This Chicken Yakisoba recipe is a family fave, and its so easy to make at home in just about 30 minutes!.
I’ve always loved yakisoba noodles, but after going to Japan a little over a year ago, I fell in love with them even more. Theyre so easy to make at home, and its a dish that kids and adults alike tend to enjoy!.
With the Summer Olympics in Japan this year, I was inspired to share my familys Chicken Yakisoba recipe. Its a simple yet flavorful riff on some of our favorite take-out dishes.
To make this yakisoba dish, a wok does the best job. This is the wok that I use to make yakisoba, and other Asian recipes, like Beef Lo Mein and Filipino Pancit Bihon. If you dont have a wok, you can use any other heavy-bottom pan that has high sides.
Chicken yaki soba is a popular Japanese noodle dish that consists of chicken, vegetables, and wheat noodles cooked in a sweet and savory sauce. It’s a quick, easy, and customizable meal that can be found at street food stalls, restaurants, and home kitchens across Japan. If you love noodles and are looking to expand your culinary horizons, chicken yaki soba is a must-try!
A Brief History of Yaki Soba
Soba noodles have been eaten in Japan for centuries. Originally, soba referred to noodles made from buckwheat flour. However, the noodles used in yaki soba are usually made from wheat flour and are called chūka soba (Chinese soba).
Yaki soba likely originated in food stalls in Japan during the 20th century. Vendors would cook soba noodles stir fried with meat and vegetables to serve as an affordable, delicious street food. The dish grew in popularity and can now be found in many casual eateries and homes in Japan. Traditional yaki soba uses chicken, but pork, beef, and seafood are also common proteins.
What Are the Ingredients in Chicken Yaki Soba?
The components of chicken yaki soba are simple, but they come together to make a flavorful and satisfying noodle dish. Here are the main ingredients:
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Noodles: Wheat flour noodles, often using ramen noodles or store-bought yakisoba noodles.
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Protein: Chicken breast or thigh meat that has been thinly sliced. You can also use pork or shrimp as a protein.
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Vegetables Cabbage carrots onions, broccoli, bean sprouts. Use whatever veggies you have!
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There is soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in the sauce. Oyster sauce is also common.
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Aromatics Ginger, garlic, green onions.
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Garnishes: Beni shoga (pickled ginger), aonori (seaweed flakes), mayonnaise.
Step-By-Step Guide to Making Chicken Yaki Soba
One of the great things about yaki soba is how quick and easy it is to make. Follow these simple steps:
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Prepare the food: cut the vegetables into small pieces and slice the chicken into thin strips. Mix the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and other sauce ingredients together to make the sauce.
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Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
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Stir fry the vegetables: Add more oil if needed and stir fry the vegetables until slightly softened but still crunchy.
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Add the noodles and sauce: Add the cooked noodles and stir to coat with sauce. Let the noodles soak up the flavors.
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Return the chicken and mix: Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and mix everything together.
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Serve hot: Plate the yaki soba and garnish with pickled ginger, green onions, seaweed flakes, etc. Enjoy immediately!
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Yaki Soba
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Use a large nonstick wok or skillet to give you plenty of room for tossing and stirring.
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Cook the chicken thoroughly before adding to the noodles to avoid undercooked meat.
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Don’t overcook the vegetables. You want them vibrant and slightly crisp.
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Adjust the sauce ingredients to suit your tastes. More sugar = sweeter, more vinegar = more tang.
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Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheated for a quick meal.
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Substitute pork, beef, shrimp, or extra vegetables for the chicken.
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Try udon or ramen noodles instead of yakisoba noodles. Any noodle works!
Serving Ideas and Variations
There are many ways to tweak chicken yaki soba to suit your preferences:
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Add kimchi, mushrooms, water chestnuts, or mung bean sprouts for extra flavor and crunch.
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For a spicy kick, add sriracha, chili oil, or chili flakes to the sauce or as a topping.
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Make it vegetarian by using tofu, edamame, or extra vegetables instead of chicken.
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For a low-carb option, replace the noodles with shirataki noodles made from konjac yam.
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Add a fried egg on top for extra protein and richness.
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Serve it with steamed rice on the side to round out the meal.
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Stuff the stirred noodles into a baked pita pocket for an easy chicken yaki soba sandwich.
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Top with creamy Japanese mayo and aonori flakes for extra flavor.
