Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken

This Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken is quick and easy to make and full of the BEST savory umami flavors! Bouncy udon noodles, perfectly seasoned and seared chicken pieces, shiitake mushrooms and baby spinach come together in a heavenly white wine miso cream sauce! This is Japanese-Italian fusion comfort food at its best!

this recipe

I am still in disbelief of the sheer brilliance and pure magic that is this Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken.

Bouncy, chewy udon noodles, beautifully seasoned and seared tender chicken thigh pieces, tender but crisp at the edges sliced shiitake mushrooms, and baby spinach are drenched in a luxurious, rich and garlicky white wine miso cream sauce with savory cheesy flavors from Parmigiano Reggiano! Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to finish and you have yourself a Japanese-Italian fusion masterpiece! 

Dare I say it’s one of the best quick and easy fusion pasta/noodles dishes I’ve created so far.

When I say this is SO GOOD, I mean that you will most certainly go in for a second helping even if you are full. You will also want to chase everyone away from the table so that you can save and enjoy the leftovers again the next day too. But don’t do that because everyone needs to try this heavenly creamy mushroom udon and experience the magic.

Bonus? It’s simple enough to make on weeknights in under 30 minutes, but is also an absolute winner on date nights and fancy enough for entertaining! 

Make it tonight, and I’m sure you’ll be making it over and over again.

Why This Recipe Works

• Quick and easy. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for any weeknight or occasion!
• Perfect textures. We have springy and chewy udon noodles, a velvety and beautifully seasoned cream sauce, tender chicken thigh pieces all joining hands in this chef-d’oeuvre!
• Luxurious creamy sauce. The white wine cream sauce is incredibly rich and savory in flavor even though it’s made from single cream (not heavy cream). It tastes heavenly when tossed with the bouncy udon noodles and tender chicken pieces.
• Loaded with umami. White miso paste adds a subtle nutty sweetness to the cream sauce and umami notes along with the mushrooms.
• Adjustable spice level. While I’ve used lashings of ground cayenne and red pepper flakes, you can use less for less heat or get rid of both for a completely mild, but still sensational and dreamy udon noodles dish. 

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

• Seasoned Sliced Chicken Thighs: I used sliced chicken thigh fillets and seasoned the pieces with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic powder and ground cayenne. You’re welcome to use sliced boneless and skinless chicken breasts for a leaner option if you prefer. For a milder flavor, use paprika instead of ground cayenne.  
• Asian Red Shallots: Or you can use French shallots/eschalots, or red or yellow onion instead.
• Asian Brown Mushrooms: I’ve used shiitakes here, but any Asian mushrooms or even western mushrooms will work. Some great options are enoki (shimeji), maitake, oyster, cremini, champignon and button mushrooms. You could also use a combination of two or more types. 
• Dry White Wine: I’ve used a sauvignon blanc as its acidity balances out the richness of the cream sauce. However, any type of dry white wine like an unoaked chardonnay or pinot grigio will work too.
• White Miso Paste: Also known as shiro miso or kome miso. This is a fermented Japanese paste made from rice and soybeans. It adds subtle, delicious savory umami notes to this creamy mushroom udon. You can purchase a tub in a mainstream or Asian supermarket, or a specialty Japanese ingredients grocery store.
• Cooking Cream: This is also known as single or light cream. It’s a cream with 20% fat content and is not super rich like heavy or double cream, which is usually 35% fat and above. 
• Udon Noodles: I’ve used vacuum sealed packs of pre-cooked shelf-stable udon noodles. They are available online and can also be found in Asian and Japanese supermarkets. Frozen udon noodles or par-cooked fresh udon noodles from the fridge section can also be used instead. Avoid using dried udon as it doesn’t have the same bouncy and chewy texture. You can also swap the udon for linguini, fettuccine, or other noodle-type of pasta you have on hand. 
• Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan): I highly recommend buying a block and using a box grater to grate the cheese at home instead of using pre-bagged shredded cheese. It’ll melt more evenly into the sauce and let’s face it – freshly grated cheese tastes so much better!
• Baby Spinach: Or use baby kale or arugula (rocket) if you prefer.
• Spices and Seasonings: To season the creamy sauce, we’ll use freshly cracked black pepper, dried oregano flakes, dried thyme, ground cayenne (optional – omit for milder dish), and crushed red pepper flakes for a kick of heat. Since the miso paste is already quite salty and the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese adds savory flavors to the sauce, I didn’t need to add more salt. You can taste and add kosher salt if needed to suit your taste.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken

1. Prepare the noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat and place the udon noodle cakes in it. Using tongs, gently shake the cakes until the strands have separated and are tender. Reserve a little udon cooking water before draining into a colander. Run cold water on top to prevent sticking.

