Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen

By Christian Reynoso

Published March 19, 2025

Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen
Ghazalle Badiozamani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(988)
Comments
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Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast yet it tastes as if you've just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1(2-pound) rotisserie chicken
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2tablespoons olive oil or other oil of your choice
  • 3heads garlic, halved crosswise
  • 2large yellow onions (about 1 pound), unpeeled, quartered
  • 1small bunch cilantro, thick stems cut off and reserved
  • 3tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving
  • 6 to 8ounces thin dried noodles (such as ramen, lo mein or soba)
  • 2limes, cut in half
  • 2lemons, cut in half
  • Sesame seeds or toasted sesame oil, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

726 calories; 34 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1239 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pick and shred the meat off the chicken (you should have about 3½ cups), season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside; save the bones and skin.

  2. Step 2

    In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken bones and skin, cilantro stems, soy sauce and 8½ cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, and let cook until flavorful with a distinct chicken essence, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a spider or fine-mesh sieve, lift or strain out the vegetables and chicken pieces and discard.

  3. Step 3

    Bring the broth back up to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions, then turn off heat.

  4. Step 4

    To serve, ladle the broth into bowls (tongs work well for the noodles) and add as much chicken as you’d like. Squeeze in lime and lemon juice to taste, then, if you like, toss in the spent citrus halves to let the oils from the peels subtly infuse the broth. Top with cilantro leaves and tender stems, along with sesame seeds or sesame oil and more soy sauce, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
988 user ratings
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Comments

Melissa

Made as written (I did add some chopped scallion as garnish). This is so good. Seems to be a dupe for the lime chicken soup I used to order from Republic Noodle whenever I got sick. Very easy and tasty. Next time though, I will go straight to adding a whole lime to the broth at the end for brightness. May also add a little miso for depth.

Jennifer

Made (mostly) as directed. I used Better than Boullion for the broth as I only had the chicken, no carcass. Came together very quickly. Don’t skimp on the toppings. We added sesame seeds, sesame oil, chili oil, cilantro and a good squeeze of lemon and lime. It’s a light spring take on a ramen.

Kimberooni

So quick and simple. Didn’t have a chicken carcass so used chicken broth and threw in a couple packets of dashi to steep for a few minutes when it came to a boil. Also added some beech mushrooms. Delicious!

Jason H.

This recipe made us a great soup last night, and it is going into my regular rotation. Moreover, it gave me that warm, full feeling that comes from having truly satisfying home cooking. What aspect about this dish that I like is how flexible it is. It has all the basis for good improvisation. You know the parameters. So you build from the foundation, fill in around the edges. I used a little more garlic, and will add ginger and miso the next time I make this.

Anthony

Sunshine in a bowl!

marielpdx

Liked this a lot and will make again, incorporating even more of the suggestions others made. I love thai flavors and the lime was great, but i didn’t think it needed much lemon. I added sliced ginger and jalapeño at the beginning, and wish I had started with chili oil to add some more heat. I save chicken bones in the freezer until i have enough to make bone broth, so I used those instead of a rotisserie carcass. Separately I baked some seasoned a boneless chicken breast and added that at the end. Thankful for the reminder to cook the noodles separately. The sesame oil at the end was a nice touch. Next time I’ll make sure to have thai basil on hand, and a splash of fish sauce and sprouts for an even closer faux pho!

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