This creamy coconut ramen with sesame katsu chicken is packed full of flavour and fresh ingredients and comes together in a little over half an hour. This little bowl of goodness is creamy, spicy and of course, filled with plenty of noodles. There really is nothing better than a steaming pot of ramen on a cold and rainy night. Each bowl is topped with perfectly crispy katsu chicken, fresh pak choy and some nori for a little hit of saltiness.

Ramen is fast becoming my new favourite dish. I only recently tried authentic ramen for the first time and oh my god how good is it?! Granted this homemade version is far from authentic, but it’s guaranteed to still pack a punch.

Just look at that perfect bite! Anyway… despite all the steps and ingredients, this creamy coconut ramen is actually super quick and easy.

Let’s start with the chicken.

Now, this is actually my new favourite way to get crispy chicken. I’ve done this a few times now and it comes out perfect every time. Simply dredge your chicken first in egg, then in panko (or regular breadcrumbs if you prefer) and sesame seeds and shallow fry in some oil for about 8-10 minutes until golden brown on each side. I find it helps to pop a lid on for a few minutes to help the chicken cook all the way through.

Now the broth.

It really is the star of the show. Something I’ve learnt about the more traditional Tantanmen ramen, is there is a flavouring paste that goes in the bowl first. You stir this into the broth as it’s poured in. You can really customise this paste however you like. Some people only use tahini, some use just peanut butter… I actually like a bit of both because I find if you just use peanut butter it ends up tasting more like a satay – I prefer a more subtle nutty flavour. I’ve also opted for a Sichuan chilli paste to add a kick of spice. I’m obsessed with the delicious flavour this gives. I found mine at my local Asian grocer, but if you don’t have it, Gochujang works just as well.

As for the noodles…

it really comes down to personal choice. I like Chinese eggs noodles or regular ramen noodles, but thin rice noodles or pad thai noodles would also work.

More Asian-inspired meals you might like to try:

If you give this creamy coconut ramen with sesame katsu chicken a try, be sure to let me know. I love hearing from you guys!