Healthy Chicken Ramen Stir Fry

Did I hear healthy, thou may ask me? My “getting nostalgic for my college days,” fork twirling, springy Ramen can be healthy? I am all ears… yup!! Your easy peasy, 2 minute noodles can take a healthy note if you swap the seasoning packet for some quick home made stir-fry sauce. I am going for Asian flavors tonight. Add in some good protein, throw in tons of veggies from your fridge, and there you go… your ramen’s healthy, nutritious avatar!

Are you like us, who bought some quarantine staples like tons of ramen noodles and don’t know what to do with them? I can think of 10 different things, but will go with this quick Asian stir fry first. 🙂

This is so good if you want some relief from all those cooking expeditions we have been on suddenly, with tons of time on our hands. This is so good, especially after the marathon cooking we have been doing for GyspyPlate lately, with nothing much else to do all cooped up at home. We have been cooking up a storm when it comes to pantry staples, from salmon patties to lentil soups. This is simple, easy and kind on you, yet delivers on taste and health.

This chicken ramen stir fry comes with bonuses

• Bonus 1: All this is ready to slurp down in less than 20 minutes, less if you use some shortcuts I mention below.
• Bonus 2: It’s a one pot meal, so not many dishes to do.
• Bonus 3: It can be adapted to different moods and whims of your cravings on any fine day. We will tell you all…

Ingredients for your stir fry

• Ramen – You can use any kind of ramen or other instant noodles for this one. Don’t forget to toss the seasoning packet, as we are making our very own stir fry sauce. That’s a major win, as you are ditching a lot of extra sodium and MSG.
• Chicken – I am using chicken breast this time. You can use thighs instead if that’s what you have handy. One tip to make chicken breast tender, butterfly the breast then cut it thin at an angle… Chinese style!
• Veggies – Today I am going with bell peppers(they are permanent in my fridge), mushrooms, baby carrots, onions and scallions.
• Garlic – Of course!
• Ginger – Goes hand in hand with garlic in stir frys.
• For the stir fry sauce – I am using a bomb flavorful combo of soy + oyster + Hoisin + sweet chili sauce.
• Cooking oil – Something with a high smoke point like peanut or canola. Avoid extra virgin olive oil.

Lets get “woking”

Yes you will need a good sized wok or skillet for this ramen stir fry. But before you even heat up the wok, get all your ingredients prepped up. That means mixing all the sauces in a bowl… Duhh, easy!

Cut all the veggies and aromatics like ginger and garlic. NOW… do you want to take a huge time saving jump? Use those pre-chopped bagged veggies you get in your produce section at the grocery store, like those stir fry mixes.
Thinly slice your chicken. Don’t feel like cutting chicken? Another huge shortcut is using left over rotisserie chicken.. Yup, GypsyPlate gives you lots of tips to make your life easier. Once you’ve finished prepping, it’s super fast from here.

Heat up your wok or any oversized skillet over high heat. Once hot, add your oil. Once that’s sizzling hot oil, in goes the sliced onions and the white portions of the scallions. Give it a quick stir for about a minute then add the chicken pieces. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes till it’s not pink anymore, then stir in chopped ginger and garlic. Mix well. Now it’s time for the rest of the veggies, carrots, mushrooms and peppers. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add and mix in the sauce.

Now we are going to cook the noodles in the same pan, rather than boiling it first on some other pot… just less dish washing later. All you have to do is make a well in the middle by pushing the stir fry mixture to the edge of the wok. Add the water to the well and let it heat it up a minute, then place your ramen noodles in the well.

Cook for one minute, flip noodles, and cook for another minute. They will be softened up enough to separate them at this point so we can stir everything in the pot together.

For a final touch, add those beautiful green scallion batons. Now you are ready to slurp down these age old favorites with a new touch… isn’t that cool?

Want some more ideas to finish off all that Ramen in your pantry?

1. Don’t feel like chickennnn? How about some thinly sliced beef? Those flank or flap steaks are perfect for stir frys. Thinly sliced pork will do too. Oh, I have some shrimp in my fridge, those would go great. Any veggie alternative to protein? You can try tofu.
2. What other veggies can I use? Oh boy, lots. Broccoli, zucchini, snow peas, green beans, peas, cabbage, bok choy, sprouts. Maybe the better question is, what’s in your fridge?
3. Need some crunch? Chopped peanuts, toasted cashews or sunflower seeds are great on any noodles.
4. Play with sauces! The sauces are the essence of any stir fry. Instead of soy, use teriyaki. Add a dash of peanut butter along with my mentioned sauces. Get a little heat going with your favorite sriracha or Asian green chili sauce.

Can I make this with any other noodles?

There are a gazillion ramen style instant noodle brands on the market… Top Ramen, Maruchen, my favorite Maggi, just to name a few. Any of these will work. You can also make the same thing with other Asian noodles like rice noodles, Chinese egg noodles or even with udon noodles. Have any Italian noodles you want to stir fry, some spaghetti or linguine? Hmm… why not! Just be sure to consider that ramen/instant noodles only take 2 minutes. With other, longer cooking, varieties you will want to cook them separately before adding to your stir fry.

Do you have any substitute for soy sauce?

Yes. People looking for other alternatives can look into using coconut aminos or tamari sauce instead of soy. Both are brown colored sauces and have the same salty, umami flavor.

Coconut aminos are a liquid made from aged sap of coconut blossoms and salt. It is a low glycemic, vegan, and gluten free alternative to soy sauce with 17 amino acids. They have 65% less sodium than regular soy sauce.

Tamari sauce is Japanese, unlike Chinese soy sauce. It has a darker color and richer flavor than soy. Though similar in sodium content, it is gluten free. See there are plenty of ways to make this ramen healthier.

How long can I store my ramen stir fry ?

Well, it’s instant noodles, so it’s great when you finish it instantly. I like to eat it straight out of the pan when the sauces are still saucy, as they get soaked up by the noodles pretty quick. But leftovers can be refrigerated for a few days in a container if you make a big batch. Whenever those hunger pangs hit, you can have a few slurps throughout the day… 🙂

Get those chopsticks or forks ready and start twirling. And while you’re getting nostalgic over your ramen, feel happy chowing down on all the goodness of veggies and your favorite protien. Yes, you FINALLY converted ramen into a healthy nutritious meal… bravo you!!

Healthy Chicken Ramen Stir Fry, in my Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!

Try our other quick and easy stir frys!
Thai Basil Chicken
Mongolian Beef
Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
Kung Pao Chicken
Hawaiian Fried Rice
Korean Ground Beef Bowl