Health Benefits of Chicken Yaki Soba
Aside from being cheap and easy to make, chicken yaki soba is also a nutritious meal. Here are some of the health benefits:
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Protein from the chicken provides energy and helps build muscle.
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The vegetables add vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients like fiber.
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Complex carbs from the soba noodles give you sustained energy.
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Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can ease nausea or aid digestion.
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Cabbage contains antioxidants that may help prevent certain cancers.
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Onions and garlic have antimicrobial effects that support immune function.
So grab your noodles, chicken, veggies, and sauce because chicken yaki soba is a quick, healthy, and irresistibly tasty dinner option! This Japanese street food classic is fun to make at home and customizable based on your tastes. Give it a try if you love noodles, stir fries, or Asian-inspired meals. Just be warned – it may become your new go-to weeknight dinner!
What to Serve with Chicken Yakisoba
Some of our favorite dishes to serve with chicken yakisoba recipe include:
Yes! You can use real yakisoba noodles, instant yakisoba noodles, or even spaghetti.
Absolutely. This chicken yakisoba recipe is just as delicious with broccoli, red cabbage, and mushrooms. If using larger vegetables, like broccoli, be sure to sauté those along with the carrots first. Then add the other, thinner vegetables that cook faster.
Yakisoba sauce is a richer, more complex blend of flavors, whereas soy sauce is simply soy sauce. The combination of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce give this yakisoba sauce a nice depth of flavor which makes this dish absolutely delicious!.
You can freeze cooked chicken yakisoba in a freezer-safe container – like FoodSavers Preserve & Marinate Containers – or bag for up to one month. However, this dish is best eaten fresh, within five days. Freezing tends to diminish the flavors of the dish. If you do freeze yakisoba, allow it to that in the refrigerator overnight. Youll also want to add some yakisoba sauce, or even plain soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, to the dish when reheating in the microwave or stovetop.
How to Make Chicken Yakisoba Noodles
First, make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Then pour half into a second bowl and set that bowl aside. Youll use it at the end!.
Next, cook the noodles according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, start cooking the chicken.
Heat oil in a wok. Once the wok is hot, add the chopped chicken pieces, and pour in the sauce from one of the bowls. Stir constantly and coat all of the chicken pieces with the sauce. Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 4 to 7 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the wok and transfer to a bowl. Set it aside for later.
You should still have some cooking oil left in the wok. If not, add one tablespoon of oil. Add the carrots and onions to the wok and stir constantly, cooking until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the cabbage and cook for one more minute, until softened.
Add the chicken back to the wok. Drain the cooked noodles and add them to the wok. Then pour in the remaining bowl of Yakisoba sauce. Stir all of the ingredients together until everything is well coated.
This is a very forgiving and adaptable chicken yakisoba recipe. Its already a fast dish, but if you want to save even more time, try one of these kitchen shortcuts.
- Use pre-cooked chicken.
- You can use a coleslaw mix (without any dressing) of red and green cabbage and carrots if you don’t have time to chop the vegetables.
- Use instant noodles instead of regular yakisoba noodles.
Since this chicken yakisoba recipe makes a large amount, I like to serve some as a main course one night. Then, I save the rest and we serve it as a side dish on another night.
To help the yakisoba stay fresh longer, I use my FoodSaver VS3110 Food Preservation System along with my Preserve and Marinate Containers. I love these containers so much! They not only vacuum seal to lock in freshness, but theyre also crack- and shatter-resistant AND theyre stain- and odor-resistant too! Thats a big plus, considering so many delicious dishes we cook are fragrant and have strong sauces that tend to stain regular old containers.
Easy CHICKEN YAKISOBA | Soba Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables. Recipe by Always Yummy!
FAQ
What is yaki soba made of?
To make yakisoba, you fry wheat noodles like in ramen with small pieces of pork and chopped vegetables like cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, and carrots. It is then flavored with Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Is chicken yaki soba spicy?
Chicken Yakisoba! Sweet, tangy, and a little spicy.
Is chicken yaki soba healthy?
This satisfying meal combines chewy yakisoba noodles with a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Packed with protein and vibrant veggies, it’s a delicious option that can be part of a healthy diet when made with lean chicken and low-sodium sauces.
Is yaki soba like lo mein?
Yes, yakisoba is often described as the Japanese version of the Chinese stir-fried noodle dish, lo mein. Both dishes are made by stir-frying noodles with vegetables and a savory sauce. Ingredients like soy sauce are often used in both.