If you’re looking for a balanced and comforting meal that’s fast enough for a weeknight, chicken soba is the answer. Made with buckwheat soba noodles, lean chicken, and fresh vegetables, this dish comes together in under 30 minutes and packs in flavor without being heavy.
Soba noodles, a staple in Japanese cuisine, are naturally gluten-free (check the label to be sure) and made primarily from buckwheat flour. They have a slightly nutty flavor and a chewy texture that pairs beautifully with savory sauces and stir-fried ingredients. Plus, they cook in just a few minutes, making them perfect for quick meals.
For this recipe, start by boiling the soba noodles and rinsing them under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent clumping. Meanwhile, sauté sliced chicken breast in a bit of oil until golden and cooked through. Add in thinly sliced vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, or snap peas, whatever you have on hand works well.
The sauce is where the magic happens. A simple mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger creates a rich umami base. You can also add a bit of honey or brown sugar for balance and a dash of chili flakes if you like a little heat.
Once everything’s cooked, toss the noodles back into the pan with the chicken and veggies, pour over the sauce, and stir until everything is coated and warmed through. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or a drizzle of sriracha for extra flavor.
This chicken soba recipe is endlessly adaptable and great for using up leftovers. It’s also light yet filling, making it ideal for lunch or dinner. Serve warm or enjoy it chilled the next day, either way, it’s a flavorful and satisfying way to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen.

Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 6 ounces soba noodles
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 2 Green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken slices and cook until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the cooked soba noodles to the skillet and pour the sauce over them. Stir until everything is well coated and heated through.
- Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
I’ve never cooked soba noodles before. Are they the same as spaghetti? 🤔
I added some broccoli and carrots, turned out great! Healthy and tasty! 🌱
Sounds delicious! I love adding more veggies to my meals. 🌟
The chicken was dry and the taste was kinda bland. Not a fan.
Soba noodles? Never heard of them before! They weird but kinda nice too. I would eat again.
So good! The garlic and ginger combo is just perfect. Will definitely make again.
Yum!! This is now my favorite recipe. I could eat this every day!
Wait, how do you even pronounce soba? Is it like soap? Lol.
Yum! I added some chili flakes for spice and it was delicious! 😋
This was a hit at dinner! So flavorful and easy to make.
Meh… soba noodles taste funny. I prefer rice noodles tbh. Whatever, not my thing.
This was so good! The flavors really popped! My family loved it.
Not bad but my chicken was dry. I think I overcooked it. Will try again!
Why do you use honey? Can’t you just use sugar? Seems silly to me. 🤔
Best recipe ever! You should try it with some veggies like carrots or peas, trust me!
Can I replace chicken with beef? I don’t like chicken much.
You can totally use beef instead! Just cook it until it’s done. It’ll give a different flavor, but it should still be good.
This is my new favorite dish! So quick and flavorful.
I dunno, maybe I overcooked the chicken, but it was kinda dry. Might try again.
I didn’t have sesame oil, used olive oil instead. It was ok, not the same though.
I always use whatever oil I have. It’s still chicken and noodles! Don’t stress too much about the oil, just enjoy the food! 😄
Olive oil? Really? That sounds kinda weird for Asian dishes. I’d stick with sesame oil next time. But hey, it’s good you tried! 👍
This looks awesome! Can’t wait to try it tonight!
Yummy! I added some broccoli to mine, tasted great.
Easy recipe and very quick to cook! Perfect for a weeknight dinner. Thanks!
Easy to make but the flavor was just okay. Might spice it up next time.
Tried this recipe but my chicken turned out dry. Any tips on keeping juicy chicken?
Took forever to make. I don’t get why people like soba noodles, they just tasted weird.
Why rice vinegar? Can I just use regular vinegar? Asking for a friend. Recipe looks ok…
This was really good! My family loved it. I will definitely make it again. 😊
Ehh, I think it needs more flavor. I’m not convinced this is worth the trouble of cooking. Just goes to show chicken is plain.
This recipe seems too complex for me. I’m not a good cook.
I don’t know what went wrong but my chicken came out dry. Maybe I cooked it too long? Not sure, but it wasn’t great.
I didn’t have soba noodles, so I used spaghetti instead and it turned out fine.
I tried making this and added bell peppers. Not bad, but felt like something was missing!
Maybe try adding some lime juice? It might brighten the flavors up! 🍋
I dunno, I think it’s good as is. Bell peppers are great but maybe not needed here.
I didn’t have rice vinegar, used apple vinegar. Still tasty!
Easy peasy! Quick meal for weeknights. Will make again!
Sounds good, but is soba really that healthy? I thought pasta is pasta.
I tried this last night! Super easy and tasty! I love how quick it is. 😍
Looks great but I don’t like green onions. Can I just leave them out?
Too many ingredients for a simple meal, just stick to chicken and rice.
Delicious 😋
THIS IS DELICIOUS! My kids went for seconds! Definitely a win! 🎉
Confused about the honey part. Isn’t that too sweet for a dish like this?
Delicious! My kids loved it. I didn’t have ginger, so I used powdered, still tasty!
Where do you even get soba noodles? lol I thought they were like some fancy noodle. But this sounds good.
This was super easy and so delicious! I loved the ginger and the honey, made it sweet but not too much.
I didn’t have some ingredients and replaced them with what I had. It turned out awful! Will not try again.
easy recipe but i modified it, added more honey for sweetness. my kids loved it!
Sounds great! I never thought of adding more honey, I’ll try it next time!
I don’t really like ginger. Can I leave it out? Will it still taste ok? 🤔
Yeah, you can leave out the ginger! It might taste a bit different but the sauce is still tasty without it. Just don’t forget the garlic, it’s important! 😊
Super quick and easy! My kids loved it. I’m definitely adding it to the weekly rotation!
First time making soba noodles and it turned out great! I added broccoli for some crunch. Will make again!
I’m not a cook but this was really simple! Thumbs up from me!
I’m glad you found it simple! It’s one of my go-to recipes. 😄
Simple? Really? I tried it and it was kinda bland. Maybe add more spices next time?
Honestly, I wasn’t too sure about this. Soba noodles taste kinda weird to me. But I gave it a try and it was alright.
Simple and delish! I’m making this again for sure! 🤤
I dunno, chicken and noodles? Sounds kinda plain to me. 🤔
Yum! Can’t wait to try this myself. 😋
10/10 will try again! Simple and quick, just what I needed.
This recipe was so easy! My family loved it!
I tried this recipe too and it was delicious! Easy to make and my kids gobbled it up! Thanks for sharing!
I thought soba noodles were supposed to be cold? How come you’re cooking them?
Soba can be used hot too! It’s versatile. This recipe sounds delicious!