To start off the new year with some healthy comfort food, Taryn and Alden’s Mom, Thao, will be teaching us how to make Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup (Mien Ga).
Ingredients:
- 4 to 5 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 32 oz container low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 heaping tbs of mushroom seasoning (without MSG)
- 1.5 tsp salt + more to taste
- 1 peeled onion
- chopped green onion to garnish
- fried onion/shallot (optional, I buy premade) to garnish
- glass noodles (aka mung bean thread, bean thread, cellophane noodle) usually found in a mesh plastic bag
- water (to fill pot)
- ice (to cool cooked chicken)
Equipment:
- 5.5 qt pot for broth and to cook chicken
- 3 – 5 qt saucepan/pot to cook noodles
- Fine mesh skimmer (optional, can use a slotted/regular spoon to skim. If you’d like to get one, it can be found at Asian markets, Daiso, BBB or Amazon)
- Large mixing bowl (used to put cooked chicken in ice water)
Instructions:
Clean the chicken and then place it in a pot with peeled onion. Pour in 32 oz chicken broth and then fill the pot with water. Turn heat on to high.
Into the pot, add 1.5 tsp salt and 2 heaping tbs mushroom seasoning. As broth comes to a boil, use skimmer (or spoon) to remove scum. Periodically remove scum throughout cooking.
Once the pot is boiling, reduce heat to maintain a low boil. Cook chicken for ~25 mins. Continue to remove any scum that may appear. Chicken is done when juices are clear when pierced with a fork.
While waiting for chicken to thoroughly cook, prepare the noodles. Fill the other pot with water and bring to boil. Turn off the heat and add bundles of glass noodles (e.g., 4 bundles for a family of 4) and soak for ~5 mins. Drain noodles and then add into bowls.
Once chicken juices run clear, add ice and water into a large mixing bowl. Remove chicken and place into ice water. Let sit on the counter.
Since water has evaporated during cooking, add some more water into the pot (optional depending on how much broth you’d like to make). Now season broth with additional salt to your liking (Usually start adding ½ tsp more or less, but start out with ¼ tsp and continue adding).
Drain chicken and then shred into smaller pieces.
To assemble bowl, place shredded chicken on top of noodles in bowls. Ladle in hot broth and then top with chopped green onion and optional fried onion/shallots. Enjoy!
Remove onion before refrigerating any leftover broth.