This 20-minute Instant Pot Spicy Chicken Ramen is a fantastic addition to your weeknight dinner menu! Start with a spicy-as-you-want broth, add some quick-cooked chicken, and top it all off with your favorite veggies for a healthy bowl of comfort.
From balancing the broth flavors to choosing the perfect toppings, making homemade ramen is truly an art.
And for those same reasons, finding a good bowl of it when eating out can be pretty tough.
Unless you live in Japan, of course.
How about until we move, we just fire up our Instant Pots and enjoy this Spicy Chicken Ramen? I won’t complain about pretty damn good flavor developed in just 20 minutes!
My first experience with ramen noodles was probably like everyone else’s.
Square, orange, salty AF packets of noodles, powder, and water, cooked on the stovetop.
Or! Or a styrofoam Cup-O-Noodles with freeze-dried peas and corn, nuked in the microwave.
My latchkey preteen years involved a lot of those for lunch.
I probably could have written a microwave hacks cookbook back in the day, based on the snacks I made myself after school.
Real ramen, though – THAT is where it’s at, and it’s definitely my favorite kind of soup.
This spicy ramen is all about the toppings, just the way I like it.
What Goes Into Spicy Chicken Ramen?
Unlike that cheap college student staple, real homemade ramen starts with a complex broth. Whether it’s miso (fermented soybean), tonkotsu (pork bones), or shoyu (chicken + soy sauce, like in this recipe) is up to you.
Each broth is loaded with tons of umami flavor – everything from soy sauce to fish sauce to rice vinegar. Don’t let the smell of fish sauce put you off – it’s horrible, but the flavor it lends to anything it’s used in is incredible!
Obviously, the next main ingredient is chicken! Pick your poison. Breasts work well in this recipe – the cook time in the Instant Pot is short, and the flavors of the broth are cooked right into the chicken before it’s shredded. If thighs are more your style, though, feel free to use those instead.
As far as toppings go, the possibilities are endless! Aside from ramen noodles, common ingredients are soft- or hard-boiled eggs, fresh mushrooms, scallions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, carrots, and seaweed.
How To Make Spicy Chicken Ramen In An Instant Pot
- First, heat sesame oil in your Instant Pot, then saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Press Cancel button and stir in some chicken broth to deglaze the pot.
- Next, stir in the remaining broth, water, soy sauce, mirin, chili paste, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken breasts and half of the mushrooms, cover/seal, and pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up, perform a quick release. Press the Cancel button, then Saute. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, shred it, and return it to the pot. Stir in ramen noodles, arugula, spinach, cilantro, and lime juice and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the noodles are just softened.
- Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and top with boiled eggs, remaining mushrooms, and any desired toppings. Enjoy!
Tips For Fabulous Homemade Ramen:
- Spice it up to your liking. The listed spicy ingredients (chili paste, red pepper flakes) in this recipe yield a pretty fiery soup – if you like it a little milder or even hotter, adjust!
- Pick your chicken. Got some leftover chicken breast? Half of a rotisserie? Toss it in the pot AFTER a short 2 minute pressure cook (just to soften the mushrooms and blend the flavors) so you don’t toughen it up.
- If you like it al dente, boil the ramen noodles while the soup pressure cooks, then drain them and place them in serving bowls. Ladle the soup over them and top away. Cooking it this way is a little more involved, but keeps the noodles from soaking up too much broth and getting soggy.
- Hate cilantro? Use some Thai basil instead for an equally fresh and herby flavor.
LOOKING FOR MORE SOUP RECIPES?
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS FOR MAKING SPICY CHICKEN RAMEN SOUP:
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Instant Pot Spicy Chicken Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil plus more for serving
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 4 cups lower sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons chili paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless & skinless
- 5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced; divided
- 6 ounces ramen noodles uncooked
- 1 cup fresh arugula (rocket)
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- 1 small lime juiced, plus more for serving
- 4 soft boiled eggs cut in half
- Shredded carrots green onions, sesame seeds, & sriracha for serving
Instructions
- Press Saute on the Instant Pot. Heat sesame oil, then add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Press the Cancel button and stir in ½ cup of chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the remaining broth, water, soy sauce, mirin, chili paste, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add the chicken and half of the mushrooms. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Once cooking time is up, perform a quick release of the pressure. Press the Cancel button, then press Saute. Remove the lid and carefully transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Shred the chicken, then add it back into the pot.
- Stir in the noodles, arugula, spinach, cilantro, and lime juice and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the noodles are soft.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with boiled eggs, remaining mushrooms, and any desired toppings.
Nutrition
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wilhelmina says
This is one delicious bowl of ramen! Thanks for the great recipe!
Nellie Tracy says
Absolutely DELICIOUS recipe! Love this!
George says
Made this for the first time , was so amazing.
Thank you
Brooke Coffey says
Does this freeze well?
Caleb says
We make this at least once a week
Erica says
It must be a fave then! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know, Caleb! 🙂
Amy says
This recipe is my absolute favorite! We have it once a week and we argue over the leftovers. 😉 The flavor of the broth is unlike any other recipe I’ve tried. I’ve played with it a bit but I can’t say any ingredient I’ve added has improved the original flavor.