Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Glass Noodle Soup)

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 about 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) Whole chicken
• 3 liters Water
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 5 cm piece Ginger
• 2 tablespoons Salt
• 2 tablespoons Fish sauce
• 1 small piece Rock sugar (optional)
• 5-6 pieces Dried shiitake mushrooms
• 15 g Dried wood ear mushrooms
• 200 g Glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli)
• 3 stalks Scallions
• 1/2 bunch Cilantro
• for serving Fresh herbs
• for topping Fried shallots
• generous amount Ground white pepper
• for serving Lime wedges

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken and aromatics for the broth. Rinse the whole chicken thoroughly. In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, 3 liters of water, halved onion, halved ginger, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface for a clearer broth. Cover and simmer gently for at least 1 hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

   ⏱️ 1 hour 15 minutes
2. 2

   Remove chicken and strain the broth. Carefully lift the cooked chicken out of the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or bowl. Discard the solids. Taste the broth and season with fish sauce and optional rock sugar. Keep the broth warm over low heat.

   ⏱️ 15 minutes
3. 3

   Prepare the mushrooms and noodles. While the chicken is cooling, drain the soaked shiitake and wood ear mushrooms. Remove the tough stems from the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. If the wood ear mushrooms are large, you can chop them. Drain the soaked glass noodles, ensuring they are pliable but not mushy.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
4. 4

   Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using your fingers or two forks.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
5. 5

   Assemble the soup. Bring the strained broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the prepared mushrooms to the broth and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the drained glass noodles to the simmering broth and cook for just 1-2 minutes, until they are heated through and tender but still retain a slight chewiness. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will become mushy.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes
6. 6

   Serve hot. Ladle the noodles and mushrooms into individual serving bowls. Top generously with shredded chicken, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and fried shallots. Finish with a very generous amount of freshly ground white pepper and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes

💡 Pro Tips

• ✓For a clearer broth, ensure you skim off all impurities diligently during the initial boiling stage.
• ✓Don't overcook the glass noodles; they should be tender but still have a slight bite.
• ✓The generous amount of white pepper is a signature of Miến Gà, so don't be shy!
• ✓Adjust saltiness and umami with fish sauce to your preference.

🔄 Variations

• Add sliced cooked chicken liver or gizzards for extra flavor.
• Incorporate other types of noodles like thin rice vermicelli (bún) or egg noodles.
• For a richer broth, you can add a piece of daikon radish during simmering.

🥗 Nutrition

Per serving