

A little adds a nutty aroma. Stir it in at the end, and drizzle at the table.

Garlic and ginger

They flavor the broth and are strained out.

Eggs

Four large eggs. Cold eggs from the fridge give the most consistent timing.

Green onions, nori and corn

The classic toppings. Corn is optional but adds sweetness.

The Technique Behind It

Why simmer, not boil

A gentle simmer gives a clear broth. A hard boil emulsifies the fat and makes the broth cloudy.

Why cook the noodles separately

Noodles release starch. Cooking them in the broth makes it cloudy and gluey.

Why an ice bath for the eggs

It stops the cooking at once, so the yolk stays soft, and it makes the eggs easier to peel.

How Do You Want the Egg Yolk?

Use eggs straight from the fridge, and lower them into already simmering water.

Time	Result	What it is like
6 minutes	Soft, runny center	Very liquid yolk.
6 1/2 minutes, as in the recipe	Jammy center	Set white and a custardy, orange yolk.
8 minutes	Firm but creamy	Mostly set yolk.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Boiling the broth It turns cloudy.
• Cooking noodles in the broth The broth gets starchy.
• Overcooking the noodles They go soft.
• Skipping the ice bath The eggs overcook and are hard to peel.
• Not tasting the broth It can be bland.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Broth is bland	Needs salt	Add soy sauce, a pinch of salt and a splash of mirin.
Broth is cloudy	Boiled hard	Simmer gently next time, and strain.
Noodles are soft	Overcooked or sat in broth	Cook just before serving.
Eggs are hard	Cooked too long	Use a timer and an ice bath.
Broth is too salty	Too much soy	Add hot water.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Chicken thighs	Flavor and meat	Chicken breast gives a lighter broth.
Ramen noodles	Base	Udon or rice noodles work.
Mirin	Sweet and savory	A pinch of sugar with rice vinegar works.
Soy sauce	Salt	Tamari works for gluten free.
Nori	Sea flavor	Seaweed flakes work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: Make the broth a day or two ahead.
• Fridge: Broth keeps for 4 days.
• Eggs: Marinate in soy sauce for more flavor.
• Freezer: Broth freezes for 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve in large, warmed bowls with chili oil, extra green onions and a squeeze of lime if you like.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.