Mì Gà Tiềm (Vietnamese Herbal Chicken Noodle Soup)
Mì gà tiềm is a comforting Vietnamese chicken noodle soup distinguished by its dark, aromatic herbal broth. Originating from Southern Vietnam, this dish is great when you want something nourishing and restorative. It is definitely a nice change from lighter chicken soups such as pho ga, mein ga and bun ga.
I once shared my mi vit tiem recipe which uses duck legs. While the two dishes share a similar herbal base and cooking method, mì gà tiềm has a noticeably lighter taste, as duck meat is richer and more robust than chicken. The word tiềm refers to gently braising or simmering over low heat for an extended period, allowing both the protein and medicinal herbs to gradually release their flavors.
Once added to the pot, the chicken legs are gently simmered in the herbal broth over low heat. The goal is not a rolling boil but a steady simmer that allows the meat to become tender while absorbing the herbal fragrance of the broth. I prefer to cook the chicken until it is just tender, not overly soft, as overcooking can cause the meat to lose too much flavor.
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 shallots
- 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger, sliced
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 3-4 star anises
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 red dates
- 8 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon rock sugar to taste
- 4 servings of egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions
- blanched leafy greens, such as bok choy or choy sum
- chopped scallions
- chopped cilantro