Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken and Glass Noodle Soup)
Local name: Miến gà
In short: A light, clear chicken broth with ginger and mushrooms poured over slippery glass noodles, shredded chicken, herbs and a sprinkle of black pepper. It takes about 1 h 55 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Miến gà is a northern Vietnamese noodle soup built around a clean chicken broth scented with ginger and charred onion. Translucent glass noodles made from mung bean or sweet potato starch are slippery and chewy, and they soak up the broth. Shredded chicken, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms add body, and a pile of spring onion, cilantro and black pepper finishes the bowl. It is a typical dish for cold days and for anyone who needs something gentle.
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a large pot with the cold water, bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Char the onion and ginger over a flame or in a dry pan for 5 to 8 minutes, then add them to the pot with the salt.
- Simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (74°C / 165°F). Lift it out, cool for 10 minutes and shred the meat. Return the bones and skin to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes more.
- Soak the shiitake in warm water for 30 minutes, then slice the caps and strain the soaking liquid into the pot. Soak the wood ear for 20 minutes and cut it into strips.
- Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 10 minutes, drain, and cut them into 15 cm (6 in) lengths with scissors.
- Strain the broth into a clean pot. Add the mushrooms, fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the noodles to the simmering broth for 2 to 3 minutes, until clear and tender.
- Divide the noodles, mushrooms and shredded chicken among bowls and ladle over the broth. Top with spring onions, cilantro, fried shallots and pepper, and serve with lime.
Tips
- Cut the soaked noodles with scissors so they are easy to eat with chopsticks. Do not cook them for long, because they turn soft and drink up the broth.
- If you plan to have leftovers, keep the noodles and the broth separate. Noodles left in the soup swell and turn mushy overnight.
Questions and answers
Can I use store-bought stock?
Yes, but simmer it with ginger and charred onion for 20 minutes first, and add shredded cooked chicken. That brings it close to a homemade broth.
What are glass noodles made of?
Mung bean starch or sweet potato starch. They turn clear when cooked and are naturally gluten-free, but check the package because some brands blend other starches.
Can I make miến gà vegetarian?
Yes. Use a vegetable and mushroom broth, add fried tofu in place of chicken and season with soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
How long does it take to make Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken and Glass Noodle Soup)?
About 1 h 55 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken and Glass Noodle Soup)?
About 320 kcal per serving, with 24 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
