Name: Vietnamese Noodles with Chicken: Mì Quàng Gà
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder; 2 lemongrass stalks, peeled, bruised and finely chopped (note 1); 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1 small thin red chili, thinly sliced (note 2); 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 2 teaspoons white sugar; Pinch or two of black pepper; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced; 6 ounces dried rice noodles, cooked per package instructions (note 3); 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons turmeric; 1 large egg, beaten; 4 cups of water; 1/2 yellow onion, diced; 2 ripe plum or vine tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise; Assorted herbs, lettuces and peanuts for serving (note 4); Sesame Rice Crackers for serving (note 5)

Description

This is a quick and easy Mì Quàng Gà recipe that is perfect for home cooks who want to enjoy this signature dish from central Vietnam. A delicious Vietnamese noodles and chicken dish with an intensely flavorful spicy broth and fresh herbs.

Adapted from a recipe taught to me at Red Bridge Cooking School in Hoi An, Vietnam

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
2 lemongrass stalks, peeled, bruised and finely chopped (note 1)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 small thin red chili, thinly sliced (note 2)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
Pinch or two of black pepper
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
6 ounces dried rice noodles, cooked per package instructions (note 3)
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 large egg, beaten
4 cups of water
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 ripe plum or vine tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
Assorted herbs, lettuces and peanuts for serving (note 4)
Sesame Rice Crackers for serving (note 5)

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Instructions

In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, combine the five spice powder, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, chili, black pepper, sugar, salt and fish sauce. Add the chicken, toss to coat and marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with a lid. When oil is hot, add chicken and sauté 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Add turmeric and stir to coat chicken. Add egg and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, to coat chicken.
Add water, onion and tomato and bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions.
To serve, pile a handful of fresh herbs into each bowl. Add a portion of noodles. Ladle the soup on top. Sprinkle with peanuts, if desired. Serve with rice crackers on the side. Alternatively you can add the noodles and broth to the bowls and serve the herbs on the side.

Notes

Lemongrass: To chop lemongrass, first trim off the root and several inches of the hard, dry tip. Next peel off one, two or even three of the thick coarse outer layers to get to the more tender inner stalk. Bruise the tender stalk by placing it under the flat blade of a wide kitchen knife. Then, carefully bang on the top surface of the knife with the heel of your hand to flatten and tenderize the stalk beneath. Now you can more easily slice the stalk thinly crosswise and then chop it finely from there.
Red Chilies: Use the red chili to regulate the heat of the dish. Small thin red chili peppers are usually fiery hot. For a milder dish, remove the seeds and use just a few slices of the chili. If you love heat, use a whole red chili or even two, seeds and all. But I do suggest that you add chilies with caution because once you make the dish too hot, you can't go back. Plus you can always serve extra sliced chilies on the side.
Rice noodles: Traditional noodles for this dish are thick yellow rice noodles called Quang Noodles. When I learned to cook this dish, we made our own rice noodles from scratch but I've also used a variety of store-bought rice noodles with great success. If you have access to an Asian grocer, look for the authentic noodles. If not, I recommend using packaged wide pho rice noodles and soak them for 1 minute less than the suggested time so they are al dente, as they will soften more in the hot broth.
Traditional toppings for Mi Quang include: fresh herbs such as cilantro, mint and Thai basil, lettuces and micro greens, roasted peanuts, bean sprouts, hard boiled quail or chicken eggs, and lime wedges. Use whatever toppings you desire, the more the merrier!
Sesame Rice Crackers: traditional Vietnamese crackers served with Mi Quang are called Banh Trang Me. They are puffy crackers with sesame seeds, made from rice or tapioca flour. You can sometimes find them in Asian grocery stores or you can order them on Amazon. They look like thin stiff discs but put them in the microwave for a minute or so and they will magically puff up. Don't be surprised if the package arrives with lots of broken pieces (mine did). It doesn't matter because you will want the crackers to be broken into smaller pieces anyway.

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Category: Main dish
Method: simmer
Cuisine: Vietnamese