Japanese Udon Noodles Recipe Dinner
There’s something wonderfully comforting about a bowl of thick, chewy udon noodles, slick with a savoury sauce and tangled with tender chicken and crisp vegetables. This isn’t just another noodle dish; it’s the meal I turn to when I need something deeply satisfying that doesn’t demand hours of my time. I’ve been making this udon noodles recipe for over 6 years, and it never disappoints. The magic lies in the balance of the sauce – a rich blend of salty soy, sweet mirin, and a gentle kick of ginger that coats every single strand of noodle.
What we’re creating today is a complete meal in one pan. The udon noodles, with their distinctive bouncy texture, are the star of the show. They have a brilliant ability to soak up flavour, making each mouthful a truly rewarding experience. We’ll pair them with juicy chicken thigh pieces, seared until golden, and a colourful mix of broccoli and red peppers that stay delightfully crisp. This is a brilliant recipe for a busy weeknight, but it’s also special enough to make when you have friends over. It’s a dish that always gets compliments and leaves everyone feeling content.
Recipe Overview
This Udon Noodles Recipe delivers a beautifully balanced stir-fry with a glossy, savoury sauce that clings to every noodle. You can expect tender chicken, vibrant vegetables with a pleasant bite, and those satisfyingly chewy noodles. I’ve found that pre-mixing the sauce ingredients in a small jug first ensures all the flavours meld together perfectly before they hit the hot pan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Udon Noodles Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: The sauce is the heart of this dish. It’s a rich, umami-packed combination where the dark soy provides depth, the mirin adds a subtle sweetness, and the fresh ginger and garlic give it a fragrant warmth. It’s not just salty; it’s complex and deeply satisfying.
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes: From chopping the vegetables to sliding the finished noodles into a bowl, this entire meal comes together in about 30 minutes, making it a fantastic choice for those evenings when time is short.
- Flexible Recipe: This recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can swap the chicken for prawns or thinly sliced beef. Don’t have broccoli? Mangetout or baby corn work wonderfully. You could even make it vegetarian by using firm tofu and a good quality vegetable stock.
- Great for Meal Prep: While best enjoyed fresh, the components can be prepped ahead. Chop your vegetables and chicken, and mix the sauce ingredients. When you’re ready to cook, it’s just a matter of assembling everything in the pan.
- Family Tested: My whole family loves this meal. The kids are always excited to see it on the menu, and they particularly enjoy slurping up the thick, sauce-coated noodles. It’s a dish that brings everyone to the table happily.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this recipe, we’re using ingredients that are readily available in most large supermarkets. When it comes to soy sauce, I always reach for Kikkoman for its reliable and balanced flavour. Using both light and dark soy sauce gives the dish a wonderful colour and depth that you can’t achieve with just one type.
- 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-3cm pieces
- 400g pre-cooked udon noodles (usually 2 x 200g packets)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 4 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
- For the Sauce:
- 60ml light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornflour
- For Garnish (optional):
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- A small handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Sara’s Tip: Don’t rinse your udon noodles under cold water after boiling them. Simply drain them and add them straight to the pan. The starchiness that remains helps the sauce to cling to them beautifully, ensuring every bite is full of flavour.
How to Make This Udon Noodles Recipe
The process for this dish is straightforward. We’ll start by preparing our sauce and vegetables, then cook the chicken, and finally bring everything together in the pan. Having all your ingredients prepped and ready to go (a “mise en place”) makes the cooking process smooth and stress-free.
- First, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornflour until the cornflour is fully dissolved. Set this aside.
- Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. This usually just involves simmering them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, drain them well using a colander and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Add the white parts of the spring onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the pan with the chicken. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the broccoli florets and sliced red pepper to the pan. Continue to stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. We want the vegetables to be tender but still have a bit of a bite.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan. Stir everything together and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken and become glossy thanks to the cornflour.
- Add the drained udon noodles to the pan. Use tongs to gently toss everything together, ensuring the noodles, chicken, and vegetables are all evenly coated in the delicious sauce. What works best for me is to let it cook for another minute to allow the noodles to absorb the flavour.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir through the green parts of the spring onions. Serve immediately, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh coriander, if you like.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: Keep your pan on a medium-high heat throughout the stir-frying process. This ensures the chicken sears nicely and the vegetables cook quickly without becoming soggy. If the pan gets too hot and the garlic starts to brown too quickly, just lift it off the heat for a moment.
- The Secret Step: I learned that adding the sauce *after* the vegetables have had a few minutes to cook is key. This prevents the sugars in the mirin and soy sauce from burning before the broccoli and peppers are tender-crisp.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare all the components a day in advance. Chop the vegetables and chicken and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Whisk the sauce together and keep it in a sealed jar. This turns a 30-minute meal into a 15-minute one.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a microwave or in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. The noodles will soften slightly upon reheating but will still be delicious.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need any highly specialized equipment for this recipe, which is part of its charm. A few kitchen basics are all it takes.
- Large pot for boiling the noodles
- Colander for draining
- Large frying pan or a wok
- Tongs or a pasta fork for tossing everything together
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about what not to do. Avoiding these common pitfalls will ensure your noodle dish is a success every time.
- Overcrowding the pan: Don’t try to cook a double batch in a standard-sized frying pan. If you overcrowd the pan, the ingredients will steam instead of searing, and you won’t get that lovely golden colour on the chicken. Cook in two batches if necessary.
- Wrong temperature: Cooking on too low a heat will result in soft, stewed vegetables. Too high, and your garlic and ginger will burn before the other ingredients are cooked. A consistent medium-high heat is the sweet spot for a great stir-fry texture.
- Overcooking the noodles: This is the biggest mistake you can make with this dish. Udon noodles are prized for their chewy, bouncy texture. Follow the packet instructions carefully—they usually only need a few minutes. Overcooking them will turn them mushy and ruin the final result.
What to Serve With This Udon Noodles Recipe
This is a hearty one-pan meal, but if you’d like to add some accompaniments, here are a few ideas that work beautifully:
- Steamed Gyoza: A small plate of steamed or pan-fried chicken or vegetable gyoza makes for a fantastic starter and complements the Japanese-inspired flavours.
- A Simple Cucumber Salad: A refreshing salad of thinly sliced cucumber dressed with a little rice vinegar and sesame oil provides a cool, crisp contrast to the warm, savoury noodles.
- Drink Pairing: A crisp Japanese lager like Asahi or Sapporo cuts through the richness of the sauce perfectly. For a non-alcoholic option, a cold glass of jasmine iced tea is wonderfully refreshing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Udon Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- First, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornflour until the cornflour is fully dissolved. Set this aside.
- Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. This usually just involves simmering them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, drain them well using a colander and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Add the white parts of the spring onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the pan with the chicken. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the broccoli florets and sliced red pepper to the pan. Continue to stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. We want the vegetables to be tender but still have a bit of a bite.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan. Stir everything together and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken and become glossy thanks to the cornflour.
- Add the drained udon noodles to the pan. Use tongs to gently toss everything together, ensuring the noodles, chicken, and vegetables are all evenly coated in the delicious sauce. What works best for me is to let it cook for another minute to allow the noodles to absorb the flavour.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir through the green parts of the spring onions. Serve immediately, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh coriander, if you like.
Notes
I really hope you enjoy making this udon noodles recipe as much as my family and I do. It’s a reliable, flavour-packed dish that always hits the spot. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please leave a comment below and let me know! Happy cooking, Sara.
