Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen

Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen

Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast yet it tastes as if you've just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.

Yield: 4 servings

1 (2-pound) rotisserie chicken

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil or other oil of your choice

3 heads garlic, halved crosswise

2 large yellow onions (about 1 pound), unpeeled, quartered

1 small bunch cilantro, thick stems cut off and reserved

3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving

6 to 8 ounces thin dried noodles (such as ramen, lo mein or soba)

2 limes, cut in half

2 lemons, cut in half

Sesame seeds or toasted sesame oil, for serving

Pick and shred the meat off the chicken (you should have about 3 ½ cups), season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside; save the bones and skin.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken bones and skin, cilantro stems, soy sauce and 8 ½ cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, and let cook until flavorful with a distinct chicken essence, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a spider or fine-mesh sieve, lift or strain out the vegetables and chicken pieces and discard.

Bring the broth back up to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions, then turn off heat.

To serve, ladle the broth into bowls (tongs work well for the noodles) and add as much chicken as you’d like. Squeeze in lime and lemon juice to taste, then, if you like, toss in the spent citrus halves to let the oils from the peels subtly infuse the broth. Top with cilantro leaves and tender stems, along with sesame seeds or sesame oil and more soy sauce, if desired.

TIP: Made as written (I did add some chopped scallion as garnish). This is so good. Seems to be a dupe for the lime chicken soup I used to order from Republic Noodle whenever I got sick. Very easy and tasty. Next time though, I will go straight to adding a whole lime to the broth at the end for brightness. May also add a little miso for depth.

Made (mostly) as directed. I used Better than Boullion for the broth as I only had the chicken, no carcass. Came together very quickly. Don’t skimp on the toppings. We added sesame seeds, sesame oil, chili oil, cilantro and a good squeeze of lemon and lime. It’s a light spring take on a ramen.