There’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of ramen on a cold day. This gluten free chicken ramen gives you all that comfort without any of the gluten.
I know a lot of gluten free noodle soups can feel like they’re missing something. This one doesn’t. The broth is savory and aromatic, and the rice noodles have a great texture that works perfectly here.
The chicken thighs get poached right in the seasoned broth, which keeps them tender and juicy. You shred them up and load each bowl with toppings like soft-boiled eggs, spinach, corn, and nori.
It looks impressive, but it’s honestly a pretty straightforward recipe. No fancy techniques or hard to find ingredients needed.
Whether you eat gluten free by choice or necessity, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re even avoiding anything. It’s just really good ramen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich and Flavorful Broth – The tamari, sesame oil, ginger and garlic create a deeply savory broth that tastes like it simmered for hours.
Perfectly Gluten Free – Rice noodles and tamari replace traditional wheat noodles and soy sauce so you get real ramen flavor without any gluten.
Incredible Textures in Every Bite – Silky noodles, tender shredded chicken, jammy soft-boiled eggs and crispy nori make each spoonful exciting.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Rice Noodles, thin vermicelli style
- 6 cups Chicken Broth, gluten free
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 tbsp Tamari
- 1 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
- 2 Soft-Boiled Eggs, halved
- 1 cup Baby Spinach
- 1 cup Corn Kernels
- 2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Sheet Nori, cut into strips
- Sriracha, for serving
- Sesame Seeds, for garnish
How to Make
Step 1
Combine the chicken broth, tamari, mirin, sesame oil, ginger slices, and smashed garlic in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let the aromatics infuse the broth for about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add the chicken thighs to the simmering broth and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F internally. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer to remove the ginger and garlic, then return the broth to the pot and keep it warm.
Step 3
While the chicken cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Step 4
Prepare the soft-boiled eggs by lowering them into boiling water and cooking for exactly 7 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath, then peel and halve them.
Step 5
Add the baby spinach and corn kernels to the warm broth and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
Step 6
Divide the cooked rice noodles between two large bowls. Ladle the hot broth with the spinach and corn over the noodles. Top each bowl with shredded chicken, a halved soft-boiled egg, sliced green onions, nori strips, a drizzle of sriracha, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
My Tips
Don’t Overcook the Rice Noodles
Rice noodles go from perfect to mushy really fast. Start checking them about a minute before the package says they’re done. They should still have a slight chew to them because they’ll soften a bit more once you pour the hot broth over them.
Rinsing them with cold water right after draining is important here. It stops the cooking and washes off the extra starch that makes them clump together into one sticky block in the bowl.
Get the Soft-Boiled Eggs Right
The 7-minute timing only works if you lower the eggs into water that’s already at a full rolling boil. If you start them in cold water, the timing is completely off and you’ll end up with a fully hard-boiled yolk instead of that jammy, slightly runny center.
Use a slotted spoon to lower the eggs in gently so they don’t crack on the bottom of the pot. And get them into the ice bath the second the timer goes off. Even 30 extra seconds in the hot water will keep cooking the yolk.
Let them sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes before peeling. Cold eggs peel way easier than warm ones.
Shred the Chicken While It’s Still Warm
As soon as the chicken thighs come out of the broth, let them rest for just a minute or two and then start shredding. Warm chicken pulls apart easily into nice, thin pieces. If you let it cool down too much, it gets firmer and harder to shred evenly.
Chicken thighs are great for this recipe because they stay tender and juicy even after simmering. Breast meat tends to dry out and get stringy in broth, so stick with thighs here.
More Tasty Recipes
- Gluten Free Chicken Fried Rice
- Gluten Free Chicken Katsu
- Gluten Free Chicken Teriyaki
- Gluten Free Kung Pao Chicken
- Gluten Free Mongolian Beef
FAQ
Can I use a different type of gluten free noodle instead of rice vermicelli?
Yes, you can swap in other gluten free noodle options like sweet potato noodles, buckwheat soba noodles (just make sure they are labeled gluten free), or even shirataki noodles. Each one will give the ramen a slightly different texture and feel.
Rice vermicelli works great here because it cooks fast and has a light, springy texture that soaks up the broth nicely. If you use a thicker noodle, you may need to adjust the cooking time according to the package.
Gluten Free Chicken Ramen
Equipment
- fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 8 oz Rice Noodles, thin vermicelli style
- 6 cups Chicken Broth, gluten free
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 tbsp Tamari
- 1 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
- 2 Soft-Boiled Eggs, halved
- 1 cup Baby Spinach
- 1 cup Corn Kernels
- 2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Sheet Nori, cut into strips
- Sriracha, for serving
- Sesame Seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the chicken broth, tamari, mirin, sesame oil, ginger slices, and smashed garlic in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let the aromatics infuse the broth for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken thighs to the simmering broth and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F internally. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer to remove the ginger and garlic, then return the broth to the pot and keep it warm.
- While the chicken cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Prepare the soft-boiled eggs by lowering them into boiling water and cooking for exactly 7 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath, then peel and halve them.
- Add the baby spinach and corn kernels to the warm broth and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Divide the cooked rice noodles between two large bowls. Ladle the hot broth with the spinach and corn over the noodles. Top each bowl with shredded chicken, a halved soft-boiled egg, sliced green onions, nori strips, a drizzle of sriracha, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.