Description
Lao Chicken Noodle Soup is a flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender shredded chicken served over soft rice noodles in a fragrant, tangy broth seasoned with garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and lime. This traditional Lao recipe is perfect for a warming meal and is topped with fresh herbs and optional chili for a mild kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg), cut into pieces
- 8 cups water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 piece ginger (about 2 cm), sliced
Noodles and Seasoning
- 200 g rice noodles (soaked in warm water)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
Garnishes
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 red chili, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Broth: In a large pot, combine the chicken pieces, water, salt, black peppercorns, crushed garlic, and sliced ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes to extract flavor and cook the chicken thoroughly.
- Prepare Chicken and Broth: Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids, then return the clear broth to the pot.
- Season the Broth: Add fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar to the strained broth. Stir well and adjust the seasoning to your taste preferences, balancing salty, sour, and a touch of sweetness.
- Cook Noodles: Prepare the soaked rice noodles by cooking them according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the noodles and divide them evenly among serving bowls.
- Assemble the Soup: Top each bowl of noodles with the shredded chicken. Ladle the hot, seasoned broth over the noodles and chicken to warm everything through.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the soup with chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, lime wedges for squeezing, and red chili slices if you want some heat. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Soaking rice noodles before cooking improves their texture and reduces cooking time.
- Adjust fish sauce and lime juice according to your taste preference for saltiness and sourness.
- Red chili is optional and can be omitted for a milder soup.
- Leftover broth can be refrigerated and used within 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
