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Prep 5 minutesmins
Cook 10 minutesmins
Total 15 minutesmins
Easy one-pan yaki udon packed with vegetables, chicken, and a flavorful sauce in under 15 minutes. These Japanese stir-fried udon noodles will leave you craving more.
This yaki udon recipe is one of my favorite meals to make when I’m craving udon noodles. The thick, chewy, udon noodles are tossed with a medley of crisp vegetables, chicken, and a deeply savory stir-fry sauce. Customize your stir fried udon by throwing in any vegetables or protein you’d like!
The best part about these delicious Japanese udon noodles is that you can cook the entire dish in only one pan in under 15 minutes. It’s a perfect, easy weeknight dinner solution.
Yaki udon is a Japanese stir-fried udon noodle dish made with a variety of vegetables, a protein, and generously coated in a sweet, savory, and aromatic soy sauce-based sauce. “Yaki” translates to “to fry,” and “udon” indicates the type of noodles.
A similar rendition of stir fried udon noodles is yakisoba, which uses different yakisoba noodles instead of udon. You can easily customize this recipe with your protein of choice, such as beef, shrimp, pork, or tofu!
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this chicken yaki udon recipe at your local Japanese or Asian market. Full measurements and links to everything I used are in the recipe card below.
Stir Fry
Chicken Breast: for a lean, healthy protein option.
Udon Noodles: Opt for fresh or frozen udon noodles for the best texture and flavor. You can also use any leftover udon noodles in my Japanese curry udon or kimchi udon recipe.
Yellow Onion, Garlic, Green Onion: are the main aromatics in the stir fry.
Carrot, Shiitake Mushrooms, Green Cabbage: are the assortment of vegetables I used. For more ideas see below.
Stir Fried Udon Noodles Sauce
Dark Soy Sauce: is a sweet dark colored soy sauce that adds sweetness and gives the stir-fry sauce it’s rich brown color.
Light Soy Sauce: adds salty, umami flavor.
Oyster Sauce: adds a deeper salty, briny umami flavor.
Mirin: a Japanese rice wine that adds a sweet tangy layer.
Brown Sugar: sweetens the sauce.
Sambal (Optional): for an extra kick of heat. Click here for a homemade sambal oelek recipe.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Noodles: dry udon noodles, lo mein, ramen noodles, spaghetti or your favorite noodles.
Protein: beef, shrimp, pork or tofu
Soy Sauce alternatives: tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free alternative..
Vegetarian Oyster sauce: for a vegan alternative.
Sweetener: granulated sugar, honey or agave.
Additions
Vegetables: bok choy, different mushrooms, snap peas, snow peas, broccoli, baby corn, bell peppers or purple cabbage.
Garnishes: bonito flakes, kewpie mayo, furikake seasoning, seaweed strips as additional garnishes to your stir fried udon noodles.
How to Make Yaki Udon
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this Japanese yaki chicken udon recipe.
Thinly slice the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients together.
Heat cooking oil in a wok on medium-high heat. Then add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Then add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Next, add the carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, and green onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add the udon noodles, chicken and sauce and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Serve the stir fried udon noodles immediately and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Use fresh or frozen udon noodles. They offer the best texture and flavor and are quicker to cook than dried udon noodles.
Mise en place. Once you begin cooking the stir fried udon noodles, everything will move pretty quickly. I recommend having all the ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go near your cook station before you begin.
Use a hot wok! Heat the oil in a wok until it’s hot before you begin cooking. This will ensure you have a quick, even sear on the chicken and evenly cooked, crisp vegetables.
Storage Instructions
You can store any leftover yaki udon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat: Place the stir-fried udon noodles in a wok over medium-high heat and toss until warm. Or microwave the noodles covered with a wet paper towel in 30-second intervals until warm.
Freeze: Place the cooled-to-room-temperature chicken udon in a freezer-safe bag or container, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat.
Pairing Suggestions
Yaki udon noodles can be served on their own for lunch or dinner, or with the following pairing suggestions.
What type of noodles do I use for this stir fried udon recipe?
I recommend using fresh or frozen udon noodles from the frozen aisle of most Asian grocery stores. They have a nice, plump, chewy texture.
What is yaki udon made of?
This yaki chicken udon is made with Japanese udon noodles tossed with chicken breast, vegetables, and a brown, savory soy sauce-based sauce.
Is this Japanese udon recipe healthy?
Yes! These stir fried udon noodles can be a very healthy dish that consists of lean chicken breast, which is a good source of protein, vegetables, which add fiber and nutrients, and carbs, which make it a well-balanced and nutritious dish.
Easy one-pan yaki udon packed with vegetables, chicken, and a flavorful sauce in under 15 minutes. These Japanese stir-fried udon noodles will leave you craving more.
Season the protein. Thinly slice the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Prepare the noodles. Heat a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. If using fresh or frozen udon, blanch them for 40-60 seconds, or until the noodles are loosened. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Mix the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, and brown sugar. Set aside.
Stir Fry
Cook the chicken. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Add aromatics and vegetables. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat until hot. Add the sliced onion and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, add the carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, and green onions. Continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
Combine. Add the udon noodles, chicken, and sauce, and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Serve. Serve the stir-fried udon noodles immediately, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Enjoy!
Thank you! This was delicious! I did not have light soy sauce, mirin, mushrooms or frozen udon. I substituted the dark soy sauce I had on hand, white cooking wine, broccoli and dry udon. Otherwise I followed the recipe as closely as possible and it was soooooo good!! Oh! I also added a little bit of siracha. I’m keeping this recipe close by because I’m already hungry for it again. I loved your step by step pictures and directions too. You made it very easy to make a delicious lunch. Thank you!
Thank you! This was delicious! I did not have light soy sauce, mirin, mushrooms or frozen udon. I substituted the dark soy sauce I had on hand, white cooking wine, broccoli and dry udon. Otherwise I followed the recipe as closely as possible and it was soooooo good!! Oh! I also added a little bit of siracha. I’m keeping this recipe close by because I’m already hungry for it again. I loved your step by step pictures and directions too. You made it very easy to make a delicious lunch. Thank you!