Servings: 4
Crispy Ramen Crusted Chicken
In this recipe, crispy ramen noodles are turned into crumbles and used as a coating for chicken tenders. Then the chicken is baked or air fried. The result is super crispy chicken that tastes like ramen fried chicken, but with less oil. Dip into your favorite sauce and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders , or thin-sliced chicken breast (chicken cutlets)
- 7-8 ounces dried instant ramen noodles, (2-3 packs, depending on the size)
- ⅓ - ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 extra large egg + 1 tablespoon milk or water, beaten together in a bowl
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, or to taste (or use the salty seasoning powder from the ramen to season the chicken)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- olive oil in a spray bottle,
- sweet chili sauce, or other sauce for dipping
- Large baking sheet and parchment paper (or an air fryer )
- 3 small-medium bowls for dredging the chicken
Instructions
- Pulse the ramen in a food processor until the pieces are very small, about the size of panko breadcrumbs. Don't turn it into dust, but try to get very small pieces so they stick to the chicken easier. You will need about 1.5 cups of ramen crumbs to coat 1 pound of chicken. I used three 2.25 ounce ramen packets.
- If baking, preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Set up your dredging station: one bowl with flour, one bowl with a beaten egg mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of milk or water, and 1 bowl with the ramen crumbs.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Instead of salt, you can also use the seasoning powder from the ramen packets.
- Coat each piece of chicken in flour on all sides, then transfer to the egg mixture and coat on all sides, then transfer to the ramen crumbs. Coat the chicken in ramen on all sides, pressing down gently to ensure the ramen sticks to the chicken. Hints: 1) If your egg mixture is running low, you can add another tablespoon of milk or water. 2) Use a fork instead of your fingers to dredge the chicken, otherwise you'll have lots of ramen crumbs stuck to your fingers.
- Place the ramen-crusted chicken onto the prepared baking sheet (or into the air fryer basket). Lightly spray with oil.
- Bake at 400F for about 12 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the ramen noodles are golden. Cook time will depend on the chicken size and shape. Serve with sweet chili sauce or other sauce for dipping.
Air fryer instructions
- Prepare the ramen-crusted chicken as described above. Arrange the chicken in an air fryer basket or tray and spray with oil. Air fry at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Pan-frying instructions (use only for SMALL chicken tenders or chicken cutlets)
- Prepare the ramen-crusted chicken as described above. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add a thin layer of cooking oil to the pan (about ⅛ - ¼ inches). Gently place the chicken into the hot oil and cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is fully cooked. You want to keep the heat low enough to not burn the ramen but give the chicken enough time to cook.
Notes
- This chicken is best eaten fresh and doesn't make the best leftovers because the ramen coating loses its crisp in the fridge overnight. You can reheat it in the air fryer or oven, but you would end up overcooking the chicken and making it tough in order to make the ramen crispy again. So make just enough for one meal!
- It is better to err on the side of smaller ramen crumbles. The ramen will not stick to the chicken if the crumbles are too big.
- All air fryers and ovens cook differently, so check on the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking to make sure the ramen is not turning brown and burning before the chicken is done. If that is happening, turn down the temperature or move the chicken away from the heat source. Cook time would be longer for large chicken breasts or thick chicken tenders.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 400kcal (20%)Carbohydrates 40g (13%)Protein 32g (64%)Fat 12g (18%)Saturated Fat 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0.02gCholesterol 113mg (38%)Sodium 1303mg (57%)Potassium 538mg (15%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 99IU (2%)Vitamin C 2mg (2%)Calcium 28mg (3%)Iron 3mg (17%)
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