Bike noise, creak, click, creaks, clicks, clicking, pinging sound - help

Highly likely is that the chainline may be a little off with a different chainring.

Secondly, are you sure it's a 1 1/8 and not a 3/32 chainring?

Thirdly - your chain might be worn and thus don't fit on your new chainring anymore, check this first.

The chainring is a Zen, so 1 1/8, and the chain is a KMC K710 (1 1/8)... Both new... I hope these chains don't need to be replaced every 300 miles....