Spicy Chicken Ramen Noodles with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 250–300 g), sliced into small pieces on an angle
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Small pinch of salt, plus more only if needed
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp chicken seasoning cube
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced, for the stock
• 3/4 to 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 servings ramen noodles
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• White/light-green parts of 2 green onions, sliced; green tops reserved for garnish
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 2–3 tbsp water, as needed to loosen the gochujang
• Prepared chicken-mushroom stock, as needed (start with about 2 cups for less-brothy ramen)
• Chili flakes for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Make the chicken-mushroom stock. Add 3 1/2 cups water, chicken seasoning cube, dark soy sauce, vinegar, sliced ginger and mushrooms to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10–15 minutes so the broth becomes flavorful and the mushrooms soften.
2. Marinate the chicken. Mix the sliced chicken breast with soy sauce, sesame oil, paprika, black pepper and a small pinch of salt. Let it marinate for about 10–15 minutes while the stock simmers.
3. Stir-fry the chicken. Heat a nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. Cook the aromatics. In the same pan, add the chopped garlic, chopped ginger, green-onion whites and sliced yellow onion. Stir-fry briefly until fragrant.
5. Add the gochujang. Add the gochujang and mix it into the aromatics. Add 2–3 tablespoons water as needed to loosen the mixture and cook briefly.
6. Cook the ramen noodles. Cook the ramen noodles separately according to the package directions. My noodles only needed about 30 seconds. Drain them as soon as they are ready so they do not overcook.
7. Let the noodles absorb the flavor. Add the drained noodles to the ginger-garlic-gochujang pan. Toss and sauté for 30–60 seconds so the noodles absorb the flavors, adding a little prepared stock as needed to keep them loose and prevent sticking.
8. Return the chicken. Add the cooked chicken back to the pan after the noodles. Stir-fry everything together for another 30–60 seconds so the chicken and noodles are coated with the aromatic mixture.
9. Add the broth to your liking. Pour in about 2 cups of the prepared chicken-mushroom stock, including some mushrooms. Add more stock only as needed depending on how brothy you like your ramen.
10. Finish and serve. Simmer everything together for 1–2 minutes. Taste before adding extra salt because the soy sauce, chicken seasoning and gochujang are already salty. Divide between two bowls and garnish with green-onion tops and chili flakes if you like.