SLOW COOKER CHICKEN RAMEN WITH BOK CHOY AND MISO

Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen With Bok Choy and Miso image

The slow cooker puts a weeknight ramen fix within reach; don't skimp on the toppings here, which you can customize to your liking. They make each bowl feel special. Miso soup is traditionally made with dashi, an umami-rich stock made from kombu seaweed and dried bonito, a kind of tuna. But this recipe takes a different path to those deep flavors, substituting chicken broth and optional dried shiitake mushrooms, found in the produce department or international aisle of many grocery stores. Finally, a quick kombu steep adds umami. The ingredient is available at more specialty grocers and online, but feel free to leave it out. The soup will still be delicious.

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Categories dinner, weekday, noodles, soups and stews, main course

Time 6h20m

Yield 4 to 5 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 pounds skin-on whole chicken legs (about 5 legs)
1/2 heaping cup sweet white or yellow miso, plus more to taste
2 scallions, trimmed and halved, plus more for topping
3 garlic cloves, smashed
4 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
1 (5-by-3-inch) piece dried kombu (optional)
1 pound baby bok choy, cored and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tamari, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons mirin, plus more to taste
12 to 16 ounces ramen, cooked and drained
Soft boiled eggs, sesame seeds and toasted nori sheets, for topping

Steps:

Put the chicken legs in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, and crumble the miso on top. Add the scallions, garlic cloves, shiitake mushrooms (if using) and 6 cups water. Stir well to combine. Cook until the chicken is tender, at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours on low. If it's more convenient, you can let the slow cooker switch to warm after 6 hours. The soup will hold on warm for about another 2 hours before the chicken begins to dry out.
Switch the heat to high. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken, scallions, garlic and shiitakes, and place in a bowl. Set aside to cool. Stir in kombu, bok choy, tamari and mirin. Cover and let cook until the bok choy is wilted and tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the kombu. Coarsely shred chicken meat into the soup, discarding the skin, bone, scallions, garlic and shiitakes. Taste the soup and whisk in a few more spoonfuls of miso or tamari, if desired.
Divide the noodles among 4 or 5 bowls, and ladle the soup on top. Top each with sliced scallion, a halved soft boiled egg, sesame seeds and a piece of nori.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1171, UnsaturatedFat 42 grams, Carbohydrate 60 grams, Fat 71 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 70 grams, SaturatedFat 22 grams, Sodium 3198 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams