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This recipe for yaki udon delivers stellar results and only requires 20 minutes of your time! Noodles tossed with simple vegetables and chicken are flavoured by a savoury sauce that is so easy to put together.
Can’t get enough of thick and slurpy udon noodles? Take a look at our 20 minute Udon Noodle Soup!
Don’t you love it when you learn that your favourite Asian takeout dish is not difficult to make? I know I do but not as much as my teenagers.
Yaki udon is something we love ordering from our local Japanese takeout but we had no idea it’s so simple to make at home. In fact, my kids now make it for themselves. Then they boast theirs is as good as mom’s! I feel like my job here is done.
What is Yaki Udon?
Japanese stir fried noodles tossed with a very simple vegetable mix like cabbage, mushrooms and carrots is what we are cooking today. The recipe is claimed to gain popularity after the WW2 when the food was in short supply.
Yaki udon is very similar to the famous yakisoba noodles with one main difference: the type of noodles used. As you can guess from the name, thick udon noodles are the star of the show instead of the thinner ones in yakisoba.
I’ve also used chicken in my recipe but pork or seafood are also very popular choices. Or use none of the above and make vegetarian yaki udon!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- One of the main contributors to the taste of this chicken yaki udon recipe is the the dashi stock, a fundamental of Japanese cuisine. For this recipe I used tsuyu, which is concentrated This is an affiliate link.dashi stock plus This is an affiliate link.soy sauce and This is an affiliate link.mirin. It is traditionally used with udon noodles. You can easily find it online if your local supermarket doesn’t carry it. If you can’t find it, substitute with Worcestershire sauce.
- Feel free to use either dried or pre-cooked udon noodles. Bear in mind that while pre-cooked noodles are convenient, they tend to break up when being tossed.
- If you are using dried udon noodles, make sure to rinse them in cold water when they are taken out of the boiling water. This stops them from overcooking and becoming soggy.
- Make sure the vegetables and chicken used in this recipe are sliced before you begin as cooking process moves very fast and there is no time to stop and chop.
- I used veggies that I had available, but it can easily be adapted with whatever you have available! Bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli and scallions will all work here!
- If using shiitake mushrooms, get rid of the stems as they have a tough and unpleasant texture.
- Finally, I used chicken breast for my recipe but the most traditional meat used is a small amount pork belly. Feel free to use whatever you like. Chicken thighs, tofu or beef can also be used, and shrimp will taste particularly delicious. Stir-fried udon noodles in an incredibly adaptable dish, so lots of room to get creative!
Serving suggestions
Yaki udon is best when fresh from the stove, so be ready to eat once they are done cooking. And since this is a one pan meal, you don’t really need to add anything on the side for it to be a complete meal.
I like to serve mine with a healthy amount of chilli oil or This is an affiliate link.sriracha for a bit of a spicy kick. I’m also partial to a sprinkling of sesame seeds, which add a bit of nuttiness to the finished dish.
Storage and leftovers
If you have any leftovers, they can be put in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container and stored in a fridge for 2-3 days.
And when you are ready to reheat, the best way is to heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat and throw the yaki udon back in. It’s time to eat as soon as it is hot. A microwave can also work in a pinch, but using your stovetop will give the best results.
More Asian Noodle Recipes to Try
- Easy Shrimp Chow Mein
- Filipino Noodles Pancit
- Chilli Salmon Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles)
- Asian Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Chicken Yaki Udon
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Carbon steel wok
Ingredients
- 300g/10oz pre-cooked Udon noodles , or 150g/5oz dried
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 100g/1 cup white cabbage, sliced
- 100g/1 cup shiitake mushrooms or button mushrooms
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 3 green onions, green parts cut in 2 inch pieces, white parts sliced
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.soy sauce
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.mirin, or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp tsuyu/dashi stock, or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil , optional
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables by finely slicing the cabbage, cutting the carrot into thin matchsticks. Remove the stems from large shiitake mushrooms as they tend to get a bit woodsy and trim the stem for the small ones, then cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces or leave the small ones whole. Finally, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the udon noodles according to package instructions if using dry noodles. Rinse after cooking. If using pre-cooked noodles, skip this step.
- Meanwhile in a wok or a large pan, heat the oil and cook the chicken until sealed on the outside, then add the vegetables together with the sliced white parts of the green onions and continue stir frying for 5-7 minutes until cooked but still firm to the bite. The vegetables will reduce in volume by a half.
- Add the udon noodles and the green onions to the pan, then add in the soy sauce, mirin and the dashi stock, toss to combine and heat through for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a delicious and easy to make recipe! I had trouble finding dashi in liquid form, so I got hondashi and deed a bit of water to it to dissolve it a bit. I think I’d use a little bit less next time, because the flavour of it was a bit too intense. However, it came together nice and fast and the family all loved it. Cheers to cheap eats and delicious noodles!
I am glad you made it work for you, Sara!
This has been in my family’s regular rotation since I first made it last year! Delicious and so easy!
Thanks so much, Barbara! I am thrilled you love it. I just taught my teenager to make and he is loving it as well!
I was happy that it was an easy-to-make recipe, I usually order this from the store but no more take-outs and delivery since I can make my own at home using this recipe. It was delicious and definitely better than store-bought!
Yes, that’s how we feel too. So much healthier and easy!!
This dish looks absolutely tasty and so delicious. My family is going to enjoy this recipe for dinner soon. Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
These noodles are super tasty and I love the sauce and flavors that were added to it!
So happy to hear it, Jess!