I started working on this recipe when the weather was cold and rainy and ramen soup seemed very apt. But a lot can happen in a week including a last minute assignment for a client, house guests, a 2 day swim meet, and a child home sick with the flu. Sometime while dealing with all that, the weather did a 180 and became sunny and balmy. I’m sure if I wait another 5 minutes, the weather will turn again and then I’ll be ready with this recipe for Coconut Miso Ramen with Chicken and Vegetables. But honestly, why wait. It’s always a good time for ramen, especially when it’s ramen that you didn’t slave over all day but just whipped together in 30 minutes.
Coconut milk and white miso paste give the broth deep flavor and richness without requiring hours of simmering. Baby bok choy and water spinach cover your vegetable requirement and shredded chicken gives you a lean protein. You can even omit the chicken and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth to make this vegetarian friendly. It’s no wonder this coconut miso ramen has become my favorite soup.
The hardest ingredient to find might be the water spinach which I can only find at the Asian grocery store here. If that’s not available to you, just omit it or substitute in more baby bok choy. Water spinach can be pretty gritty when you buy it so be sure to rinse and drain it really well. The stems are hollow and they tend to hold a lot of water.
You can absolutely get fancy with this bowl of ramen and dress it up with with some nori, fried shallots, and/or a jammy soft-boiled egg. But, it honestly isn’t necessary. If it has just been one of those days or weeks or months, go with the basic recipe and savor the joy of eating slurpy noodles.
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PinIngredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 4 scallions, sliced
- Pinch kosher salt
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk, well shaken
- 6 tablespoons white miso paste
- 6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 8 ounces baby bok choy, roughly chopped
- 6 ounces water spinach, roughly chopped
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (such as rotisserie chicken)
- 20 ounces fresh ramen noodles
- 4 soft boiled eggs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat sesame oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned in places, 3-5 minutes. Add the scallions and a pinch of salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add chicken broth, coconut milk, white miso paste, and soy sauce to the pot. Whisk until the miso paste is dissolved. Bring the broth to a boil then reduce heat and let the soup simmer while cooking the noodles.
While the broth is simmering, cook the noodles. In a 4-quart saucepan, add enough water to fill the pan about 3/4 full. Bring the water to a boil and then add the ramen noodles. Cook the noodles until they are just tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain the noodles. Set aside.
Add the chopped bok choy, water spinach, and shredded chicken to the soup broth. Simmer until the vegetables are bright green and chicken is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide the ramen noodles among 4 large bowls. Ladle the coconut broth, chicken, and vegetables on top and sprinkle with additional scallion greens, if desired. Top with soft boiled eggs if using.
Notes
To cook soft boiled eggs, see my recipe for grain bowls.
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