75 min
Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
Recipe GLPRd89ed46460d87d
A fragrant and deeply flavorful Vietnamese chicken noodle soup featuring a rich broth made from whole chicken and aromatic spices, served over tender rice noodles with shredded poached chicken, fresh sprouts, and bright herbs.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3½–4 lb)
2 lb skin-on, bone-in chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks, about 4 pieces)
1 large onion, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 medium onions, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 piece (4 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and halved lengthwise, plus 1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 pieces (6 inches each) lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, stalks lightly smashed
6 black cardamom pods, crushed
4 whole star anise pods
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 lb dried wide rice noodles
8 oz mung bean sprouts (about 2 cups)
Fresh tender herbs such as Thai basil, mint, or cilantro, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Spicy pickled shallots, for serving
Directions
Place the whole chicken, large onion, carrots, celery, and 5 quarts of water in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Skim any foam and impurities from the surface occasionally as the broth simmers. Continue simmering until the broth is flavorful and has reduced by about one-quarter, approximately 2 hours.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding all solids. You should have about 4 quarts of stock. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until needed. The stock can be made up to 5 days ahead.
Rub the chicken legs with the Chinese five-spice powder, grated ginger, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the seasonings to penetrate.
Preheat the broiler. Arrange the halved ginger piece and the 2 halved medium onions on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until the surfaces are charred all over, 15–20 minutes.
Add the lemongrass, crushed cardamom pods, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to the charred onion and ginger mixture. Return to the broiler and cook until lightly charred and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Transfer the charred aromatics to the large heavy pot with the reserved chicken stock. Add the fish sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the seasoned chicken legs, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, 20–25 minutes.
Using tongs, remove the cooked chicken legs to a plate and let cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Return the pot of broth to a simmer and continue cooking until the flavors concentrate and the broth reduces slightly, 50–60 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and/or sugar if desired. Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large clean pot or bowl. The seasoned broth can be made up to 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate, then bring to a boil before serving.
Cook the dried rice noodles according to package directions. Using tongs or a spider strainer, transfer the cooked noodles to a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. Keep the pot of water used for cooking the noodles on the stove for reheating.
Just before serving, return the noodle cooking water to a boil. Place the noodles in a fine-mesh sieve and lower into the hot water for about 30 seconds to reheat them.
Divide the reheated noodles evenly among warm serving bowls. Top each with shredded chicken and mung bean sprouts. Ladle the hot broth equally over each bowl. Serve with spicy pickled shallots, fresh herbs, and lime wedges on the side for diners to add as desired.
