Now that the weather is getting cooler, the leaves are dropping and the wood stove is burning, it’s time to switch gears to the cooler weather foods. Soup season is my favorite! Okay, second to fresh summer fruit. But still, it’s all relative to what season were in. I’ve pulled out the down comforters for the beds, the screens have been taken down and stored in the basement, and the sunroom has been filled with wood. I am still trying to hold off to having the furnace on full time. That’s what we have a wood stove for! It’s coming though, I can feel it. Now that we’ve established that the cold weather is here, at least most days, we can talk about soup. How long does it take you to change over to the comfort foods and soul warming soups? I try to ease my way into it, when in reality, I just want to jump in full bore.
So let’s talk about this soup. Or ramen. Kind of one in the same, right? If you’ve been a long time reader, then you will know that ramen has a soft spot in my heart and soul. I grew up in the 90’s when ramen was all the rage. Is it still a thing? I don’t know because I stopped buying it when I was a late teenager and realized how incredibly unhealthy it was. But oh so good.
Anyway!
Now that I am an adult (that’s all matter of opinion too, right? ha!) and more adventurous in the kitchen than I was when I was a kid, I have found myself turning back to my roots, but with a twist. That’s one of the best things about becoming the cook in your household- you can make whatever the heck you want. My fondness of ramen has never faded, but now I make it myself. And boy is it SO much better. Obviously. Sure, it’s not as convenient as simply boiling the noodles and throwing in a seasoning packet, but the extra effort is well worth it. I generally even go as far as making my own noodles. But that isn’t necessary. Although, it’s one of those things again that homemade is really so much better. So, let’s talk about what’s in this ramen. A really simple and smooth broth made with chicken stock and coconut milk with soy sauce, honey, creamy peanut butter and red curry paste thrown in for those fabulous flavors. Because homemade ramen is all about texture, there are chicken breasts, bell peppers and spinach. It’s then finished with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and chopped fresh cilantro. There are so many amazing flavors going on here and they all correlate perfectly. This comes together rather quickly, which makes for a great weeknight meal. Just so you are aware, the noodles will absorb the broth if stored in the soup. So, if that doesn’t bother you, store the leftovers all together. If that does, store the noodles separately, adding the noodles with the broth when ready to eat. Make this and be happy!
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
Homemade ramen is way more simple than you thought it would be with this satisfyingly creamy dish. This dish is thrown together quickly for an easy weeknight meal and packs a whole lot of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 jar Thai red curry paste
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
- 12 ounces ramen noodles
- chopped peanuts and toasted sesame oil, for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, drizzle in the oil. Once shimmering, place the chicken breasts in the pot. Cook until cooked through, and golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board.
- In the now empty pot, combine the chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, honey, peanut butter, and curry paste. Add the red peppers, ginger, and garlic. Set over medium heat on the stove and bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, shred the chicken. Once the soup has cooked, stir in the chicken, lime juice, spinach and cilantro. Stir in the noodles and let sit for 5 minutes, or until the noodles are soft. Dish into serving bowls and top with peanuts, sesame oil, if using and a sprinkling of cilantro.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, storing the noodles separately, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
