If you had told me five years ago that I could make restaurant-quality ramen in my own kitchen on a busy weeknight, I probably would have laughed. For the longest time, I assumed incredible ramen required simmering bones for 24 hours straight. But then, on a freezing Tuesday when the craving hit and I refused to pay $30 for delivery, I started experimenting. This Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen was born out of pure desperation, and it ended up being one of the best things to ever come out of my kitchen.
Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen is a rich, comforting, and incredibly easy homemade ramen recipe that’s ready in under 40 minutes. A velvety garlic miso cream broth, tender golden-seared chicken, perfectly jammy soft-boiled eggs, and springy ramen noodles come together in one pot for a satisfying weeknight dinner the whole family will love. This simple, from-scratch recipe is leaps and bounds better than takeout and endlessly customizable with your favorite toppings. The ultimate cozy comfort food bowl for any night of the week.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant Quality Broth: Shockingly authentic "tonkotsu-style" creamy mouthfeel without boiling bones all day.
- Ready in 40 Minutes: A complex flavor profile that comes together faster than delivery.
- One Pot Cleanup: Sear the chicken, build the broth, and cook the noodles all in the same pot.
- Endlessly Customizable: Load your bowl up with whatever proteins and vegetables you have.
- Perfect Texture: Springy noodles, jammy soft-boiled egg, and tender seared chicken.
Ingredients You'll Need
While the ingredient list might look slightly longer than my usual recipes, you likely already have most of these pantry staples on hand.
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g / 1.1 lb)
- 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil — for searing
- 1 tbsp sesame oil — base fat for aromatics
- 6 garlic cloves, minced — essential here
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp white miso paste — do not skip this! Provides subtle umami depth.
- 960ml (4 cups) chicken broth
- 240ml (1 cup) whole milk AND 120ml (½ cup) heavy cream — secret to the velvety broth
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 blocks (180g / 6 oz) ramen noodles — discard seasoning packets
- 2 soft-boiled eggs, halved
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds / Drizzle of chili oil / Nori sheets (optional)
A quick note on the Miso: White miso paste (Shiro Miso) is milder and sweeter than red miso. You can find it in the refrigerated section of most major grocery stores near the tofu. It lasts for months in the fridge and is an incredible secret ingredient to have on hand!
Note: The exact 6.5-minute boil followed by an immediate ice bath is the foolproof, scientific secret to getting that perfectly jammy, spreadable, golden yolk every single time.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen
The beauty of this recipe is that it all happens in one large pot, building flavor layer upon layer.
Step 1: Cook the chicken.
Pat chicken breasts dry, season evenly with dry rub. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear 5–6 mins per side until deeply golden brown. Remove and rest.
Step 2: Soft boil the eggs.
Carefully lower eggs into rapidly boiling water. Boil exactly 6.5 minutes. Immediately transfer to ice water for 5 minutes. Peel and set aside.
Step 3: Build the broth base.
In the same pot (leave brown bits!), turn heat down to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Sauté 1–2 mins. Stir in soy sauce and white miso paste, mashing miso until it melts.
Step 4: Simmer the broth.
Slowly pour in chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and chili garlic sauce. Whisk gently, scraping up the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil!) and cook uncovered 8–10 minutes.
Step 5: Cook the noodles.
Drop dry ramen blocks directly into the simmering broth. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring gently to separate, just until tender. Do not overcook!
Step 6: Shred and serve.
Shred the resting chicken breasts. Divide hot noodles among deep bowls, ladle broth over the top. Arrange shredded chicken, halved eggs, green onions, sesame seeds, and chili oil. Serve immediately!
Lora's Kitchen Tips
- Don't skip the miso. White miso adds a subtle, complex savory depth you absolutely cannot replicate with soy sauce.
- Nail the soft-boiled egg. 6.5 minutes in boiling water, then straight into an ice bath.
- Simmer low and slow. Boiling dairy aggressively can cause it to separate and look grainy. Maintain a lazy simmer.
- Cook noodles separately for meal prep. Do not store noodles in the broth! They will soak up liquid and turn into mush.
- Customize your toppings. Sweet corn, sautéed mushrooms, or wilted bok choy all work beautifully.
Variations and Substitutions
Swap the protein: Thinly sliced pork belly, leftover steak, or even frozen shrimp thrown in for the last 3 minutes are incredible substitutes.
Make it vegetarian: Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth, omit the chicken, and load up with pan-seared tofu and extra vegetables.
Make it dairy-free: Substitute whole milk and cream with full-fat oat milk or unsweetened coconut milk.
Turn up the heat: Double the chili garlic sauce and top your bowl with extra chili crunch.
Use different noodles: Fresh udon or even linguine pasta can work in a pinch if cooked separately first.
What to Serve with Ramen
Because this bowl of Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen is so incredibly rich, heavy, and satisfying, you really don’t need much else on the table.
If you want the full restaurant experience, serving this with a side of crispy pan-fried pork or vegetable gyoza (potstickers) is a massive crowd-pleaser.
For something lighter, a very crisp, bright Asian-inspired cucumber salad tossed in rice vinegar and sesame oil provides the perfect refreshing contrast to the velvety, heavy cream broth.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Storage: Store the creamy broth, shredded chicken, and cooked noodles in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this recipe. Dairy will separate and become grainy once thawed.
- Reheating: Warm broth gently in a saucepan (do not boil). Pour hot broth directly over cold noodles in a serving bowl to reheat them perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is what I am asked most often about making homemade ramen:
Why did my broth separate and look grainy?
This happens when dairy is boiled too rapidly causing proteins to separate from fat. Only allow a gentle, lazy simmer once the milk and cream are added.
What is the difference between white miso and red miso?
White miso is fermented for less time, resulting in a milder, sweeter flavor. Red miso is much saltier and robust. White miso won’t overpower the garlic and cream.
Can I just use the flavor packets that come with the ramen?
I highly advise discarding them. They are packed with sodium and artificial flavors which will mask the fresh garlic, ginger, and miso we worked so hard to build.
My soft-boiled eggs are always impossible to peel. How do I fix this?
Older eggs peel easier. Also, dropping eggs into already boiling water shocks the white away from the shell for a much easier peel.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
No. To make it gluten-free, use rice noodles, swap soy sauce for tamari, and ensure your specific brand of miso paste is labeled gluten-free.
This Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen proves that you don’t need 24 hours and a professional kitchen to achieve deeply comforting, complex, restaurant-quality flavors at home. Whether you are battling a cold, surviving a freezing winter night, or just craving absolute comfort, this 40-minute bowl is exactly what you need.
With love and extra noodles,
Lora x
Creamy Garlic Chicken Ramen
4
servings10
minutes30
minutes680
kcalIngredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g / 1.1 lb)
1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp white miso paste
960ml (4 cups) chicken broth
240ml (1 cup) whole milk AND 120ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 blocks (180g / 6 oz) ramen noodles
2 soft-boiled eggs (halved), 3 green onions (sliced), sesame seeds
Directions
Season chicken. Sear in sesame oil 5–6 min per side until golden (165°F). Remove and rest.
Boil eggs exactly 6.5 min, immediately transfer to ice bath for 5 min. Peel and set aside.
In same pot, sauté garlic and ginger in sesame oil 1–2 min. Stir in soy sauce and miso paste.
Add chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and chili garlic sauce. Simmer gently uncovered 8–10 min.
Cook ramen noodles directly in the simmering broth for 2–3 min until just tender.
Shred chicken. Divide noodles and broth into bowls. Top with chicken, eggs, green onions, and sesame seeds.
