Creamy Chicken Ramen Slow Cooker Recipe

Creamy Chicken Ramen

My creamy chicken ramen recipe is a comforting and rich slow cooker ramen that’s simple to prepare and bursting with flavor.

Slow-cooked to perfection, this dish features tender pieces of chicken breast infused with the aromatic blend of ginger, onion, garlic, coconut, and homemade fermented sriracha. We pair the juicy chicken with an irresistible broth made from chicken stock, coconut milk, and a hint of peanut butter (it sounds unusual, but trust me on this one).

These elements combine to create a savory, slightly spicy, and deliciously creamy ramen.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Ramen Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients to make this delicious creamy chicken ramen!

• 2-3 pounds chicken thighs
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1-400 mL can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons fermented sriracha
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 yellow onions, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Fresh shelled edamame
• Sprouts, any kind
• dry ramen noodles
• fresh green onions, chopped
• Cilantro, chopped

Equipment you need (one of the following):

• Slow cooker
• Instant pot
• Large stock pot with lid

The History of Ramen Noodle Soup

While its precise origin is somewhat debated, it’s widely believed that ramen’s roots lie in China. Chinese immigrants introduced wheat noodles to Japan in the late 19th century, influencing the development of what we now know as ramen.

The first documented appearance of ramen in Japan was at a Chinese restaurant in Yokohama in the early 20th century. Initially, it was a Chinese specialty, but it rapidly evolved into a super-popular Japanese meal. The dish was trendy among students and workers for its affordability and hearty nature.

Some of the notable regional variations include:

1. Shoyu Ramen: Originating in Tokyo, this ramen features a clear, soy sauce-based broth, often paired with thin, curly noodles and toppings like seaweed, green onions, and char siu (roasted pork).
2. Miso Ramen: Hailing from Hokkaido, this ramen incorporates a rich and hearty miso (fermented soybean paste) broth, offering a unique umami flavor. People often serve this ramen with corn, butter, and bean sprouts.
3. Tonkotsu Ramen: A specialty of Kyushu, this ramen features a creamy, pork bone-based broth that’s simmered for hours. It’s accompanied by thick, straight noodles garnished with pickled ginger and garlic.
4. Shio Ramen: A lighter, salt-based ramen popular in various regions of Japan, known for its simple, delicate broth and a range of toppings, including seafood, vegetables, and more.
5. Tsukemen: This style involves dipping cold noodles into a rich, concentrated broth, offering a unique and intense ramen experience.

In recent years, ramen has become a global sensation, with chefs and home cooks putting their unique twists on this dish worldwide.

Chicken Cuts for Creamy Chicken Ramen

I suggest using chicken thighs or chicken breasts for this recipe, but chicken thighs are my favorite. Chicken thighs are an excellent choice for ramen noodle soup for several reasons.

Firstly, they are inherently juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts due to their higher fat content. This fat is reduced during cooking, imparting a rich, deep flavor to the broth, a hallmark of great ramen. The fat enriches the broth and ensures that the chicken remains tender and moist, even after long periods of simmering. This is particularly important in dishes like ramen, where simmering is critical to developing complex flavors.

Additionally, chicken thighs are more forgiving than leaner cuts. They don’t dry out quickly, which is advantageous when cooked in a slow, simmering broth. Their texture is ideally suited for absorbing the myriad of flavors from spices and seasonings typical in ramen, such as soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, enhancing the overall taste profile of the soup. 

More Ramen Recipes

• Slow Cooker Spicy Beef Ramen Made with Chuck Roast
• Thai Red Curry Ramen with Coconut Milk and Cilantro
• Vegan Kimchi Ramen with Miso and Mushrooms

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Creamy Chicken Ramen Slow Cooker Recipe

An easy recipe for creamy chicken ramen made from scratch and slow-cooked to perfection. This is a slow cooker ramen made with chicken thighs, but you can use other chicken cuts in this recipe. You can also use this recipe with an instant pot or on the stovetop (directions for all methods are included).

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• Prep: 45 minutes
• Cook: 6 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2–3 pounds chicken thighs
• 6 cups chicken or beef or vegetable broth
• 1–400 mL can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup fermented sriracha
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 yellow onions, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Fresh shelled edamame
• Sprouts, any kind
• dry ramen noodles
• fresh green onions, chopped
• Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

crockpot

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium high heat, sear the chicken on all sides.
2. Add the seared chicken in the bowl of the crockpot. Add the sriracha, peanut butter, onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari/soysauce.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the broth. The meat should break apart easily with a fork.
4. Increase the heat on the slow cooker to high and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
5. Taste the broth and add salt and more sriracha to taste if necessary.
6. Add your noodles to a heat-safe bowl, and top with boiling water. Let the noodles soak until soft then drain. Prepare the edamame as directed on the bag.
7. Ladle the broth with meat into bowls with the noodles.
8. Top with cilantro, green onions, edamame, sprouts, more hot sauce, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Stove

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium high heat, sear the chicken on all sides.
2. Add the seared chicken to a large stock pot with a lid. add the sriracha, peanut butter, onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari/soy sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the broth. The meat should break apart easily with a fork.
4. Increase the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
5. Taste the broth and add salt and more sriracha to taste if necessary.
6. Add your noodles to a heat-safe bowl, and top with boiling water. Let the noodles soak until soft then drain. Prepare the edamame as directed on the bag.
7. Ladle the broth with chicken into bowls with the noodles.
8. Top with cilantro, green onions, edamame, sprouts, more hot sauce, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Instant Pot

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the instant pot to sauté, and once hot, add the chicken. Sear on all sides.
3. Add the sriracha, peanut butter, onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Pour over the broth, coconut milk, and tamari/soy sauce.
4. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally (about 1 hour)
5. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the broth. The meat should break apart easily with a fork.
6. Turn the heat back to sauté and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
7. Taste the broth and add salt and more sriracha to taste if necessary.
8. Add your noodles to a heat-safe bowl, and top with boiling water. Let the noodles soak until soft then drain. Prepare the edamame as directed on the bag.
9. Ladle the broth with chicken into bowls with the noodles.
10. Top with cilantro, green onions, edamame, sprouts, more hot sauce, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

• for each serving use the designated serving size of ramen noodles on the noodle packaging.

Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist

Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.

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