Tonkotsu-Style Ramen with Soy-Glazed Chicken, Soft Egg & Bamboo Shoots

Swaps pork belly for chicken thigh and uses a chicken-based cloudy broth to get that creamy tonkotsu feel while staying closer to how you normally eat

⏱ 1 hr 30 min · medium · 🍽 serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 litres good chicken stock (ideally homemade or low-salt)
• 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
• 5cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp tahini (gives body and a subtle nuttiness in place of pork fat)
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 320g dried ramen noodles (or whole-wheat noodles as a closer-to-home swap)
• 4 eggs
• 160g canned or jarred bamboo shoots (menma), drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (for the bamboo shoots)
• 1 tsp sesame oil (for the bamboo shoots)
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 sheet nori, cut into 4 strips (optional)
• 1 tsp chili oil or togarashi, to finish

Steps

1. Make the soy glaze: mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil in a small bowl. Score the chicken thighs, coat in half the glaze and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Build the broth: put chicken stock, garlic halves (cut-side down), and ginger in a large pot. Bring to a vigorous boil and let it roll for 20 minutes — this agitation is what makes it turn slightly cloudy and rich.
3. Whisk in the miso and tahini until fully dissolved into the broth. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Season with white pepper and taste — add a splash more soy if it needs salt.
4. Soft-boil the eggs: lower eggs into boiling water, cook exactly 6 minutes 30 seconds, transfer to ice water, peel and halve just before serving.
5. Season the bamboo shoots: toss drained shoots in 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil, warm them briefly in a dry pan for 2 minutes.
6. Cook the chicken: heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-high, cook thighs skin-side down for 7 minutes until the skin is deeply golden. Flip, brush with remaining glaze, cook 4 more minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then slice across the grain.
7. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, drain well.
8. Assemble: divide hot noodles among four deep bowls, ladle over the hot broth generously, arrange sliced chicken, a halved egg, bamboo shoots and spring onions on top. Add a strip of nori and a drizzle of chili oil if Judy wants the heat — she will.