This 15 minute Chicken Ramen Stir Fry is a delicious way to spruce up your instant ramen noodles without the flavor packets. It’s ready in minutes, tastes so much better, and infinitely versatile with all the ingredient substitutions. I've also shared plenty of tips to make the recipe more flexible and adaptable as well. EASY - An easy one pot chicken ramen noodle stir fry recipe.Will serve 3 regular portions, or 2 very generous portions.
1large chicken breastsliced thin, against the grain
Generous pinch of salt
2small zucchinis (or 1 large zucchini)halved and sliced
8ozinstant ramen noodles(2 to 3 packets - see notes)
¾cupwateror no salt stock
Stir Fry Sauce
3tbspsoy sauce
2tbsphoneyor brown sugar
½tspcayenne pepper(adjust to your liking)
2 - 3cloves of garlicchopped finely
2tspblack vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1tbsprice wineor sherry, or left over red wine (OPTIONAL)
2tspsweet soy sauce (OPTIONAL)
To Serve
1tbspsesame oil, or chilli oil
2stalksChopped green onionsor 1 large stalk, Add as much or as little as you prefer.
Instructions
Measure and prep all the ingredients before you start to cook, as the cook times move pretty fast.
Mix all the ingredients in the stir fry sauce, and stir to combine. Set aside until needed.
3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp honey, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp black vinegar or balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp rice wine, 2 tsp sweet soy sauce
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick skillet on high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced chicken and a generous pinch of salt.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Stir fry the chicken on high heat for about 1 minute to cook the chicken.
1 large chicken breast, Generous pinch of salt
Add the stir fry sauce and the zucchini and mix to combine.
2 small zucchinis (or 1 large zucchini)
Break the instant ramen noodle blocks in half. Push the chicken/zucchini to the side, and place the ramen noodles on the skillet (directly on the surface of the skillet).
8 oz instant ramen noodles
Pour the water over the ramen noodles. Immediately cover with a lid, and let it steam for about 2 minutes, until the noodles soften.
¾ cup water
Flip the ramen noodles over to cook on the other side, and use tongs or a spatula to gently break apart the softened noodles. Cook for a further 1 - 2 minutes, uncovered.
Separate the noodles and mix through with the chicken and zucchini, so that the noodles are well coated with the stir fry sauce.
Cook for a further minute or 2 ONLY if you prefer soft noodles. Otherwise remove the noodles from the heat at this point. The stir fry should be relatively dry, with no extra liquid (or soup).
Reserve about ¼ of the chopped green onions, and add the rest to the stir fry. Toss to combine during the last few seconds.
2 stalks Chopped green onions
Serve the ramen noodles while hot, with the rest of the chopped green onions on top, and sesame oil drizzled over it.
1 tbsp sesame oil, or chilli oil
Notes
If you're using the regular square-shaped ramen, you can use up to 3 packets for this recipe. It will be a little under 8.5 oz, but the recipe will still work.
I used 2 packets of round-shaped ramen noodles (not instant noodle cups), which are thicker.
You can buy unflavored dry ramen noodles (without the flavor packets) in bulk in some areas too (I used to buy this in Australia).
NOTES ON INGREDIENTSYou can use leftover cooked chicken, or any other type of meat as well. Simply reheat the leftover cooked meat at the beginning, and then proceed with the recipe. If you're using frozen peas or carrots, add these along with the chicken at the beginning, and cook at medium heat for a little bit longer to thaw and cook the frozen vegetables. You can substitute the zucchini with carrots, mushrooms or cabbage. If you're using Asian greens, snow peas, baby corn, kale, or any vegetable that only needs a couple of minutes to cook, then only add these vegetables at the stage where you flip over the ramen half way through.