2. Cook the chicken. Sauté in a little olive oil in a large deep sauté pan for a few minutes until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. 

3. Sauté shallots and garlic. Add unsalted butter to the pan. Once foamy, add the shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant.

4. Add the mushrooms. Sauté until softened and starting to get toasty on the edges. 

5. Stir in the white wine and miso paste. The wine will reduce and the light brown mixture will start to thicken.

6. Add the cream and seasonings. Lower the heat before stirring in both.

7. Stir in the cheese until fully melted.

8. Add the baby spinach. Mix well until it starts to wilt.

9. Add the udon and chicken. Also add a splash of the reserved udon cooking water and mix well to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.

Serve! Divide evenly onto plates or into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Then devour and enjoy!

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook’s Tips

• Add a little oil to the pan if needed when cooking the mushrooms. Don’t let the pan get too dry or the mushrooms will start to burn.
• Cook the chicken in butter. For a richer flavor, cook the chicken in unsalted butter instead of olive oil.
• Make the sauce lighter. Use half and half or whole milk instead of cream. It will still be delicious, just not as creamy. You can stir in a corn starch slurry (1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 teaspoon corn starch) before adding the noodles and chicken to help thicken the sauce if desired.
• Adjust spice level to taste. Use less or omit the ground cayenne for seasoning the chicken. Switch it out for paprika instead. You can also use less (or omit) the ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes in the creamy sauce.

FAQs

Variations

• Use shrimp. Shrimp or prawns would taste fabulous in the creamy mushroom miso sauce. I recommend using peeled and deveined shrimp to save time.
• Make it vegetarian. Simply use more mushrooms and omit the chicken and seasonings. Add the olive oil that you would have used to cook the chicken and unsalted butter to the pan and cook as directed starting from from step 3.
• Make it vegan. Same as for making it vegetarian but use dairy-free unsalted butter, cheese and cream (or unsweetened dairy-free milk plus a corn starch slurry).
• Use pasta. While udon noodles bring the bounce, you could also make this with linguini, fettuccine, spaghetti or other noodle-type of pasta.

More Delicious Creamy Noodles and Pasta Recipes

• Cream Sauce Seafood Pasta
• Creamy Rosé Pasta with Prawns
• Spicy Miso Ramen with Chicken Meatballs
• Creamy Tuna Basta Bake
• Creamy Tom Yum Pasta
• Creamy Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Shrimp & Bacon

More Recipes with Udon Noodles

• Spicy Cumin Noodles with Salmon
• Japanese Curry Udon with Pork Belly
• Spicy Udon Noodle Soup with Chicken & Mushrooms
• Creamy Spicy Korean Udon Noodles with Bulgogi Chicken
• Sichuan Sauce Noodles Stir-fry
• Or browse the entire Noodles recipe collection.

MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

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Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken

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Quick and easy to make and full of the BEST savory umami flavors, this Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken is made with bouncy udon noodles, perfectly seasoned and seared chicken pieces, shiitake mushrooms and baby spinach and a heavenly white wine miso cream sauce!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: Japanese-inspired

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Chicken:

• 250 grams / 9 ounces Chicken Thigh Fillets, boneless, skinless – sliced into bite-sized pieces
• ½ TSP + 1 TBLS Olive Oil, divided
• ½ TSP Kosher Salt (use half the amount if using iodized table salt)
• ¼ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
• ⅛ TSP Garlic Powder
• ¼ TSP ground Cayenne (optional – substitute paprika for milder flavor), to taste

For the Creamy Mushroom Udon:

