Thai Hot-and-Sour Chicken Soup with Wide Rice Sticks

thai-chicken-soup-0706-mla102154.jpg
Servings:
6

Thai soups combine punchy flavors and aromatics such as fish sauce, fiery chile, lime juice, lemongrass, galangal, and herbs; here bold elements are tempered by tender chicken and soft, thick noodles called rice sticks (they're enjoyed throughout Asia).

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces wide rice sticks

  • 6 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

  • 2 lemongrass stalks, bottom 8 inches only, trimmed and crushed

  • 16 slices (¼ inch thick each) jarred or canned bamboo shoots

  • 1 piece (1 ½ inches) peeled fresh galangal or ginger (see the Guide), thickly sliced

  • 8 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, plus more thinly sliced for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

  • Juice of 2 limes

  • 1 tablespoon palm or granulated sugar

  • 4 fresh Thai chiles (see the Guide), thinly sliced

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), cut into ½-inch-thick, 2-inch-long strips

  • 3 ounces snow peas, trimmed

  • 3 ounces oyster mushrooms

  • ½ cup chopped (½-inch pieces) Chinese yard-long or green beans

  • ¼ cup chopped garlic chives or scallions, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook according to package instructions, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

  2. Bring stock, lemongrass, bamboo shoots, galangal, and 4 lime leaves to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes. Stir in half of the fish sauce, half of the lime juice, half of the sugar, and half of the chiles; cook 4 minutes.

  3. Stir in chicken, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Taste, and add more fish sauce, sugar, or chiles as desired. Discard lemongrass and lime leaves. Stir in snow peas, mushrooms, beans, chives, and remaining 4 lime leaves. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining lime juice. Divide soup and noodles among 6 serving bowls; garnish with lime leaves and chives.

Related Articles