Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry
This easy chicken ramen stir-fry recipe combines marinated chicken thighs with vibrant vegetables and quick-cooking ramen noodles. It's a flavorful and efficient meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner, ready in under 35 minutes, offering a delightful balance of savory and tangy notes.
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl For whisking marinade
- 1 Whisk For combining marinade ingredients
- 1 Vegetable Peeler For creating carrot ribbons
- 1 Medium Pot For cooking ramen noodles
- 1 Large Skillet or Wok Essential for stir-frying
Ingredients
Main
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced
- 2 carrots
- 3 packages ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded
- 1 cup sliced purple cabbage
- 1 cup sliced yellow onion
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- Sriracha hot sauce for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, honey, vinegar, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Add the chicken and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons from the carrots; there should be about 1 cup of carrot ribbons.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add the ramen noodles; let sit for 2 minutes, then drain.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet or wok. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Stir-fry the chicken in the hot oil until cooked through, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the cabbage, onion and carrots to the skillet and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water, scraping up any browned chicken bits from the bottom. Add the cooked ramen noodles, cooked chicken and reserved marinade to the skillet along with the scallions. Stir-fry until everything is heated through and uniformly combined, an additional minute. Serve immediately with sriracha and lime wedges.
Notes
1. **Mise en Place is Key:** For stir-fries, always have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. The cooking process is very fast, so you won't have time to chop. 2. **High Heat, Quick Cook:** Ensure your skillet or wok is screaming hot before adding the chicken and vegetables. This ensures a good sear on the chicken and crisp-tender vegetables, preventing them from steaming. 3. **Chicken Thighs are Best:** Using chicken thighs provides more flavor and stays juicy during high-heat cooking compared to leaner chicken breast. 4. **Flavor Balance:** The Sriracha and lime wedges are crucial. The heat from Sriracha cuts through the richness, while fresh lime brightens the dish and balances the savory soy sauce.