Peanut Butter Ramen with Chicken
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This recipe is everything you’d hope for in a peanut butter ramen recipe. It’s creamy, slightly spicy, and packed with flavour from the garlic, soy sauce, and curry powder. The bonus for this dish is all the veg that’s included, so it’s full of nutrients
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
You will love how easy this chicken ramen recipe is to make. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes and makes a filling meal for five people. Since the leftovers are easy to reheat, you can pack a few servings into airtight containers for convenient lunch meal prep during the week.
I’ve packed several types of veg into this creamy peanut butter ramen recipe to help make it more nourishing and satisfying. Most ramen recipes (except vegetarian offerings) usually focus on protein and noodles, so they’re not as filling as this version with mangetout and pak choi.
If you plan on adding this recipe to a lunch rotation, consider alternating it with my Red Cabbage Soup with Feta, Chicken Swarma bowl, or Gyoza Soup.
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
Using chicken breasts helps keep the calories in this peanut butter ramen dish down. However, you can also use chicken thighs if you don’t mind the calorie bump. Peanut butter ramen noodles also work well with tofu.
Mangetout
If you can’t find mangetout in the store, you can use any veg you please. Sliced sweet peppers, green beans, and snap peas are excellent replacements.
Egg Noodles
Egg noodles have additional protein and nutrients like iron, B12, and folate. You can also use soba or udon noodles for a similar flavour if you have them on hand.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Adaptations
A few replacements in this Peanut Butter Chicken Noodles recipe will turn it into a tasty gluten-free meal. Instead of egg noodles, you can use a similar gluten-free noodle like soba. Use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free broth.
Making this easy chicken ramen recipe vegan is also quite easy. Use tofu as a replacement for the chicken and swap in vegetable broth for the chicken stock.
How to make peanut butter ramen
- Using a large saucepan, start by frying the spring onions in rapeseed oil for around 5 minutes on a low heat. Add a pinch of salt. Remember to reserve some spring onions for the garnish (Image 1).
- Add the curry powder, garlic, peanut butter and a splash of water to the pan. Stir and fry for a couple of minutes before adding the coconut milk and stock. Then add chicken pieces and reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 15 minutes (Image 2).
3. Next, add the mangetout, pak choi, lime juice, soy sauce and noodles to cook for a further 5 minutes and stir to combine (Image 3).
4. Before serving, taste to check if any salt is needed and serve with a sprinkle of the reserved spring onion. Add some chilli flakes if you like it hot! (Image 4).
Other ramen dishes you should try out after this recipe;
Tips for best results
Pour stock in slowly to avoid clumps.
You can avoid peanut butter clumps by pouring the stock in slowly to the peanut butter mixture and stirring as you pour. This will help break up/dissolve the peanut butter for a smoother Thai peanut butter ramen broth. Additionally, using hot broth will help dissolve the peanut butter better.
Use instant ramen in a pinch.
If you don’t have egg noodles or are in a rush, instant ramen will work for this dish. Cook the recipe according to my instructions and add the seasoning packet if you wish. You will need to adjust the curry powder and soy sauce amounts so the recipe is not overly salty.
Add chilli oil for a spicier flavour.
A fiery flavour works well with this spicy peanut butter ramen dish. If you enjoy spicy recipes, try topping this dish with a drizzle of chilli garlic sauce. You can also use sriracha on top for a slightly sweet heat.
Use creamy or crunchy peanut butter.
Any peanut butter you have on hand will work to create a tasty peanut butter sauce. Expect more texture when using crunchy instead of creamy peanut butter. Don’t forget to add toppings like green onions and sesame seeds for additional texture.
Pair with a salad for a more nutritious dish.
While this recipe already has a good amount of veg for nutrients, you can never go wrong with more veg! Adding a salad to the side helps make the meal even more filling and satiating.
Try these salads alongside this recipe: The BEST Halloumi Salad, Budget Green Goddess Salad and Vegetarian Caesar Salad.
FAQS
Yes, in general, peanut butter does pair well with ramen. However, this will ultimately vary depending on your peanut butter ramen recipe. The deliciously nutty taste you find in peanut butter works especially well with vegetarian or poultry recipes.
The easiest way to combine ramen with peanut butter is by dissolving the peanut butter with hot broth or liquid. When the broth is hot, you’ll find the peanut butter dissolves quite easily.
You’ll still need to mix the dish well to ensure there are no clumps of peanut butter in your peanut ramen dish. You can also simmer them together, like in my recipe.
Yes, peanut butter works well with fiery Shin ramen. It helps balance the heat and adds a creamy, thicker consistency to the broth.
You can make the recipe more filling; you can create a dessert to enjoy afterwards. A few of my favourite desserts to pair with peanut ramen noodles include Steamed Lemon Cake, Simple & Easy Brownies and Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats.
If you tried this Peanut Butter Ramen with Chicken recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Peanut Butter Ramen with Chicken
Ingredients
- 50 g spring onions, thinly sliced (£0.50)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced (£0.69/3)=(£0.23)
- 3 frozen chicken breasts, defrosted and sliced into bite-sized pieces (£4.10)
- 1 tin of low fat coconut milk (£0.82)
- 2 bulbs of pak choi, sliced into quarters length ways (£1.00)
- 200 g mangetout (£0.95)
- 250 g egg noodles (£1.00)
- ½ lime, juiced (£0.25)
Cupboard Essentials
- 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- ½ tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 litre chicken stock (2 stock cubes)
Method
- Start by adding the spring onion (reserving some for garnish) into a large saucepan along with the rapeseed oil and a pinch of salt. Gently fry for around 5 minutes on a medium/low heat.
- Then, add the curry powder, garlic and peanut butter into the pan. Add a splash of water to help combine the ingredients. Fry for a couple of minutes and then add the coconut milk, stock and chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Next, add the mangetout, pak choi, lime juice, soy sauce and noodles to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. Stir to combine.
- Taste to check if any salt is needed and serve with a sprinkle of the reserved spring onion and some optional chilli flakes if you like a little kick.
Notes
- Pour stock slowly into peanut butter mixture while stirring to avoid clumps and create a smoother broth.
- In a pinch, you can use instant ramen, adjusting seasoning to prevent excessive saltiness.
- For a spicier flavor, top the dish with chili oil or sriracha.
- Choose between creamy or crunchy peanut butter, and consider adding toppings like green onions and sesame seeds for added texture. Pair the dish with a salad for a more nutritious meal.
Nutrition
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