30-Minute Chicken Meatball Ramen with Chili Garlic Oil

This Chicken Meatball Ramen is a wholesome, fast, and flavorful meal that – if you’re anything like me – will become a major craving of yours after making it just one time. I love this stuff, I really do, and I started making it at the beginning of the pandemic, when I found myself missing the ramen restaurants that I adored so much in Indianapolis, before we moved to Charleston. This recipe isn’t some authentic take on Japanese Ramen, but it’s close and will hit the spot if you can’t get out to sample the real deal.

I hope this recipe helps to kick-start your interest in Japanese cooking! Here are a few great resources to really help you learn so much more about this incredible food culture.

Over on Instagram:

@everyday_japanese_food

@yukiskitchen

@sylvia.wakana

On YouTube

Miwa’s Japanese Cooking

What ingredients are in authentic ramen?

I should begin by noting that today’s recipe is not some authentic version of Ramen – no, it is not. However it is a delicious approximation of the incredible Japanese noodle soup that, for all of its shortcuts and quick-fix tricks, still does manage to mimic the deep flavors of a real-deal ramen experience, which – if you’ve never enjoyed at a restaurant before, where they specialize in ramen, you should absolutely put it on your food bucket list. Real deal ramen is one of the best culinary experiences out there.

Traditional ramen is made with wheat noodles that are served in a broth that is typically either meat or fish-based. Ramen is flavored with soy sauce, miso (often both) and is topped with aromatics like scallions, and often sliced pork, nori (dried seaweed), and menma. 

30-Minute Ramen Tips

For time and convenience, we’re taking a few liberties with the classic ramen preparation, and here’s how we’re streamlining things to make this recipe fast and very weeknight friendly

1. Meatballs. See below for all my poetic waxing about how great meatballs are. 
2. Chicken stock concentrate. I started using this stuff recently and now I’m finding that I reach for it all. the. time when I need a surefire way to glean maximum flavor out of a sauce or cooking liquid in minimum time. It’s a pretty clutch My Kitchen Little ingredient, to be honest, and I highly recommend keeping some in your quick-fix arsenal for times just like this (Ramen time). 
3. Chili Garlic Oil. By simply warming some garlic in a little olive oil, with some crushed chili flakes or a minced fresh chili, you get this extra punch of flavor right on top of your ramen, after dishing it up. A really fun touch – I keep this stuff close at hand, all the time. 
4. Dried Porcini mushroom paste. This is what I do to turbo boost the flavor in my mushroom risotto and it’s just as effective in broth dishes like this ramen. Rehydrate them in some hot water, give them a blitz in your blender and then add this paste to your ramen. Amazingly effective stuff.

How to make great meatballs, every time

1. Don’t work them too much. Over mixing or over-handling ground meats, especially lean varieties like chicken, can really result in a tougher meatball, in the end. All of that man-handling tends to pack the meat too tight, and it all makes for a denser, less tender meatball. So, just gently mix your meatballs until things look sufficiently blended, and call it good.

2. Panko. Panko. Panko. The addition of breadcrumbs is pretty standard in just about every meatball recipe out there, be they Swedish, Italian, or in this case – Asian-inspired. The breadcrumbs help to absorb some of the errant moisture in the meatballs and they help to stabilize them, actually ensuring that they keep their shape and don’t fall to literal pieces on you, during the cooking process. 

3. Roast your meatballs! Don’t fry. The day I decided to stop pan-frying my meatballs was a really great day. It’s so messy and greasy and splattery to cook them that way, and honestly the oven and a sheet pan do the job just as well- better even. A super hot oven – here 425 degrees F – and a solid large baking sheet will cook the entire lot of meatballs in one shot. No need for flipping or wiping of the grease-slicked stovetop. Easy does it, with this method. 

4. Add flavors that reflect your dish. The reason I tend to incorporate meatballs into so many of my dinner recipes is because they really do make for a very easy way to incorporate great flavors into a single bite. They morph from one culture to the next simply due to the combination of flavoring, aromatics, and seasonings you choose to add. In the case of this ramen, we’ll be adding garlic, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce to achieve amazing flavor.  

What you’ll need to make this 30-Minute Chicken Meatball Ramen

1-oz. Dried porcini mushrooms (optional, but recommended)

5 large garlic cloves, minced or grated

Olive oil, as needed and directed

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or 1 small hot chili pepper, minced

1.5 lb. ground pork 

2 scallions, chopped; greens and whites separated

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely minced

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 TBSP soy sauce

12 oz. shiitake or button mushrooms, or a mix of both, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, thinly chopped/sliced

2 TBSP chicken stock concentrate, such as Better Than Bouillon

12 oz ramen noodles

How to make this 30-minute Chicken Meatball Ramen with Chili Garlic Oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the top position. 

Add the dried porcinis to a bowl with hot water to cover. Let them soak for a few minutes to soften. Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend into a smooth paste. Set aside for now. 

Add ¼ of the garlic to a small bowl or ramekin, along with 2 TBSP of olive oil and a pinch of crushed chili flakes (or the minced fresh chili). Microwave until fragrant; about 30 seconds (you can do this in a saucepan on the stove, if desired). Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, the scallion whites, half of the remaining garlic, half of the ginger, panko, and the soy sauce. Gently mix until well combined. Shape into 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast until golden brown and cooked through; about 12 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, add about 1 TBSP of oil to a large, deep skillet set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and carrot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more oil if necessary and the rest of the garlic and ginger. Cook for 20 or 30 seconds. Add 4 cups water, the chicken stock concentrate, and the pureed porcini mushrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add the meatballs and and gently simmer; about 23 minutes. Taste + season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender; 1 – 2 min. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Toss them with a little oil to keep them from sticking. 

Add the noodles to individual bowls and ladle the meatballs, veggies, and broth over top. Drizzle with the chili garlic oil before enjoying. OR you can add the noodles to the meatballs and broth and serve it family style, all from the same pan (as pictured). 

If you like the looks of this Chicken Meatball Ramen with Chili Garlic Oil, you might also enjoy:

Bulgogi Beef Meatballs with Roasted Carrots

Honey Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Slaw

Print