Ramen W/ Rich Chicken Broth, Sake Chicken, Soy Egg Recipe

Roast aromatics (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the halved onion (cut side down), smashed ginger, and garlic on a sheet pan and roast 20–25 minutes until lightly caramelized to deepen flavor. This step is optional but recommended for a richer broth.

In a large stockpot, heat 1 tbs vegetable oil over medium-high heat. If you didn't roast aromatics, add halved onion, smashed ginger, and garlic and sauté until lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the whole chicken (or chicken pieces/carcass) to the pot and briefly brown on all sides, 4–6 minutes, to develop color. If using a whole chicken, you can remove skin after searing for a clearer broth but leaving it adds richness.

Pour in 4 liters cold water so the chicken is fully submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. As it heats, skim any foam or impurities from the surface with a ladle until the liquid is clear.

Once simmering, reduce heat to low. Add dried shiitake, kombu, scallion whites (or leeks), roasted or sautéed onion, ginger, garlic, 2 tbs mirin, 2 tbs sake and 2 tsp salt. Keep at a very low simmer (not a rolling boil) for 2–3 hours. Occasionally skim fat and foam for a cleaner broth.

After simmering, remove chicken. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into another pot or bowl to remove solids. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, up to 1 tsp more if needed. If you want a glossier, richer broth, refrigerate and skim concentrated fat from the surface then whisk back a portion when reheating.

If you plan to use the poached chicken meat for the sake chicken section, reserve the cooked thighs or breast from the strained chicken and cool slightly before shredding or slicing. Otherwise proceed to make sake chicken separately.

If using raw thighs rather than the poached pieces reserved from the broth: pat chicken thighs dry and season lightly with salt.

Whisk together 60 ml sake, 30 ml soy sauce, 15 ml mirin, 1 tsp sugar, minced garlic and minced ginger in a bowl to make a marinade/poaching liquid. Place the thighs in a shallow dish or resealable bag and marinate 15–30 minutes (or proceed immediately to cooking).

For best texture, sear the thighs first: heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear skin-side down 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp, then flip 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the marinade mixture. Cover and simmer gently until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F), about 8–12 minutes depending on thickness.

Remove thighs and let rest 5 minutes. Slice into 1 cm thick pieces or shred, keeping some skin intact for richness. Reserve the cooking liquid; reduce it over medium heat until slightly thickened to use as a glaze for the sliced chicken if desired.

Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently lower 4 large eggs into the water and boil exactly 6 minutes for runny custard centers (6:30 for slightly less runny). Meanwhile have an ice bath ready.

When time is up, transfer eggs to the ice bath for at least 5 minutes to stop cooking. Once cool, gently crack shells and peel carefully.

Whisk together 80 ml soy sauce, 60 ml mirin, 60 ml water and 1 tbs sugar until sugar dissolves. Place peeled eggs in a zip-top bag or a small container and pour marinade over so eggs are mostly submerged. Refrigerate and marinate at least 4 hours, ideally 8–12 hours, turning occasionally so color is even. For deeper color and flavor, marinate up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, remove eggs from marinade, slice in half lengthwise and reserve marinade for other uses (it can flavor vegetables or tare).

Make the tare (seasoning base): in a small bowl combine 4 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs mirin and 1 tsp sesame oil (optional). Adjust to taste; this will flavor each bowl. For a deeper tare you can reduce 2 tbs of the reserved sake-chicken cooking liquid or reduced broth into the mixture.

Bring the strained chicken broth to a rolling simmer and keep hot. If the broth was refrigerated, reheat gently and skim any excess fat if desired (reserve some for richness). Taste and adjust seasoning with a little soy or salt if needed.

Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling water until just al dente (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh, longer for dried). Do not overcook. Reserve a little noodle cooking water if you want to loosen broth.

Warm bowls by pouring hot water into them and discarding before assembling. Spoon about 1–1.5 tbs tare into each bowl (adjust to preference).

Ladle 500 ml (approx.) hot chicken broth into each bowl over the tare and stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust depth by adding more tare if needed.

Divide cooked noodles between 4 bowls. Place sliced sake chicken on top of the noodles (2–3 slices per bowl), then add halved soy egg, blanched spinach or bok choy, menma or corn, sliced scallions, and nori strips. Drizzle a little of the reduced sake-chicken glaze over the chicken if used. Finish with a few drops of chili oil or a sprinkle of togarashi to taste.

Serve immediately while hot. Encourage eating promptly to enjoy the runny yolks and firm noodles.