Chicken Shoyu Ramen (no Pork) Recipe

Blanch and clean bones

Place chicken wings/carcass and thighs in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and thoroughly rinse the bones and pot under running water.

Simmer broth

Return cleaned bones and thighs to the pot. Add 2 liters cold water, smashed ginger, halved white scallions, dried shiitake mushrooms, and kombu. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce to low and cook uncovered for 2 hours, skimming foam and fat occasionally. Do not boil vigorously.

Finish broth seasoning

After 2 hours, remove kombu (discard) and strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot or large bowl. Return strained broth to the pot, add soy sauce (120 ml), mirin (60 ml), sake (30 ml) and brown sugar. Warm gently and taste; adjust salt with up to 1 tsp salt if needed. Keep broth hot but not boiling until assembly.

Combine soy sauce (80 ml), mirin (30 ml), dashi (60 ml), sake (15 ml) and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust for balance — it should be salty-sweet and quite concentrated. Set tare aside at room temperature.

Prepare noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions until just al dente (usually 1–3 minutes for fresh, 3–5 for dried). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot noodle cooking water, then drain noodles quickly.

Warm pork chashu and naruto

If the pork chashu is chilled, warm slices in a small pan over low heat with 1 tsp sesame oil for about 30–60 seconds per side until heated through (do not overcook). Warm naruto slices briefly in the same pan for 30 seconds per side or in simmering broth for a few seconds.

Wilt spinach

In the hot broth or a separate skillet, blanch spinach for 15–30 seconds until wilted and bright green. Drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water.

Assemble bowls

For each bowl: place 1 portion of tare (approx. 30–40 ml) in the bottom of the bowl (adjust to taste). Ladle ~450 ml of hot broth over the tare and stir to combine. Add cooked noodles. Arrange toppings: 1 warmed pork chashu slice, 1 seasoned egg half, a handful (~1 cup) of wilted spinach, 2 naruto slices, 1 sheet of nori (or torn into pieces), 1 tbsp sliced green onion. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil over the surface. Add chili oil or shichimi if desired.

Taste broth once assembled and adjust by adding a little more tare (soy base) or reserved noodle water to balance saltiness and concentration. Serve immediately while piping hot.