Lemon Chicken Ramen
September 14, 2024
After having an amazing bowl of chicken ramen in Taipei last July, I knew I wanted to try and recreate it at home. The flavors reminded me so much of lemon chicken Greek soup, avgolemono, and it was the most intense chicken flavor I’d ever eaten. The brightness of the lemon was super refreshing in a very hot bowl of ramen on an equally hot and steamy summer day.
Below is my first attempt, which came out fantastic. I lean into low/no sodium, but feel free to adjust with ingredients you have on hand. If you make any Asian cuisines regularly, you may already have a lot of the seasonings.
Ingredients:
4 – Eggs, two soft boiled (instructions below), two at room temperature for broth
1-2 – Tbls. Olive Oil
1 – Carrot, grated
2 – Celery stalks, grated
¼ – Onion, grated (I had white on hand)
2 – Garlic cloves; two minced and one sliced
1 – Tsp. Ginger, minced
6 – Cups Unsalted Chicken Stock (homemade is best)
1 – Tbls. Sesame Oil
1 – Tsp. Chinese Vinegar
1 – Tsp. Chili Oil (optional)
1 – Tsp. Seasoning Sauce
1 – Tsp. Oyster Sauce
1 – Tsp. Better than Bouillon Chicken Base (or other chicken stock paste)
1 – Packet No Sodium Chicken Bouillon (can use an extra tsp. of Better than Bouillon)
2 – Lemons, juiced for about ½ cup
1 – Tbls. Cornstarch (optional)
2 – Chicken Breasts, ideally skin on boneless (rotisserie chicken is perfect)
2 – Servings Ramen Noodles, fresh is preferred
Optional Toppings:
1 – Green Onion, chopped
¼ – Red Onion, finely chopped
2 – Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
2 – Tbls. Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 – Lemon Slices
2 – Pieces of Nori
Hot sauce
Directions:
If using raw chicken, season both sides liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
If using soft boiled eggs, bring a small pot of water to a boil with a tablespoon of salt. Lower eggs, straight from the fridge, into the water and simmer for seven minutes for a runny yolk; eight minutes for a firmer center. While simmering, prepare a bowl of ice water. At time, immediately remove the eggs and place in the ice water bath. Chill for at least five minutes to set the eggs. Peel when ready and set aside.
Heat a dutch oven over medium low heat with one to two tablespoons of olive oil. Add grated carrot, celery and onion. Add fresh ground salt and pepper to taste. Saute for three to five minutes. Add minced garlic and ginger. Saute for another few minutes until fragrant and the garlic has lost its rawness.
Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add sesame oil, vinegar, chili oil (if using), seasoning sauce, oyster sauce, Better than Bouillon and chicken stock powder (if using). Simmer on low for eight to 10 minutes, adjusting seasoning to your liking.
In a small bowl, whisk the two eggs together with the lemon juice until a bit frothy. Temper the eggs with small ladles of broth, whisking continuously while adding to the eggs. Once the eggs are steamy, slowly whisk the egg mixture into the pot with the remaining broth. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes or so until the broth thickens. For a thicker broth, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with a ladle of broth until all the clumps are gone. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pot of broth. Simmer for another three to five minutes. Adjust any final seasonings.
If cooking the chicken, heat an oven to 425 F. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with one to two tablespoons of olive oil. Place the chicken breasts skin-side down and cook until crispy, about five minutes. Flip chicken and carefully place pan in the oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and is at least 165 F. If using rotisserie chicken, you can crisp the skin in the skillet and skip the oven step. Let rest for a few minutes and slice thinly.
Cook ramen noodles to package instructions and desired doneness.
Once broth, noodles and chicken are ready, assemble your ramen bowls. Place the noodles first, then ladle on the broth. Add sliced chicken, soft boiled egg, and any of the toppings. Drizzle sesame oil, chili oil, or anything else to your heart’s content.
Enjoy!
Notes:
Use unsalted ingredients to help manage the flavor and to keep from getting overly salty. This ramen broth is not as traditional with the veggies, as I took the inspiration from the Greek lemon chicken soup. For a smoother broth, consider straining or blending the broth when finished.
Source:
This is a combination of two recipes and my own inspiration from my trip. Always experiment to find the flavors you enjoy. Avogolemono Soup. Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen.
Post Tags:
Avogolemono, Chicken, Chicken Ramen, Lemon, Ramen, Taipei,