• 3 small Asian Red Shallots (or use 1–2 French shallots/eschalots or ⅓ medium red or yellow onion) – peeled, finely chopped
• 4–5 Garlic cloves – minced
• 4–5 (about 100 grams / 3.5 ounces) Asian Brown Mushrooms (such as shiitakes or any other mushrooms – note 1) – cleaned, sliced
• 2 cups Baby Spinach – washed
• 50 grams / ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan)
• 118ml / ½ cup Dry White Wine (I used a sauvignon blanc, but unoaked chardonnay or pinot grigio works too)
• 200ml / 7 fluid ounces Cooking Cream (light or single cream, 20% fat – note 2)
• 400 grams / 14 ounces pre-cooked Udon Noodles (I used 2 vacuum sealed packs – note 3)
• 1 TBLS Unsalted Butter
• 1 TBLS White Miso Paste (shiro miso – note 4)
• ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 TSP dried Oregano Flakes
• 1 TSP dried Thyme
• ¼ – 1.5 TSP ground Cayenne (optional), to taste* (note 5)
• ½ – 1.5 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste* (note 5)
• To Serve: 1 TBLS chopped fresh Parsley

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Instructions

Prep:

1. Season the chicken: Clean and pat-dry the chicken thigh fillets. Slice into bite-sized pieces and add to a medium bowl. Toss with ½ teaspoon olive oil, then season with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and ground cayenne (or paprika) and mix to coat.
2. Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Finely chop the Asian red shallots, mince the garlic, and slice the mushrooms. Wash the baby spinach and set aside. Use a box grater to grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Measure out the dry white wine and cooking cream in separate measuring cups.

For the Creamy Mushroom Udon with Chicken:

1. Prepare the udon noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and add the udon noodle cakes. Use tongs to grab onto them, one at a time, and gently shake until the strands have separated and are tender. Reserve ¼ cup of udon cooking water before draining into a colander. Run cold water on top to prevent sticking.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken pieces and spread them out in the pan. Allow to cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Then sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté shallots and garlic: Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once foamy, add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Sauté the mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 1-2 minutes until starting to soften and become toasty on the edges. If the pan starts to look too dry, add a small drizzle of olive oil and continue cooking.
5. Add the wine and miso: Pour in the white wine and add the miso paste. Stir until the miso paste breaks down and the wine reduces. The mixture will be light brown and start to thicken.
6. Add the cream and seasonings: Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cooking cream. Stir in the seasonings and spices – the freshly cracked black pepper, dried oregano flakes, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne – until combined well.
7. Stir in the cheese: Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese until fully melted.
8. Add the baby spinach, udon and chicken: Add the baby spinach and mix well until it starts to wilt – about 1 minute. Add the udon noodles, 1-2 TBLS udon cooking water and the chicken. Mix well to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. Switch off the heat.
9. To Serve: Divide evenly onto plates (or in bowls) and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Equipment

shelf-stable udon noodles

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White Miso Paste

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large deep sauté pan

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Notes

1. Asian Brown Mushrooms. I’ve used shiitakes, but any type of Asian mushrooms or even western mushrooms will work. Some great options are enoki (shimeji), maitake, oyster, cremini, champignon and button mushrooms. You could also use a combination of two or more types.
2. Cooking Cream: This is also known as single or light cream. It’s a cream with 20% fat content and is not super rich like heavy or double cream, which is usually 35% fat and above. If you would like to make the cream sauce lighter, you can opt to use half and half or whole milk instead and add a corn starch slurry to the sauce to help thicken it. It will still be delicious, just not as creamy. Stir in the corn starch slurry (1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 teaspoon corn starch) into the sauce before adding the noodles and chicken.
3. Udon Noodles. I’ve used vacuum sealed packs of pre-cooked shelf-stable udon noodles. They are available online and can also be found in Asian and Japanese supermarkets. Frozen udon noodles or par-cooked fresh udon noodles from the fridge section can also be used instead. Avoid using dried udon as it doesn’t have the same bouncy and chewy texture. You can also swap the udon for linguini, fettuccine, bucatini or other noodle-type of pasta you have on hand.
4. White Miso Paste. Also known as shiro miso or kome miso. This is a fermented Japanese paste made from rice and soybeans. It adds delicious savory umami notes to this creamy mushroom udon. You can purchase a tub in a mainstream or Asian supermarket, or a specialty Japanese ingredients grocery store.
5. Adjust spice level to taste. Use less or omit the ground cayenne for seasoning the chicken. Switch it out for paprika instead. You can also use less (or omit) the ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes in the creamy sauce.
6. Storing and leftovers. Store any leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
7. See ‘Variations’ section in the post above if you’d like to customize this creamy mushroom udon.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 481
• Sugar: 3.8g
• Sodium: 534.5mg
• Fat: 22.8g
• Saturated Fat: 11.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.6g
• Trans Fat: 0.5g
• Carbohydrates: 38.5g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Protein: 24.7g
• Cholesterol: 64mg

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