Easy Chicken Udon Soup with Paprika Chicken

And for today we have an interesting dish, this isn’t quite a fusion ;D Or maybe it is??? It’s one of those recipes that’s as much a recipe as it is inspiration. In this case, I had some leftover chicken soup and used it as the broth for udon noodles and topped it with a pan-fried chicken mixture 😀

So this is a delicious sort of fusion using a homemade chicken soup as the base for udon noodles, so you get the tender chicken scraps from the soup itself, but also some paprika pan fried chicken as a topping as well. It’s a delicious and simple combination to try at home.

If you’re not familiar with udon, it’s a noodle originating from Japan, similar to ramen noodles but a bit thicker and softer. Of course, there are different types of noodles in Japan, but udon is one of my favorite noodles and nowadays it’s easy to buy in the West. If you can’t find it at the supermarket, wait for an Asian or Japanese promotional week and they’ll be selling the noodles. These are normally served in hot broths in winter and cold broths in summer, but they can also be simply stir-fried or used as noodles for soups. I think the big difference between ramen and udon (besides slight differences in ingredients) is that udon tends to get softer and therefore absorbs more of the sauce, while ramen is a firmer noodle that maintains its texture better on the hot broth.

Another advantage is that it’s a noodle that cooks in 2 or 3 minutes, and if you’re going to put it in a broth, you cook it for 1 minute and then put it in the broth to finish cooking… so if you have leftovers from a broth or soup, it can be a great combination you can make in an instant. All this to say that you don’t have to make Japanese dishes exclusively to use ramen or udon noodles. Of course, the ideal is to make something similar that pairs well with this type of noodle, for example, a curry sauce or tomato sauce 😀 Let’s get to the recipe!

Easy Chicken Udon Soup with Paprika Chicken

Servings: 2
Time: 25mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Gotta try this combination of sweet and hearty homemamde chicken soup as broth for some japanese udon noodles, and top it with some pan fried paprika chicken!

Ingredients

Udon Noodles – 160g
Chicken Broth – 400ml (Broth/Chicken/Carrots)
Chicken – 220g (1 Large Breast)
Onion – 1 Small
Garlic – 2 Cloves
Olive Oil – A Drizzle
Paprika – A Pinch
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by sautéing the finely chopped onion and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. While the onion browns, slice the chicken breast into thin slices.

When the onion is golden brown, add the chicken to the pan and season with a pinch of paprika (or hot pepper), pepper, and salt. Cook both sides thoroughly.
While cooking the chicken, place a small pot of water on high heat (without salt).
You can also heat the broth in a small separate pot or in the microwave. Make sure it is very hot because you want the pasta to finish cooking in the broth.

When the sauté is almost ready and the water is boiling, add the udon noodles to the hot water. It is best to keep an eye on the time because they cook quickly. Use the recommended time on the package and subtract 1 minute to allow them to finish cooking in the broth.

When the noodles are ready, remove them from the water, drain and divide into two bowls, add the chicken broth and cover with the sautéed chicken. That’s it, bon appétit!

Notes: Of course, you can use chicken broth to make the broth, but chicken broth from a bouillon cube, even though it’s good for flavoring chicken dishes, doesn’t create a great chicken broth. On its own, it has a somewhat overly commercial aroma.

There are 2 types of commercial udon noodles: fresh and dried. Fresh is usually sold refrigerated and comes in vacuum-sealed packages and cooks in 2 or 3 minutes. Dried comes in individual bundles (you’d use 2 for this dish) and takes about 5 minutes to cook.

The key to perfect udon in soup is undercooking the noodles by 1 minute in boiling water, then letting them finish cooking in the hot broth. This way they absorb all those delicious flavors without becoming too mushy.

Homemade chicken soup is ideal for this recipe because it has body, flavor, and tender bits of chicken and vegetables. If you’re using store-bought broth, consider enriching it with a splash of soy sauce, a bit of ginger, or some scallions to give it more depth.

Slicing the chicken breast thinly ensures it cooks quickly and stays tender. If your chicken pieces are thick, they might need more time, just make sure they’re cooked through before serving.

This recipe is wonderfully flexible! Feel free to add bok choy, mushrooms, soft-boiled eggs, or green onions as toppings. The beauty of this dish is that it’s as much inspiration as it is a strict recipe.

This recipe for Easy Chicken Udon Soup with Paprika Chicken was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Massa Udon Japonesa de Canja de Galinha foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.