Miến Gà Vietnam: Glass Noodle Soup with Chicken Recipe

Glass Noodles Soup with Chicken or Miến Gà in Vietnamese, is a traditional dish in Northen Vietnam and comfort in a bowl. Locals love this noodle soup because it comes together fairly quickly compared to other Vietnamese Noodle Dishes. Not only do the glass noodles cook super quickly, but using a whole chicken creates a flavorful broth without having to simmer any kinds of bones for hours at a time like Pho in Hanoi or Bún Bò Huế, but it still always felt special. That's why this dish is a go-to for many people during the colder months!

Use this glass noodle dish as a jumping off point to make it your own at home. You can use pieces of chicken (some people may use Duck), like breasts or thighs, to scale down the recipe, or use a different kinds of meat all together, like pork riblets. You can also use store bought chicken broth to fortify the noodle soup as well. There are many types of Glass Noodles in Vietnam, so the possibilities are vast. Ingredients to Make Vietnamese Miến Gà you will need:

• 1 package of Vietnamese glass noodles
• 1 whole chicken, about 3 lbs
• 8-10 cups (2-2.5 liters) of water
• 1 small shallot or half an onion
• 1 knob of ginger, about an inch long
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon msg or sugar (optional)
• Chopped cilantro and scallions to taste
• Crispy fried shallots to boost the taste
• Dried  of fresh banboo shoot (optional)

Miến is also called as cellophane noodles, mung bean noodles, bean threads or bean thread noodles. They are all very fine, and when cooked they are slightly translucent rather than an opaque white like the vermicelli noodles. You can buy glass noodle online, or in Vietnamese Supermarket near you. At the grocery stores near me, they are often served in this packaging with hot pink mesh.

If you 're buying something labeled cellophane noodles, you'll want to double check that they are made with mung bean starch. There is a Korean type of cellophane noodle made with sweet potato starch, and it has a different texture and won't taste right for the Vietnamese Miến Gà.

How to Cook and Serve Vietnamese Miến Gà?

Boil a pot of water and add a peeled onion or shallot, ginger and the whole chicken. Cook for about 40 - 45 minutes at a light simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, you can cook the chicken until the juices run clear when you pierce it with a chopstick or skewer. Skim any scum that may rise to the top of the broth while the chicken is cooking.

Once the chicken is cooked, take it out and let it rest for 20-30 minutes to cool down the meat and the skin can dry out a little bit. Remove the ginger and onion, then season the broth in the meantime with salt, fish sauce, MSG (optional) and a handful of fried shallots. If you used store bought chicken broth, you may need less sea salt and fish sauce than the recipe calls for. Once the chicken has cooled down, shred the meat by hand or chop into small peaces.

To cook the glass noodles, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add a bundle of glass noodles to soak for about 10 minutes. Some like to eat these noodles al dente but I may prefer them super soft. Check on the texture of your glass noodles as they soak to get the consistency you want.

How to serve Vietnamese Miến Gà? To assemble a bowl, drain the noodles and add them to a bowl. Topping with pieces of chicken, chopped scallion chopped cilantro and more fried scallions. Ladle hot broth over the noodles and then enjoy the dish. If you travel to Vietnam and want to try Miến Gà, there are many local street food stores selling this special dish in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi old Quarter.

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See Related Articles:

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• Best Vietnamese Food to Eat & not to be Missed in Vietnam
• Best Vietnamese Restaurants Hanoi to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh