Ingredients
Aromatic Broth
- 1 whole chicken (about 3 to 4 pounds)
- Water, enough to cover the chicken
- 2 stalks lemongrass, cut lengthwise and chopped into 3-inch pieces
- 3 lime leaves, crushed
- 6 slices fresh ginger (about 2 inches each), peeled
- 1 whole garlic head, cut in half crosswise
- 3 jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
Soup
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced
- 6 to 8 ounces rice noodles
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Serving
- Fresh basil leaves
- Sliced green onions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Build the Aromatic Broth
- Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot — if it does not fit completely, tuck the legs in or remove them. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. You should see lazy bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil.
- Add the lemongrass, crushed lime leaves, ginger slices, halved garlic head, jalapeño halves, quartered onion, peppercorns, and a generous pinch of salt. Leave the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, skimming any foam or impurities that float to the surface. The broth will turn a deep golden color and the entire kitchen will smell intensely fragrant — like lemongrass, ginger, and warm spice. The chicken is done when the meat pulls easily away from the bone.
- Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and set it on a cutting board to cool slightly. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding all the spent aromatics. Return the clear, golden broth to the pot.
Add the Vegetables and Noodles
- Bring the strained broth back to a boil. Add the chopped tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and sliced eggplant. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and have turned a deep brown, the eggplant has softened and become silky and almost translucent, and the tomatoes have broken down slightly into the broth. Taste and add salt as needed — the broth should be well seasoned and deeply savory.
- Add the rice noodles and shredded chicken directly to the simmering broth. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently a few times so the noodles do not clump, until the noodles are slippery, soft, and fully cooked through. The soup should be fragrant, golden, and loaded with tender chicken, silky vegetables, and glossy noodles.
Serve
- Ladle the hot soup into large bowls, making sure each serving gets a generous amount of noodles, chicken, and vegetables. Top each bowl with torn fresh basil leaves and sliced green onions. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.