This soup was a very pleasant surprise. It’s from one of my favorite food bloggers — Joelen of What’s Cookin, Chicago?
Why the surprise? Particularly since Joelen’s posts always look delicious? Well, because this soup uses those super cheap pre-cooked packaged Ramen noodles. I can’t stand Ramen noodles, because I practically lived off of them in my dorm room at Berkeley in college. But, I was intrigued at how easy this recipe is, and the look of it. So, I caved and gave it a try.
What a fabulous soup! This dish is ridiculously easy and cheap to make and it’s packed with spicy flavor. Even Hubby loved it. But, definitely pay attention to the “spicy” part of the title, because it’s very spicy. Right up our alley, but too hot to ever serve to our kids.
The only modification I made was cutting back to just two packages of Ramen instead of three — this lowered the Weight Watchers Points value. And although 8 Points might seam high for a soup, it’s worth it. Trust me.
Although it didn’t taste bad, we’re not too crazy about boiled chicken. So, the next time we make it, I’ll have my husband grill the chicken ahead of time, and then add it with the noodles instead of cooking it in the broth. And I think I’ll shred it instead of just chopping it. Hubby chopped the chicken into larger pieces than I like in my soup — I like to enjoy a bit of chicken in every bite.
All the soup fixings.
Bring broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger & chili garlic sauce to a boil, then add chicken.
After chicken is cooked, add the Ramen noodles (without the seasoning packets).
Break up the noodles, then add the cilantro and scallions.
Ready to serve, then drizzle with sesame oil.
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce (or to taste depending on your preferred spice/heat level)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces
- 2 (3 ounce) packages of dried ramen noodles
- 3 scallions, sliced thin
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
- 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- pinch of red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)
- Bring broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and chili garlic sauce (if using) to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the cut up chicken breasts to the pot and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through.
- Open the packages of ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packet included. Place the dried ramen noodles into the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re just about cooked. Stir in the scallions and cilantro and serve in bowls. Garnish each bowl additional fresh cilantro leaves and a drizzle of 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. If you like things on the spicy side, sprinkle a few red pepper flakes for garnish too!
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Article by Colleen Greene
I am a librarian, web developer & strategist, and educator, who is into cooking, hiking, quilting and stitching, genealogy and local history.
Colleen has written 180 articles for The Taste Place.
