Time for another Chef Woo flavor with this Ramen Express by Chef Woo Chicken Flavor Ramen Cup. Like the Beef flavor I just reviewed recently, this is a vegan chicken ramen without all of the added protein found in the noodles of the other Chef Woo product line. With the company’s recent apparent financial troubles, I’m hoping even a small review like this one can give them a little help, as I do find their products to be mostly decent and would hate to see them go under.
The Verdict:
| Product: | Ramen Express by Chef Woo Chicken Flavor Ramen Cup |
| Origin: | USA |
| Noodle Quality: | 7/10 |
| Spice Level: | 0/10 |
| Overall Score: | 6.5/10 |
Not a whole lot to say about this one, is there? It’s vegan chicken flavor from a generally health-focused American noodle company. You should know the drill by now: no MSG, artificial flavors, etc. Like the other flavors in this product line, you can find this at many supermarkets and Walmarts across the US. I paid $0.90 for this pack, and there is also a pack version and a lower sodium version out there.
This one isn’t terribly salty, but it is high if you’re watching your salt intake. 1115mg of sodium. By contrast, the low sodium version has 1020mg, which isn’t really that much lower, but I guess every little bit helps if you’re on a strict diet.
Inside, we’ve got wheat noodles, a decent amount of vegetables under the noodles, and broth powder. What’s funny is that the broth ingredients in this look practically identical to the Beef Flavor. Salt, sugar, maltodextrin, yeast extract, and vegetable powder. The veggies are onion, corn, and peas. The only difference between artificial chicken flavor and artificial beef flavor is the way in which companies tweak those ingredients to taste more “chickeny” or “beefy.” It’s kind of interesting, at least to me.
Noodles:
Same as in the previous Ramen Express review. A decent thin noodle with a medium chew.
- 7/10
Spiciness:
This one isn’t spicy.
- 0/10
Overall:
Much like the Beef Flavor cup, this one takes a fairly basic meat-free meat broth and adds quite a bit of onion flavor. It tastes less like chicken and more like a salty vegetable broth with an indistinct umami aspect, but it is reasonably tasty. While I don’t think it’s quite as successful at imitating meat flavor as the Beef cup was, it does still have a pleasant flavor, and I find the smack of onion makes it just a bit more interesting than an ordinary imitation chicken broth might be. I’m not, like, massively enthusiastic about a basic chicken ramen cup, but I’d certainly buy it again if I was in the mood, and it’s a nice option for vegetarians and vegans. It’s decent for what it is.
- 6.5/10
Continuing the Journey
- For a higher-protein chicken option from the same company, try Chef Woo Roasted Chicken Flavor Ramen.
- Chef Woo Ramen Noodles by Chef Ramsay Shiitake Mushroom Chicken is another plant-based chicken cup.
- For another widely available chicken cup with added protein, check out Nissin Cup Noodles Protein Rich & Savory Chicken Flavor.
