Spicy chicken bone broth ramen with buckwheat noodles.

Serves; 2.

Preparation time; 20 mins.

Cooks in; 40 mins.

Difficulty; medium.

This recipe is warm, spicy and earthy. Packed full of protein, vitamins and minerals this bowl of ramen will leave you completely satisfied. This is a bowl delivering soul level nourishment as each warm slurp will have you slowing down and appreciating the complexity of flavour packed into a singular meal. The perfect dinner on a cold winters evening or comforting lunch on a cloudy, overcast day (we get them a lot here in the UK). However, the day this is designed for is ‘sabbath’- a day of rest. Every slurp (make sure you slurp, the Japanese encourage this) sinks you further into relaxation and positions you perfectly to put your body and mind first for the day.

Why chicken bone broth?

Gut health; Bone broth contains gelatin and collagen, which are rich in glutamine and glycine, which support gut health.

Bone health; Bone broth contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are essential for strong bones.

Skin health; Bone broth contains collagen, which provides structure to skin, tendons, and ligaments. The body naturally produces less collagen with age, so bone broth may help improve skin elasticity.

Inflammation; Bone broth contains anti-inflammatory compounds like collagen, glutamine, and glycine.

Why mushrooms?

Mushrooms are a reliable source of: B vitamins, which help to provide energy from foods, and form red blood cells. Vitamin D, which helps maintain and build strong bones. Antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage and inflammation that might lead to chronic diseases.

Why sprinkle raw coriander over the chicken?

Coriander offers several antioxidants, which prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. Its antioxidants have been shown to fight inflammation in your body.

For the ramen;

2 chicken breasts

2 eggs (I use Burford Brown)

500ml of chicken bone broth (I use Freja)

2 garlic cloves (diced)

1 red onion (diced)

1 red chilli (deseeded and diced)

Cold pressed olive oil

Small piece of ginger (skin removed and diced)

Handful of coriander (roughly chopped)

Handful of parsley (roughly chopped)

Few leaves of thai basil

300g of shitake mushrooms (chopped)

Handful of mangetout

2 pak choi (pulled apart into their leafs)

250ml of water

100g of 100% organic buckwheat noodles (I use King Soba Noodle Culture)

Pinch of pepper

Pinch of salt

For serving;

Handful of coriander

Ingredients.

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and put onto boil two pans of water (one for your jammy eggs, the other for your buckwheat noodles).

  2. In a deep frying pan or large saucepan allow for some cold pressed olive oil to heat. Then add your onion and fry for 2 minutes, followed by your garlic, ginger, chilli and chopped parsley. Cook out for another 3-4 minutes until the aromas are released.

  3. Add your shitake mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes until they soften and brown slightly. Then add your chicken bone broth, thai basil leaves, water, pinch of salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan and simmer on a low-to-medium heat.

  4. As your broth is simmering away, wrap your chicken in foil, season with salt and pepper and place in oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

  5. Give your ramen broth a stir and return lid to keep it simmering. With 10 minutes left to cook on your chicken, add your mangetout and pak choi to your bone broth and continue simmering.

  6. Place your buckwheat noodles into one boiling water pan and cook for 6-7 minutes. At the same time place your eggs in the other boiling water pan and simmer for 6-7 minutes (I find this gives perfect jammy yolks).

  7. Remove your eggs into a bowl of iced water and allow to cool. At the same time drain your buckwheat noodles and rinse with cold water. Dry with paper towel and then place at bottoms of your serving bowls ready to pour in the ramen broth.

  8. At this point your chicken should be done, remove from oven and place chicken breasts on a board to cool slightly ready for slicing. As the chicken cools remove the shells from the eggs and slice through the middle.

  9. Everything is ready and waiting to be served. Start by pouring your ramen broth into your bowls with the buckwheat noodles in. Then slice your chicken breasts and place on top of the ramen, with your eggs. Sprinkle fresh coriander over the top before enjoying your ramen.

Method.