Miso Ramen with Shitake and Chicken ~ this Japanese noodle bowl is an amazing protein packed 30-minute meal that also happens to be low calorie, low fat, and utterly delicious!
Here in the US ramen is synonymous with bare-bones, pre-packaged, microwaved eating on a budget, but in Asia, ramen has a long honored history as fine food. The fresh noodles were originally hand pulled by skilled chefs. This authentic version (minus the hand-pulled noodles) is a gourmet meal.
This is heartier than my Miso Soup but it’s based on similar flavors. The ramen noodles, the chicken, egg and the extra vegetables elevate it to a main meal. Everything is fresh, barely cooked, and delicate but the flavor is robust thanks to the red miso paste, a hot chili pepper, the rich shitake mushrooms, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
It’s a symphony of textures, too, from the slightly chewy mushrooms and noddles, to the crunch of the corn and red bell pepper, to the juicy bok choy, and finally the creamy egg.
You’ll find ramen noodles in the Asian section of your store. They cook up in just 4 minutes.
The Japanese have the longest life expectancy on the planet, so it makes sense to explore their diet and take a few tips from how they eat. I do always feel instantly healthier when I eat Japanese food. This meal contains no fats or artificial ingredients, and has a beautiful visual appeal. The only thing it has in common with the little packets of ramen is that it’s budget friendly.
Serve this miso ramen with chopsticks, or a spoon and a fork, but either way, be prepared to slurp 🙂
Reader Rave ~
“I tried this recipe to the T, and it really was a wonderful experience. The miso paste adds most of the flavor, and the bok choy and mushrooms add wonderful texture. Thank you for this recipe.” ~Bianca
Miso Ramen with Shitake and Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced on the diagonal
- 1 hard cooked egg, halved
- about 4 oz dry ramen noodles, use rice noodles for gluten free
- 4 cups water
- about 6 medium shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 hot chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 2-3 baby bok choy, sliced (including the green leaves)
- 6 scallions, sliced
- 2 Tbsp red miso paste
- sesame oil
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Microwave the corn kernels for about a minute just to take the raw edge off and set aside.
- Set aside the bell pepper, chicken, and egg, in separate bowls, for garnishing the finished soup.
- Cook the noodles in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Drain and put in two wide shallow soup bowls.
- Heat the water to a simmer and add the mushrooms and the hot pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes.Add the bok choy and the scallions and simmer for a minute or so more, just long enough to bring out the bright green color.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste. (You do this off the heat so as not to destroy some of the beneficial nutrients in the miso paste) Stir well until the paste is completely dissolved.
- Pour the broth over the noodles in the two bowls.
- Garnish with the corn, red bell pepper, and egg halves.
- Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Notes
- You'll find lots of different types of noodles in the Asian or International section of your supermarket, you can experiment with them in this dish, too. If you have trouble finding them, check Amazon
- For more info on how to buy, use, and store Japanese miso paste, see my post on HOW TO USE MISO.
Don’t forget to pin this Miso Ramen with Shitake and Chicken!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I have never cooked with miso paste and now I will always have some in my fridge. My husband raved. I will make this often, so simple and so yummy! Thank you for this wonderful, nutritious recipe.