Chicken ramen saved my life.
Not the fancy “Japanese” ramen that passes as a date night meal.
But rather the highly processed Maruchan ramen you could get in a pack of four.
That ramen saved my life because it was just the cheap, quick, and adaptable food that I needed to survive in college when I had no more dining hall credits or when money was tight.
Eventually, money became less of a problem as I started doing internships, leading me to consume less of that ramen and more of the authentic ramen that’s so common today.
I became addicted to going out to get it with friends and my bank statement reflected that in kind.
Even my weight reflected it too. I had gained a couple of pounds from eating my favorite kind of ramen, Pork Tonkatsu, in just a matter of weeks. I’m not sure how many calories each bowl was, but estimates point to anywhere from 800 to 1,000 calories.
That quickly prompted me to cut down the eating out and start making some of my own ramen at home. I tried doing that for a while but for some reason, it never really satisfied me quite like the restaurants.
Probably because mine was aimed at being as healthy as possible, but not being creamy or fatty like the ones I preferred.
Needless to say, I kind of just threw in the towel and accepted mine would either have to be healthy or taste really good. Not both.
That all changed earlier this week when a craving for that pre-packaged ramen hit me like a nostalgic bus. I didn’t know where it came from, but I did know I wasn’t going to buy any of it.
So I did what I do best. Figure out how to have what I want without the guilt.
I went looking around the store for anything that could help me replicate the creamy flavor of Maruchan ramen and then this low-fat cream of chicken soup caught my eye.
As I experimented with it, I remembered that I still don’t have a satisfying, high-protein homemade Japanese-style ramen recipe in my arsenal yet.
That’s when I decided let’s combine the flavors of the fake ramen with the real ramen and see what happens.
I’m pleased to report that the result was a success and that I think this is some of the best ramen with 55g of protein you can probably have in less than an hour.
It’s creamy, packed with umami flavor, and less than 600 calories. Plus, all you need is a low-fat cream of chicken soup, dried shitake mushrooms, and some other basic ingredients to make it.
No special ingredients or trips to specialty stores required.
Whether you’re a fan of packaged ramen or a fan of real Japanese ramen, I’m confident this ramen will not only keep you healthy but also satisfied!
Here are some notes about this recipe:
Use a low-fat can of cream of chicken soup. This is what I used.
The whole can should be around 150-160 calories.
Campbell’s is not low-fat. If you only have that, I’d use less than 1/2 cup of it and also reduce some of the other liquids.
Dried shitake mushrooms and fresh shitake mushrooms are NOT the same. This recipe calls for the dried variety.
While optional, if your store sells kombu I would recommend seasoning the ramen broth for more umami flavor.
Reduce the calories by swapping boneless chicken thighs for chicken breasts.
I would recommend cooking the chicken in the air fryer to get it a little crispy but you can also use the oven.
For the air fryer, cook the chicken at 400°F for about 20 minutes.
For the oven, cook the chicken at 400°F for about 30 minutes.
Control the salt by using a low-sodium bone broth.
If there isn’t one available at your store use less soy sauce in the recipe.
55G Protein Per Bowl | 586 Calories | 45-60 Minutes | 4 Servings
RECIPE
Ingredient List
Ramen
6 cups chicken bone broth
2 cups cream of chicken soup
1 oz dried shitake mushrooms
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking sherry
1 tbsp sriracha (optional)
1 lb of ramen noodles
Roasted Chicken
1 1/2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soy sauce
Toppings
1-2 lbs of bok choy, rougly chopped
2 green onions, roughly chopped
Rehydrated shitake mushrooms, sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs
Sesame seeds (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Prep Ramen Toppings 🍜
Preheat your air fryer or oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, bring 5 cups of water to a boil, then turn off the heat and add the dried shitake mushrooms in it.
Combine all the ingredients listed for the roasted chicken list in a mixing bowl, ensuring every piece of chicken is evenly coated. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or cook in the air fryer for 20 minutes.
In another pot, bring water to a boil and gently add 4 eggs. Boil them to your preferred level of doneness, then promptly remove and plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Chop the bok choy and green onions, and set them aside for later use.
Make The Broth 🥣
Remove the shitake mushrooms from the warm water. Slice the mushrooms and reserve the liquid.
Heat a pot over medium heat and coat lightly with cooking spray. Add the garlic and sauté for about 15-20 seconds, just until fragrant.
Pour in the cooking sherry followed by the soy sauce and stir well.
Add the cream of chicken soup and stir until it becomes a thick liquid. Then add the 1 tbsp of sriracha, 2 cups of the mushroom liquid, and the 6 cups of bone broth. Stir well.
Let the broth simmer. Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions.
If the chicken is done by this point, set it aside to rest for a few minutes and then slice into long pieces.
Add the bok choy and sliced mushrooms to the simmering broth and cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften slightly.
In a deep serving bowl, layer 1 1/2 cups of cooked noodles. Ladle a 1/4 of the hot broth over the noodles, then top with the bok choy, mushrooms, and 5 oz of roasted chicken. Add a peeled, halved hard-boiled egg and a sprinkle of green onions. Enjoy!
Don’t forget to check out the archive here for other gourmet high-protein recipes.
Eat Well,
Marcus Matkins
This sounds quite delicious!