Spicy Chicken Vermicelli Soup

Inspired by the popular Vietnamese noodle soup, pho, this spicy chicken vermicelli soup is a much quicker version but still delivers on flavor. Tender chicken is swimming in an aromatic broth and topped with fresh herbs for one amazing meal.

Ingredients

• Chicken legs: Provide the base for a rich, flavorful broth. Bone-in, skin-on chicken legs offer more depth of flavor compared to boneless meat. The bones help create a more complex and savory stock.
• Spices: Use cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise to add complexity and depth to the broth. They infuse the soup with warm, fragrant notes that elevate the overall flavor profile, creating a more nuanced and interesting dish.
• Thai chilies: Add heat and a spicy kick to the soup. They provide a vibrant, sharp flavor that cuts through the richness of the chicken and balances the other ingredients.
• Rock sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps balance the savory and spicy elements of the soup.
• Fish sauce: Contributes umami and saltiness to the broth.
• Lime juice: Brings brightness and acidity to the dish. It helps balance the rich flavors of the chicken and adds a fresh, zesty element to the soup.
• Unsweetened coconut flakes: When toasted, they add a nutty, crispy texture and a subtle coconut flavor.
• Rice vermicelli noodles: Serve as the base of the dish, providing a soft, delicate texture. They absorb the flavorful broth and make the soup more substantial and filling.
• Toppings: Use fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, mint, and jalapeno to add layers of texture, flavor, and freshness.

Substitutions and variations

• Toppings: Switch up the herbs and add fresh scallions or chives to the mix. You can also include thinly sliced onion for extra texture and spice.
• Vegetables: You can include other vegetables in the soup such as mushrooms, spinach, or daikon.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare ingredients

Just like pho, this spicy chicken vermicelli soup relies heavily on the flavors of the broth. We need to make the broth as flavorful as possible to make this a winning dish. In order to achieve those deep flavors, we're first going to brown the aromatics.

Place the bone-in skin-on chicken, onion studded with cloves, and garlic on a sheet tray and broil until charred. Rotate the chicken and vegetables as it broils so that all sides get evenly charred.

While those are browning, toast the spices for the soup including cardamom, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Toasting spices draw out their flavors, making them taste more intense than pre-ground spices.

Step 2: Cook broth

Place the spices in cheesecloth, making them easier to remove later on. Then, place the spices with the chicken and vegetables in a large pot and cover them with water.

Bring the pot to a boil and continue to simmer on low heat for 1 hour. If your kitchen starts to smell overwhelmingly delicious, you know you're doing it right.

Step 3: Make toppings

While the stock is cooking, let's move on to the toppings. I wanted to make this spicy chicken vermicelli soup have multiple layers. Along with the deep broth flavors, tender vermicelli, and fresh herbs, I wanted a crispy element. That's where the coconut garlic crisp enters the picture.

To make the topping, heat oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add thinly sliced garlic and cook until it's lightly golden brown. Then, add coconut flakes and continue to cook until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Lay the crisp on paper towels to drain the excess oil. You can prepare the topping up to 2 days in advance.

Step 4: Putting it all together

When the stock is ready, strain it and discard the aromatics. Set aside the chicken and shred the meat when it's cool enough to handle.

Now we have to add flavor to the chicken stock. Bring it back to heat and season it with Thai chilies, rock sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice.

If you can't find rock sugar, substitute it with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. If you want your soup extra spicy, go ahead and throw in a couple of extra chilies.

Cook vermicelli noodles according to the directions on the package and drain. There are different vermicelli noodle widths available; if possible, try to find the medium width.

Prepare all of the fresh herbs including Thai basil, mint, cilantro, bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno, and extra lime wedges and we're ready to serve!

Portion the noodles into bowls and ladle a good amount of soup in each. Top them with a generous amount of herbs, jalapeno, and crispy coconut topping. Squeeze extra lime juice on top and dig in! If this spicy chicken vermicelli soup isn't comfort food, I don't know what is.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can make the broth ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage.
• Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Spicy Chicken Vermicelli Soup

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: Asian noodles, chicken

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Chicken soup

• 2-3 pounds chicken legs bone-in, skin-on
• 1 large onion quartered, skin on
• 4 cloves
• 1 ounce garlic cloves skin on
• ½ ounce cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 12 cups water
• 2 chopped Thai chilies
• 1 ounce rock sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and white pepper

Toppings

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 pound rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• ½ cup fresh Thai basil
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup fresh mint
• 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
• lime wedges for serving

Instructions

• Preheat broiler to high.
• Stud onion with cloves and place on baking sheet with chicken and garlic. Broil for 10 minutes or until charred, turning chicken and vegetables over halfway.
• Meanwhile, place cardamom, cinnamon stick, and star anise in a small pan and heat over low heat. Toast spices until aromatic, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and place spices in cheesecloth, binding the cloth with string.
• Place spices, charred chicken and vegetables in large pot. Fill with 12 cups water, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for 1 hour.
• Make coconut crisp. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small saute pan over low heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add coconut and cook until golden brown. Remove from heat and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Let cool.
• Strain chicken stock, reserving chicken and discarding aromatics. You should have about 10 cups stock. Bring stock back to a simmer and add chopped Thai chilies, rock sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces.
• Cook vermicelli noodles according to directions on package. Drain and portion noodles into bowls. Ladle soup into bowls and top with chicken, bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, mint, and sliced jalapeno. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Purchase rice vermicelli noodles that are medium thickness, similar to noodles used for pho.

You can prepare the coconut crisp up to 2 days in advance.