If you are craving the perfect comfort food that is easy to make, ramen is always the best option. The recipe is simple, and you can add and omit ingredients depending on your taste. If you choose to cook it with chicken, it is essential to know how much chicken is in ramen.
So, how much chicken is in ramen? A typical bowl of ramen contains two chicken breast halves or four chicken legs. Cooked chicken is usually cut into small pieces and mixed in with the boiled noodles.
Thinking of Preparing Ramen? Here Is How Much Chicken Is in Ramen
Before you begin preparing the easy homemade ramen with roasted chicken, lots of noodles, and delicious vegetables, you should know how many people you will be serving. It is essential to have enough ingredients in each bowl for the dish to be flavorful.
One chicken breast or leg is enough for one bowl of ramen. If you are serving two people, it will be ideal to have two medium-cooked chicken breast halves or four chicken legs. However, if you need to prepare ramen for four people, it would be best to purchase four chicken breasts and eight legs. Since chicken is the main ingredient in chicken ramen, having a proportionate amount of meat for each person is crucial.
How Should You Cook Chicken for Ramen?
There are two options when cooking chicken for ramen soup. You can either prepare the meat in a classic way or make the recipe even easier with a simplified cooking version. Once you have the broth ready, it’s time to prepare the meat.
The Classic Way of Preparation
The first step is to make caramelized soy chicken. You will need to marinate the meat in dark soy sauce and mirin mix (the marinade that you use for ramen eggs). After soaking the meat in the marinade, grill it in a pan or cook it in the oven. This method is easier since you can cook more meat simultaneously, and what doesn’t end up in the broth can be saved for delicious risotto or a salad.
The Simplified Way of Preparation
If you don’t want to spend time grilling or cooking in the oven, there is a simple way how the meat can still be made to taste incredible. The solution is to cook the meat in the broth. After cooking the meat and broth at the same time, you only need to take it out on a chopping board and slice it. Then, you can mix the broth, noodles, and vegetables. Not only is this a more convenient method of preparation, but you will save precious time in the process.
What Topping Can Be Added to a Chicken Ramen?
There are various toppings that enhance the flavor of the meat in the broth. Choosing the amount and type of toppings should always depend on the personal preferences of the diners. Here is a list of toppings that would be a great addition to chicken ramen:
- Sweet bell peppers and radishes – The bowl will have a bit of sweetness and a nice crunch with these vegetables. The savoriness of the broth will not be overpowering with a small number of radishes and bell peppers.
- Sesame seeds – Choosing either black or white sesame seeds would be ideal for the dish. The black sesame seeds will stand out against the noodles, while the white will stand out against the meat. Sesame seeds are a good option if you want to add a hint of sweet and nutty flavor.
- Fried garlic or fried chili – For lovers of zesty and piquant flavors, pairing garlic and chili with the meat and the broth is an excellent option. The flavor is not impacted tremendously, but it still adds a stronger taste to the bowl.
- Mushrooms – Searching for an ingredient with the best umami flavor? Choose either enoki or shiitake mushrooms for your dish.
- Eggs or Tamago – The dish is not complete without a boiled egg. This topping should be a must. You can use soft-boiled, hard-boiled, and plain eggs. Don’t forget to marinade the eggs since the flavor is unparalleled to any other.
- Sesame oil – Pouring sesame oil into soy ramen is one of the most important steps. It serves as a seasoning for the broth and the meat that elevates the taste.
How Nutritious Is Ramen?
The popular broth with noodles, vegetables, and meat is one of the most nutritious and healthy dishes. Here is a table with all the important nutrition facts about one serving that contains pieces of chicken.
| Calories | 513 |
| Carbs | 57g |
| Fat | 13g |
| Protein | 42g |
| Cholesterol | 0 |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Sodium | 1,600 milligrams |
| Potassium | 180mg |
| Iron | 3.6 milligrams |
Apart From Chicken, What Other Meats Can You Use?
Chicken is not the only type of meat that can be used to prepare the dish. One can choose other meats such as pork and beef and make an incredibly tasty broth. Here is a list of meats one can put in ramen:
- Pork chashu – Umami-rich thinly-sliced pieces of braised pork can be put in a piping hot bowl. Next to chicken, pork chashu is used the most when cooking ramen.
- Roast beef – Instead of pork chashu, roast beef can be served as a topping.
- Bacon – Frying bacon in a pan and putting it in a soup might seem like the worst idea ever, but there is no denying it – the taste is amazing.
- Niku soboro – Having all the meat at the same time is possible with niku soboro. It is a flavored beef, pork, and chicken that has to be fried until it becomes dry. After seasoning it with sugar and soy sauce, it becomes an ideal ingredient for ramen.
Ready to Prepare Chicken Ramen? Let’s Get Started
Knowing how much chicken to make for your ramen is the first step to preparing a perfect dish. Purchase the amount of meat based on the number of people that will be eating ramen. The ideal quantity is two chicken breast halves and four chicken thighs which is an appropriate amount for two bowls. Once you cook the meat, don’t forget to choose the best additional toppings that will add new flavors to your top ramen. Bear in mind that there are other meat options for the dish since it can be prepared with pork, beef, and niku soboro as well.