In Good FlavorQuick and easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Ramen Noodles is a burst of sweet and tangy in every bite. This budget-friendly dish is a great way to use up rotisserie or leftover chicken too!
I don’t take many action shots in my food photography because it is a situation that usually requires an extra set of long, steady arms. And when holding noodles with chopsticks is involved, it must be well orchestrated. Not only am I required to hold the chopsticks as steady as possible with one hand, but I also have to lean WAAAAAY over to the back of the camera to check if said objects are even in the frame. Almost always, I have to reposition and then take a shot. What inevitably happens during this process is half of the cascade of ramen that was previously on the chopsticks would have slipped off, which requires the whole process to start over again. (I don’t know what I thought when I decided to use slippery chopsticks!) After about 20 shots, I can only hope there would be 1 or 2 decent photos.
While shooting the photo at the top of this post, I noticed that half of the sesame seeds garnish were dislocated from all my dipping and scooping. The ramen could have used an additional sprinkling of sesame seeds, but that would have required the existence of my third arm 🙁 What turned out to be my best noodle draping shot is a little naked on sesame seeds garnishing (hee hee).
This is a quick and easy dish that is perfect when you’re looking for a little change. The homemade sweet and sour sauce is a cinch to put together. Basically, all the sauce ingredients are added directly into the skillet and brought to a boil to thicken. The chicken is then added, along with noodles and peppers, which are boiled together. The sauce provides sweet and tangy goodness throughout.
This dish is versatile and can easily be modified. Not crazy about red peppers? Replace it with snow peas and/or bean sprouts. Pineapple is an option too, but because of its sweetness, balance it with some heat.
You could also use shrimp in conjunction with chicken. I would lightly season the shrimp and give it a quick sauté before making the sauce. Remove from the skillet, then add them back after you make the sauce. Or you can boil the shrimp for a minute or so, along with the ramen noodles and peppers.
While this is not a healthy dish, as the sweet and sour sauce has a fair amount of sugar, it is a delicious and welcome occasional departure from the standard weekly roundup. And it comes together in 20 minutes! You’ve got to love that!!
Recommended supplies:
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- Rice wine vinegar for this and many Asian-style dishes.
- Soy sauce is a must-have for any Asian-style pantry.
- Ramen noodles are great for making quick and easy meals.
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Sweet and Sour Chicken Ramen Noodles
Description
Quick and easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Ramen Noodles is a burst of sweet and tangy in every bite. This budget-friendly dish is a great way to use up rotisserie or leftover chicken too!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups of water to boiling while preparing the sauce.
- Place sugar and cornstarch in a 12-inch skillet. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Turn heat to medium. Add 1 cup water, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken. Turn off the heat.
- Add red pepper slices to boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes. Add ramen. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Add to skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-low. Stir to incorporate into the sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Garnish with chopped scallion and sesame seeds to serve.
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I know what you mean about the action shots. I suck at them, lol! You know what is great about this recipe? I have a recipe that uses JUST the flavor packet, so now I have a use for the noodles!! This is so my kind of dish. Ramen are so so good!!!
I use my children for action shots, they always have to hold the spoon or fork or whatever. 🙂 🙂 Usually they both want to do it, so it is one time Bruno, next time Perla to avoid whining. The noodles look absolutely delicious, something I could cook any time. And I also throw away the condiments when buying the ramen noodles, I really can't remember if I have ever used them at all.
It probably took longer to take your photos than it did to prepare your dish. 🙂
Haha! I'm glad you now have use for the noodles! Sometimes ramen just hits the spot. One of my favorite go-to's when I want an easy meal is ramen, cooked according to package direction with hard boil eggs seasoned with salt and tons of black pepper. Yum!
It's great that you have a ready and willing pit crew to help you out!! I'm usually alone when I do photoshoots. On the handful of occasions when I asked my husband or son to hold the prop, they usually get tired of it after 5 minutes.????
I know some people don't like the seasoning packet that comes with ramen. I don't mind it. It is pretty salty though.
Ain't that the truth!????
My youngest would think this was heaven Thao!
I'm glad to hear it Inger!????
Over cooking the noodles will make them stiff and rubbery. You need only to warm them and let them absorb the flavors of the dish before serving.Japanese Food Toronto
So delicious – I've always wanted to try making ramen from chicken, and you've inspired me to give it .
I'm so glad to hear that, Kathy! I hope you'll give this a try! Thank you for stopping by!!