Steeped Vietnamese Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
This soup is a cross between traditional American chicken noodle soup and Vietnamese pho. The flavors and aromas are distinctly pho-like—warm and gingery with a hint of anise. Yet the big chunks of chicken are straight from the American comfort food playbook. It’s one satisfying combination!
Off-Script Tip: Make more spoon/kid-friendly by substituting 1 cup white jasmine rice for the rice noodles (see TIP A below).
A fragrant and flavorful chicken and rice noodle soup infused with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns.
- 2.5-3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thirds or quarters of roughly equal size (you may also subsititute some chicken thighs for the cut breasts)
- 3.5-4.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 5 large or 8 small garlic cloves, halved or quartered
- 2 in. piece fresh peeled ginger, halved or quartered
- 3 stalks lemongrass (outer layer, bottom inch, and top 6-9 inches removed) halved lengthwise
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole star anise
- 12-15 whole peppercorns
- 8 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 c. water
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 small sweet or yellow onion, very thinly sliced (consider using mandoline)
- 8 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, very thinly sliced (consider using mandoline)
- 12-14 c. water
- 8 oz. vermicelli rice noodles, uncooked
- fried, paper-thin garlic slices (see TIP B below)
- Thai or sweet basil leaves
- Sriracha
-
Cut the chicken breats into thirds or quarters as indicated above so that they are roughly equal size and similar in size to any chicken thighs that you might be using. Sprinkle 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt (reserve remaining) over the chicken pieces, covering top and bottom, and let sit on your work surface for 10-15 minutes as you start the broth.
-
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and peppercorns and stir until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Then add the broth (8 cups), water (2 cups), broth, bay leaves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir and increase the heat beneath the pot to bring to a vigorous boil. Once boiling, add the salted chicken pieces and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer while covered. Let simmer (covered) for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
-
When the chicken is done, use tongs to pull it from the broth and set on a clean, dry cutting board. Allow the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and aromatics to continue to steep in the broth over low heat for at least another 10-15 minutes. Cube the chicken into bite-size pieces when cool enough to touch (continue to keep it separate from the broth).
-
After the broth has simmered an additional 10-15 minutes, use tongs to remove and discard the lemongrass stalks. Then set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl (preferably spouted for easy pouring later) and pour the remaining contents of the broth through the strainer into the bowl. Be patient and allow all of the liquid to pass through the strainer without pressing the solids. When done, discard the solids and pour the strained broth back into the pot. Set the broth back on the stove over low heat. Taste for seasoning and add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt as needed.
-
When getting ready to serve, bring 12-14 cups water to boil in a teapot or large saucepan. Put the rice noodles in a very large heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over the rice noodles until they are fully submerged. Let them hang-out in the water for 4-5 minutes until soft and pliable but slightly undercooked (they will further soften in the broth). Then immediately drain the noodles in a collander and briefly rinse them under cold water. Divide among 4-6 serving bowls.
-
Meanwhile, add the thinly sliced onion and mushrooms to the broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Then add the cubed chicken and heat through. Ladle the broth, chicken, and vegetables over the noodles until the noodles are mostly submerged. Serve warm with fried garlic slices, Thai or sweet basil, and/or Sriracha on the side (all optional).
TIP A: Kids seem to really take to this soup because of its warm flavors and comforting aromas. To make it easy (less mess) for them to eat, you can omit the rice noodles and add 1 cup well-rinsed white jasmine rice instead. Simply add the rice directly to the broth after you've strained it of aromatics and solids (before you add the vegetables). Bring the rice and broth to a vigorous boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer 10 minutes before adding the onions, mushrooms, and chicken. Then, let all of the ingredients cook together for 5 minutes before serving.
TIP B: Fried, paper-thin slices of garlic make an amazing garnish for this soup—well worth the 2-3 minutes that they take to make. Simply heat 1-2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add paper-thin slices of garlic (1-2 cloves) to the warm oil and watch closely. They should immediately sizzle. As you see the edges of the garlic slices start to brown, give them a brief stir. Pull the pan from the heat once the garlic slices turn lightly golden. Immediately transfer them from the oil to a clean, dry paper towel using a slotted spoon. Discard the oil and set the fried garlic slices aside until ready to serve.