Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen is a light, yet hearty noodle dish made in the crockpot using budget-friendly ingredients and a ton of flavor! It’s made with slurpy noodles, chicken, veggies, and a sweet and savory broth that comes together with just 10 minutes of prep time!
Another slow cooker recipe coming in hot! This slow cooker chicken ramen is an Asian-inspired recipe that is just as budget-friendly as the ramen of college days past but with more grown-up ingredients!
Similar to what we did with slow cooker beef ramen, we said goodbye to just using the ramen and flavor packets in boiling water. and said hello to so much more flavor. We’ve made it a complete meal!
It’s a dump-and-set recipe for the most part. We start with adding chicken to the crockpot, along with carrots, bell peppers peas, and aromatics, then covered with chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and seasoning to cook low and slow.
The quick-cooking noodles soften within just a couple minutes in the end, then the entire dish is served hot with soft-boiled eggs on top.
Something so simple has so much flavor and is a noodle dish the whole family will love!
Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
Delicious dinner – First and foremost, this slow cooker ramen is super flavorful. A sweet savory broth, slurpy noodles, fresh vegetables, and tender juicy, pieces of chicken come together in one pot!
Great for Busy Days – Crockpot recipes are great for having most of the meals ready by the end of the day. When you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, just 10 minutes in the morning is all you need and then the slow cooker does the rest.
Cost-effective & Accessible – Ramen noodles can be found almost anywhere. Including dollar stores! They’re super cheap to buy, and you can clean out your fridge and add in whatever veggies you have on hand.
Customizable – Swap the veggies, the protein, and even the seasoning if you want. You can also add a little spicy kick to yours, and serve it with more broth, less broth, or whatever you want!
Equipment you’ll need
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts. You can also use chicken tenders but they cook faster, so just keep that in mind.
- Garlic & Scallions – These will season the chicken as it cooks, but will also add incredible flavor to the broth.
- Veggies – Matchstick carrots, sugar snap peas, and sliced red bell pepper is the combination I usually go with. The trio of red, green, and orange colors are stunning but they’re also common ingredients found in ramen soup.
- Chicken Stock – Unlike my beef ramen recipe where it’s more noodles than it is broth, we’re doubling the amount of chicken stock in this one, so that it’s more soupy than just a saucy noodle dish.
- Soy Sauce & Brown Sugar -The salty, savory, and sweetness added to the broth.
- Ramen Noodles & One Flavor Packet – You’ll need 2 chicken flavored Ramen packets, but you only need to keep 1 of the seasoning packets.
- Scallions & Hard Boiled Egg – These are for serving. You can also prepare a soft-boiled egg if that’s how you like to eat yours.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Step One: To the basin of the slow cooker, add the chicken and top with the minced garlic, carrots, bell pepper, peas, and scallions.
- Step Two: Whisk the chicken stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1 seasoning pack together in a small bowl and pour it into the slow cooker. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid.
- Step Three: Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours until the chicken is fall-apart tender. About 30 minutes before serving, break up the chicken and add in the dry Ramen noodles.
- Step Four: Stir the noodles about every 10 minutes so they break apart and cook evenly. When they are tender and cooked through, the chicken Ramen is ready to serve! Top with additional scallions and a boiled egg sliced in half and enjoy!
Serve your slow cooker ramen with chopsticks, a fork, or a spoon! Maybe even all of the above 🙂 Then set out your toppings and have everyone add their own.
What to serve with Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
It’s not exactly an authentic side dish or anything, but I’m always up for having bread with any kind of broth. Especially one that has so much flavor in it.
So, I like to have a basket of one hour dinner rolls on the table as well as a simple side salad.
This dish is hearty and filling on its own, especially because it’s bulked up with protein and veggies already!
Tips & Suggestions
- Add some spice to your chicken ramen with sriracha or red pepper flakes.
- For extra vegetables, you can add broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, and bean sprouts at the beginning of the cooking time.
- More toppings to include can be shredded cabbage, sliced jalapenos, spinach, green onions, or even sesame seeds or a drizzle of sesame oil.
- If you prefer a fried egg instead of a hardboiled egg, you can cook yours that way and place it on top.
- A squirt of lime juice at the end is a great way to brighten up the entire dish.
How to reheat and store Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
How to store leftovers
Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To avoid the noodles absorbing so much of the liquid, it’s best to store the broth (and everything else) separately from the noodles if you can.
How long will chicken ramen last in the fridge?
You can enjoy it for up to 3 days. A cozy bowl is great for a simple lunch or a quick and easy dinner idea.
Can I freeze ramen noodles in broth?
You can freeze leftovers for months without the toppings. Store in a freezer-safe container and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
How to reheat crockpot chicken ramen
Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave. If you have a lot to reheat I’d use the stove on medium heat or even the crockpot again, if you don’t mind a slow reheat.
FAQs
Can I make my noodles less soupy?
If you want more noodles and less broth, use 1-2 cups less of the chicken broth.
If you’re about the saucy chicken and noodles, you’d love slow cooker honey garlic chicken and noodles. Give it a try next!
What is ramen?
It’s a Chinese-Japanese infusion dish. The style of the dish is Japanese, however, the wheat noodles are Chinese. They come pre-cooked and then air-dried which is why it’s safe to eat right out of the package and why they rehydrate and cook so quickly in hot broth! Traditionally served in a flavorful broth with plenty of add-ins and toppings.
However, some people prefer a less soupy and more saucy noodle dish. In this case, they add less broth and use a thicker sauce.
Can I boil my egg in the crockpot at the same time?
You can hard or soft-boil whole eggs in the crockpot too! Make a few more than you need to have a couple of testers. Take one out at the 2-hour mark, dunk it in a bowl of ice water and once cooled to the touch, peel it and see. If it needs a bit more time, check again in a little while.
Crockpot Ramen Noodles with Chicken
Need more Asian-inspired crockpot chicken recipes? Try these:
Easy Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken
Slow Cooker Fire Cracker Chicken
Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups matchstick carrots
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 3 medium scallions chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 packets chicken flavored ramen noodles reserve one pack of seasoning
- scallions and hard boiled egg for topping
Instructions
- Trim the chicken and add it to the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Top the chicken with the minced garlic, carrots, bell pepper, peas, andscallions.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, and one of the chicken seasoning packets from the ramen noodles.
- Pour the sauce into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours or until the chicken is tender.
- Approximately 30 minutes before serving, break up the chicken, it should easily fall apart, and
- Add the dry ramen noodles. [discard the second seasoning packet, you only need the noodles.]
- Stir the noodles around frequently, approximately every 10 minutes, to make sure they get all covered and cook evenly.
- When the noodles are tender, serve, topping with additional scallions and a soft boiled egg.
Video
Notes
- You can use boneless skinless breasts, thighs, or even tenders but they will cook faster.
- Add red pepper flakes or sriracha for a spicy kick.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- For added veggies, add sprouts or broccoli at the beginning of the cook time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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