Easy Yaki Udon
This Easy Yaki Udon recipe will be your go-to on your busiest days! Slippery, chewy noodles cooked in a savory sauce with crisp veggies and your choice of protein—it's quick, comforting, and guaranteed to be delicious and filling.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ¼ onion ((roughly 2 oz, 57 g))
- 2 inches carrot ((roughly 1.7 oz, 48 g))
- 2 leaves cabbage ((roughly 2 oz, 57 g))
- 1 green onion
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 serving udon noodles
- 2 Tbsp water ((for steaming))
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ Tbsp mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1½ Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) ((optional; skip for vegan))
Instructions
- 1
Gather all the ingredients. I use an electric pot for this recipe and others in the 10-Minute Meal series. You also could use a regular saucepan on the stove.
- 2
To Prepare the Ingredients
- 3
Cut ¼ onion into thin slices.
- 4
Peel and cut 2 inches carrot into thin slabs.
- 5
Remove the tough core of 2 leaves cabbage. Then, cut the leaves into bite-size pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) square.
- 6
Thinly slice 1 green onion diagonally. Keep the green and white parts in separate piles. Set aside the green part for garnish.
- 7
Cut 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh into bite-size pieces. I recommend cutting it diagonally (this cutting technique is called sogigiri in Japanese) to create more surface area and flatten each piece so it cooks faster.
- 8
To Cook the Yaki Udon
- 9
Heat the pot on medium-high heat or Mode II (600W) on the electric pot. Once it's hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it to coat the cooking surface.
- 10
When the oil is hot, add the chicken.
- 11
Cook until it's no longer pink, 3–4 minutes.
- 12
Next, add the onion and stir-fry with the chicken.
- 13
When the onion is tender, add the carrot, cabbage, and white part of the green onion to the pot. Do not mix yet.
- 14
Place 1 serving udon noodles (no need to defrost) in the pot, then add 2 Tbsp water. Reduce to medium or Mode I (250W).
- 15
Cover the pot with the lid and steam over medium heat or Model I until the frozen udon thaws and loosens, about 8 minutes.
- 16
Flip the block of frozen udon at the halfway mark. Do not mix yet with the veggies and chicken.
- 17
Cover with the lid and continue to steam.
- 18
Open the lid and toss all the ingredients together. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- 19
Add 1½ Tbsp mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base) and 1 tsp soy sauce. Toss everything together to distribute the seasonings well.
- 20
To Serve
- 21
Serve the noodles on an individual plate. Sprinkle with the reserved green onions and 1½ Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Serve immediately.
- 22
To Store
- 23
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator up to one day. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.