Rotisserie Chicken Ramen from Lucky Peach: 101 Easy Asian Recipes has become my go-to weeknight comfort meal. The broth needs a couple of hours to simmer, but the hands-on time is minimal and the result is a deeply flavored, satisfying bowl.
This year I decided to explore more Asian recipes, and receiving Lucky Peach felt like a small culinary revelation. I’d been craving homemade chicken ramen ever since a friend described the rich bowl she and her partner make. While flipping through the cookbook, I landed on Rotisserie Chicken Ramen — a recipe that felt tailored for a simple, flavorful weeknight meal.
The broth requires time but very little active work: it simmers while you handle other tasks. The depth of flavor is remarkable. I shared a bowl with my mom on a snowy day in Denver and we both ate in contented silence until our bowls were empty — a simple, honest sign of how satisfying this recipe is.
If you get the book, do try the soy sauce eggs — they add a silky, savory finish to the bowl that’s absolutely worth the extra five minutes.
Lucky Peach is witty and approachable, written for cooks who aren’t experts in Asian cuisine. The instructions are clear, and the photography feels achievable rather than intimidating. These are recipes you can actually make at home and have them turn out well. That balance of practical guidance and inspiring visuals is what makes this book so useful.
If you’re hesitant about diving into Asian recipes, this book is an excellent place to start. The slow cooker pho is next on my list — I’ll try it soon and share how it turns out.
Disclosure: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.
Rotisserie Chicken Ramen
15
2 15
2 30
4 servings
ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken whole or leftover
- 4 scallions
- 1 piece 1″ fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot optional
- 1 dried shiitake mushroom
- 3 slices bacon about 2 oz
- 12 C water
- 4 portions ramen noodles preferably fresh
- 8 t soy sauce
- 2 cooked eggs optional but recommended; halved
instructions
-
If you start with a leftover rotisserie carcass, pick off the best meaty bits and set them aside. If you bought a cooked chicken for this recipe, remove the breast and reserve the drumsticks; shred the leg meat into large, bite-size pieces. Leave some meat on the carcass — it adds flavor to the broth. Refrigerate the reserved meat while you make the stock.
-
Break the carcass into a few pieces and place them in a stockpot. Trim the roots and dark green ends from the scallions and add them to the pot; thinly slice the white and tender green parts to use as garnish later. Add the ginger, carrot (if using), shiitake, and bacon. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and skim any froth from the surface during the first 10 minutes.
-
Simmer until the liquid reduces by about one-third (to roughly 8 cups), about 2 hours. Strain the broth into a clean pot. The shiitake is often tender and flavorful at this point — slice it and save a bit to garnish the finished bowls. The broth can be used right away or refrigerated for up to 2 days.
-
To serve: bring the strained broth to a strong simmer. Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions, drain them well, and divide among four deep bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Season each bowl with about 2 teaspoons soy sauce, top with reserved chicken, sliced scallions, half a soy sauce egg if using, and any other garnishes you like. Serve immediately.
notes
Two hours is the sweet spot for extracting deep flavor and reducing the stock to a concentrated, savory broth. You don’t need to be active for that whole time — it’s mostly hands-off simmering.
Why should I skim the broth?
Skimming during the first 10 minutes helps control the simmer and removes rendered fat and impurities that can make the broth cloudy or flat. Skimming yields a cleaner-tasting, clearer soup and a better bowl of ramen.
Pin this Rotisserie Chicken Ramen recipe for later!
