Chicken Thighs

If chicken breast is the lean clean upgrade, chicken thigh is the rich one. The dark meat, the higher fat content, the way the skin crisps in a hot pan. Chicken thighs are the protein I cook when I want the bowl to feel hearty and I don’t want to think about timing. You can overcook a thigh by a couple of minutes and the meat is still juicy.

Why Chicken Thighs Are Great for Instant Ramen

Fat equals flavor. Thighs have more of it, the skin crisps in a hot pan, and the rendered fat carries seasoning into the noodles. The forgiving cook time also matters. A breast goes from juicy to dry in thirty seconds. A thigh gives you a five-minute window. If you’re new to cooking, this is the protein to start with.

Thighs also stand up to bold broths. A spicy ramyun, a deeply savory beef packet, a sweet teriyaki chow mein. The chicken doesn’t disappear into any of them. It holds its own and gives the bowl something to chew.

Ways to Add Chicken Thighs to Instant Ramen

Pan-Sear: Lay skin-on, bone-in thighs in a cold non-stick pan, skin side down. Turn the heat to medium and let the fat render slowly for eight to ten minutes until the skin is deep gold and crispy. Flip and cook another five to seven minutes until the meat is 165°F internal. The skin is the best part of this whole topping. Don’t skip the cold-pan start.

Boil: Cube boneless thighs and drop them into the boiling water with the noodles. The chicken cooks in three to four minutes and flavors the broth at the same time. The trade-off: no crispy skin, no sear flavor. Worth it on a tired weeknight.

Bake: For a more hands-off approach, baking chicken thighs can result in very tender and evenly cooked meat. Season and bake until just done. This method is great for when you have a lot of chicken thighs you want to cook all at once.

Grill: For a smoky flavor, quickly grill whole chicken thighs over high heat. The char adds another layer of deliciousness.

Saute: For a quick and easy way to add chicken directly into your noodles, cube the chicken thighs, season them well, and then quickly toss them in a hot skillet until cooked through.

Pictured above: Chef’s Cupboard Beef Flavored Ramen, Soft-Boiled Egg, Frozen Broccoli, Cubed and Sauteed Chicken Thigh

Shredded/Pulled: Cook them (by boiling, baking, or slow cooking), then shred them. This is great for mixing into the ramen, absorbing the broth, and is great for meal prepping.

Leftovers: Just adding leftover chicken thighs is a quick and easy way to level up your noodle bowl.

How to Serve It

Slice the rested thigh into pieces that fit on a chopstick and lay them across the finished bowl. If the skin is crispy, place it skin-side up so it stays crispy under the broth steam.

My Instant Ramen Suggestions

• Maruchan Chicken Flavor
• Samyang Buldak Spicy Chicken
• Ichiran Ramen
• Sapporo Ichiban Chicken
• Nongshim Shin Ramyun

Let me know your favorite ways to add chicken thighs to your noodles!