Chao Ga - Vietnamese Chicken Rice Soup

Great for cold winters, a sick day, this soup has been always been a soothing comfort food to me. This soup is not only warmly de-lish, it's so simple you hardly are in the kitchen. The soup consist of mainly broken up rice, chicken, and a hint of ginger in its thick broth. Now considering my moms taught me to cooking using the traditional Vietnamese way, I grew up learning to cook with my eye than with precise measurements. So the measurements for this soup are not exact, but it shouldn't make a difference unless you are over doing these ingredients. Of course, i'm trying my best to mentally convert these measurements for an easier process.

Serves about 6

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of jasmine rice 
• 2 cans of 28oz chicken broth
• 3 chicken thighs (or a whole chicken can be used, I just prefer dark meat in my soup)
• Salt & Pepper
• Fish Sauce 
• ginger cut into 2-3 lengthy medium size slices. 
• chopped rings of green onion 
• chopped cilantro
• wedges of lime 
• Chili oil (optional)
• Hanh phi - Fried shallots (optional)

In a stock pot, fill enough water to later boil the chicken thighs. Keep in mind this water boiled will also be used to make the chicken stock so don't use to much water, where the chicken flavor of the soup will be bland, or too less. When the water starts to boil, season the water with about a tablespoon of salt. Add the chicken and boil until juices run clear in the chicken when poked with a knife through out. Once chicken has been cooked, transfer to a plate and carefully remove the skin and bones and return these to the pot to flavor the broth some more. Chicken will be hot! Add the 2 cups of rice and ginger knobs into the stock pot. Stirring occasionally, turn the heat to high and once it starts to boil turn the head down to medium. Stir every 10 mins. Careful not to let the rice stick to the bottom. This will cause the rice to burn and ruin the entire soup.  The longest process of the cooking is waiting for the rice to cook and start breaking up. Once you noticed the rice has expanded and lost it's shape. Taste the soup if it is needed for salt. Add about a tablespoon and a half of Fish sauce. This helps bring out the taste of the soup.* Season soup with dashes of pepper. As your chicken is cooled, remove bones, ginger, and skin from the soup. Shred the cooled meat to medium size lengthy bites. Once you feel as your soup is flavorful, drop in the chicken and stir. 

Pour the soup into bowl and garnish with squeeze lime juice, cilantro, green onions, fried shallots and a small drop of chili oil if preferred. 

Note: if a thinner broth is preferred, use about a little over a cup of rice. This recipe consist of a thicker soup. Both are same and great in taste. I just prefer the thicker version.

*Fish sauce can be purchased at any asian market down the sauces isle. Never have a heavy hand when using this sauce because to much of it could quickly spoil any vietnamese dish!