This easy chicken udon with wasabi is a noodle recipe that is a celebration of bright, ultra-savory, and nose-tingling flavors. Want to know the differences between real wasabi vs fake? Read on!
This chicken udon is so delicious with a blend of savory, bright, umami flavors finished off with the nose-tingling hit of wasabi. Have you ever cooked with real wasabi before? I found a tiny root at Hmart for a cool $200 per pound. Having never cooked with real wasabi before, the $12 was well worth it to experiment with it!
The difference between real wasabi vs fake wasabi:
Wasabi and horseradish are different plants within the same family. Most of the wasabi you enjoy at sushi restaurants will be the more readily accessible horseradish. Below are some wasabi fun facts!
- Most–think 99% or so–of wasabi served or sold in the US is a blend of horseradish, mustard flour, and green food coloring.
- Even in Japan, many sushi restaurants will opt for the wasabi dupe because of how prohibitively expensive the real stuff is.
- It’s a tricky bugger to grow! In fact, it is the most difficult plant to cultivate. Wasabi is very particular about its environment, humidity, water content, and temperature, and it takes two years to even reap the rewards of your hard work. Even more fun is that one teeny, tiny mishap can ruin the whole crop.
- Because of all these difficulties, it is super expensive in Japan and abroad. In Japan, prices can soar to $100 per pound despite being native to Japanese soil!
- Once peeled and grated, you need to use it within 5-10 minutes for the best flavor!
If you can’t find genuine wasabi, use a wasabi dupe. I prefer the pre-made paste personally. You can also use storebought wasabi oil or you can omit it entirely.
How to make this easy chicken udon noodle recipe:
Most of the magic of this recipe happens in one pot. You’ll need a second pot for your noodles and a food processor for the wasabi oil. My other secret weapon in this recipe is Yuzu Miso! It adds just a touch of citrusy brightness though you can use your favorite white miso paste for this soup.
First, prepare the broth. Start by browning the ground chicken and seasoning it with a dashi-soy mixture. Take it out of the pot and then add diced shallot. Next, add sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook until browned.
From there, add water or chicken stock along with the cooked chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
While the broth simmers, cook the noodles and drain them and divide them between bowls. Then, prepare the wasabi oil by peeling and grating the wasabi. Then, blend it in a food processor with a bit of neutral oil. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and transfer it to a bowl.
To finish the broth for this easy chicken udon, simply whisk together soy sauce, dashi granules, mirin, and sesame oil. Add a tablespoon of yuzu miso and one cup of hot broth from the pot. Whisk together until the miso is completely melted into the liquid. Pour it into the pot and add your favorite greens, like baby kale or chopped bok choy.
From there, simply ladle the hot broth over cooked udon noodles and garnish with scallions, microgreens, or both!
Looking for more noodle recipes? Check my archives!
If you made udon with wasabi recipe, please rate it below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Easy Chicken Udon with Wasabi
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large pot
- Food processor
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dashi granules; omit if you can’t find it
- 2 shallots peeled and diced
- 5 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
- 8 cups water or chicken stock
- 16 ounces fresh, frozen, or dry udon
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated wasabi or use prepared paste
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dashi granules; omit if you can’t find it
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon yuzu miso
- 5 ounces baby kale
- Salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
- Sliced scallions
- Microgreens optional
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the broth:
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 15 minutes until cooked through and well-browned. Pour in the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon dashi granules and toss to combine. Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a bowl.
- Leave the pot on medium heat and add diced shallot. Sauté for 5 minutes before adding the sliced shiitake mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for 8–10 minutes until lightly browned. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Simmer the broth:
- Pour the water or chicken stock into the pot and gently scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Return the chicken to the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Cook the noodles:
- While the broth simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the udon and then drain them. Divide the noodles between bowls.
Prepare the wasabi oil:
- Place the grated wasabi or prepared wasabi paste into a food processor. Add the 4 tablespoons of neutral oil and then blend until completely smooth. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and transfer it to a bowl.
Finish the udon broth:
- Whisk the mirin, soy sauce, dashi granules, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the yuzu miso. Scoop out one cup of hot broth from the pot. Continue to whisk together until the miso is completely melted into the liquid. Pour the mixture into the pot.
- Add the baby kale and cook for 5 minutes until wilted. Taste and season the broth to your preferences. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the hot broth over cooked udon noodles. Garnish with scallions, microgreens, and sesame seeds. Drizzle each bowl with a teaspoon of wasabi oil. Enjoy!
