Yakisoba, or Japanese stir-fried noodles, is a family favorite from my sister-in-law Katelyn. She made it for us one summer and it’s been on repeat in our house ever since. I love how this chicken yakisoba recipe balances chicken with tons of vegetables. I didn’t think I would like the cabbage in it, but now it’s my favorite part of this dish. It has the best texture and flavor and is such a fun dish to serve to guests. Bring the popular Japanese street food to your home. It’s easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious!
Ingredients in Yakisoba
Much like many stir fry recipes, you can mix and match ingredients to suit your family’s needs. But here’s our recipe to get you started:
Yakisoba noodles – Find the Yakisoba noodles at an Asian Market type of store. Make sure you are getting the fresh noodles (not the dry dehydrated kind). The Yakisoba noodles can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Some markets will carry it in the produce section as well.Vegetable oil – for frying the noodlesOnion – a big yellow or white onion works great for this recipe. Red bell pepper – sliced about the same size as the onion slices.Garlic – about a teaspoon of minced garlic, or one or two cloves.One boneless skinless chicken breast – sliced into thin stripsCarrots – two medium sized, sliced or cut into thin matchstick shapesBaby corn – you can find these in the canned food section, and make sure to drain the can before adding to the recipe.Water chestnuts – these add a nice crunchy texture but are optionalFrozen peas – about half a cupCabbage – green or red cabbage works greatSeasoning packet from the noodlesTeriyaki sauce – any brand will workSoy sauce – you can use low sodium sauce to keep the sodium downPickled ginger or red ginger, also optional.
What is Yakisoba?
Yakisoba means “fried buckwheat” or “grilled noodles” when translated literally. The buckwheat translation speaks to the fact that yakisoba noodles are actually made from wheat flour. Some people wonder about the similarity between Yakisoba and Chow Mein. This Japanese dish is similar to the Chinese Chow Mein. Both dishes incorporate stir fried buckwheat noodles, or wheat noodles. However, Chinese Chow Mein noodles are typically fried crisp (or nearly crisp) before mixing with stir fried vegetables. Yakisoba is also similar to Chinese Lo Mein, but the flavors in the sauce are distinctly different.
How To Separate Yakisoba Noodles
Yakisoba noodles are vacuum packed which means the noodles come tightly packed together, like a brick. If you try adding the noodles to the stir-fry without separating them, the noodles will break and lose their noodle-y-ness. You want to have nice, long, pliable noodles for this chicken Yakisoba so it can easily be eaten with chopsticks or twirled around a fork. There are a few different ways you can do this:
Soak the noodles in cold water for an hour and break apart by hand (package instructions)Microwave in the packaging according to package directions (microwave time may vary by brand)Our preferred method: Boil water and drop the noodles in. When noodles are loosened, immediately drain.
We like this method best because the noodles become more pliable and easier to break up. The trick is taking it off the heat RIGHT when the noodles are broken up. They can quickly become overcooked so it’s also not a bad idea to rinse them with cold water before adding them to the chicken and vegetables. The noodles become a little more full when boiled because they absorb the water, however, once the noodles are added to the skillet and heated, a lot of the water steams out of the noodles again giving it that familiar Yakisoba texture.
Additional Veggies to Add
For Yakisoba you can use the same vegetables that you would typically use in other stir-fries. Here is a list of some of our favorite vegetables to use in Yakisoba, use any or all of them in this recipe:
OnionsRed, Yellow, or Orange Bell PeppersCarrotsBroccoliPeasCabbageWater ChestnutsBaby CornString BeansSnow PeasZucchiniBean SproutsCeleryShiitake mushroomsSeaweedGreen onionRed pickled ginger
Yakisoba Sauce
The easiest way to season your Yakisoba is to simply use the included seasoning packets. I have noticed if I use the seasoning packets alone without any other liquid (broth, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc…) the noodles get too dry and break. For this recipe I like to sprinkle the seasoning packets over the noodles in the pan but then also make a sauce combining soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. If you still find that you sauce is too thick to cover all the noodles, you can thin it out with some broth over medium-high heat and then pour it over the Yakisoba. Serve in a small bowl and top with beni shoga (or red ginger).
Try It With A Bacon Twist
This chicken Yakisoba is actually a spin-off of our Bacon Yakisoba recipe in our cookbook. When you think of Asian-inspired recipes, typically you don’t think of bacon as an ingredient but it is delicious in this recipe! To make it bacon-style, just swap out the chicken with some cooked bacon (or use chicken AND bacon… YUM). In our original recipe, we used broccoli, zucchini, carrots, and cabbage as the vegetables but as mentioned above, you can use any vegetables you would like and it will still turn out great!
Frequently Asked Questions about Yakisoba
Read More: 35+ Best Chicken Breast Recipes
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
If you have a hankering for more Asian-inspired noodle dishes, here are a few more of our favorites:
Beef Stir Fry with NoodlesPanda Express Chow Mein CopycatIndonesian Peanut SauteHealthy Sesame Chicken Stir FrySweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken
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