Instant Ramen Is Your Secret For Transforming Leftover Bourbon Chicken

We at Chowhound have talked about how a bourbon glaze takes salmon to the next level before, and it can do the same for chicken, too. You can also stretch the longevity of that delicious bourbon chicken by dressing up the leftovers in tons of different ways. Long gone are the days of simply popping your chicken into the microwave and eating it reheated with the sides of yesterday's meals or whatever else you have on hand. Instead, this is the perfect opportunity to use your favorite brand of instant ramen noodles as the starchy base beneath the bourbon chicken.

While the science behind what makes instant noodles instant is fascinating, you don't need to know the whys or hows to know just how much time instant noodles save you when cooking up your dinner. Their time-saving, easy-to-use nature applies in this leftover bourbon chicken dish, too. Instead of adding the seasoning packet to your ramen and water, thus making the beloved soup, simply ditch the packet and drain your noodles. You'll be left with fully cooked noodles that you can add your reheated leftover bourbon chicken to. The chicken adds protein and makes your noodles heartier and more filling, while the bourbon sauce offers a sweet and savory depth that absorbs beautifully into the noodles, taking a simple, inexpensive college dorm staple to a balanced dish with ginger and garlic notes. That's not the only thing you can do to elevate your ramen, either.

Ditching the flavor packet in your instant ramen opens doors for all kinds of sauces and toppings. If you're still in a bourbon mood, break out the bourbon for a next-level marinade that goes great with chicken or even ramen eggs. For some other easy add-ins, don't forget your fiber. You can toss canned or frozen veggies into a skillet to warm up with your bourbon sauce and chicken, or you can cut and add in some fresh green onions, bean sprouts, and cabbage or baby bok choy, if you have any on hand. You can also just treat this like a fridge or pantry clean-out recipe to use up any leftover items, making it a great dish for reducing food waste.

In fact, dry ramen is a great noodle base for almost any kind of leftover protein you can think of. Just toss in your meat, choose a sauce that suits it, mix in some veggies of your choice, and voila! You've got a much more balanced and nutritious meal that's bursting with flavor, done before you can even blink. Fried spam and an egg over easy or sunny-side up is always a classic choice, but the sky is the limit. Best still, instant ramen's easy to find and afford, so you can buy as many as you want and dress it up in so many ways that you'll never get bored.