Miến Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Glass Noodle Soup)

Miến Gà is Vietnam’s version of a classic Chicken Noodle Soup! This authentic recipe uses the whole chicken to get a gorgeous golden broth and promises soul-warming aromas. It’s healthy, nourishing and so easy to make.

If this is your type of comfort food, you can also try it with tapioca noodles or in a congee with salad!

A humble recipe you’ll always come back to

There’s no question that a homemade Miến Gà is one of the best noodle soups out there. I may be biased, but that bias doesn’t come from nowhere.

Whenever I’m sick or completely run down, the ONLY dish I crave is a hot bowl of Miến Gà. Seriously, if that doesn’t say something about how comforting it is, I don’t know what will!

This dish is remarkably simple, but with what it does have, it does fabulously well.

The chewy slurp-worthy noodles come with an incredibly superior chicken flavored broth that’s sweetened by a gentle hint of Vietnamese aromatics.

But the star of Miến Gà – the silkiest, melt-in-your-mouth shredded chicken – is laid on top like crown jewel, then garnished with fresh herbs.

Time to heat up the stove and make a dish that never disappoints!

What is miến made of?

When I started writing Everything You Need To Know About Asian Noodle Types, I mentioned that ‘miến’ (also known as glass or cellophane noodles) was made from mung beans.

To get their signature chewy texture, they also have potato and tapioca starch mixed into them.

What makes them unique is not only their chewy mouthfeel, but their color. They’re almost translucent when soaked or boiled and stay like that after being cooked.

This combination makes them the perfect fit for Miến Gà!

Which noodle should I use?

When I’ve had Miến Gà at Vietnamese restaurants, I’ve found that some like to serve it with vermicelli glass noodles while others like to use green bean thread noodles.

Personally, I prefer green bean thread noodles because they have a chewier texture, but the vermicelli version tends to be thicker for a heartier bite.

At the end of the day, it really comes down to which noodle you love to slurp up the most!

Why this recipe works

• Charring the aromatics deepens the broth’s essence and adds a subtle kick of smokiness.
• Marinating the organs ensures that there’s flavor in every bite.
• Using free range chicken means enhanced umami from the bones.

What you’ll need

For the stock

About the poultry

We prefer using whole free range chicken for Miến Gà, but you can substitute it for smaller cuts like thighs or breast.

Don’t mistake the oocyte for egg yolks. We buy oocyte frozen from the butcher and let them thaw as we make the stock.

For the organs

About the organs

This is entirely optional and the variety is up to personal preference. Our recipe uses chicken organs because it’s a chicken noodle soup.

For the garnish

About the herbs

We get all the fresh herbs and aromatics from Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, you can use lemon leaves or skip it altogether.

Miến Gà also comes with a side of Vietnamese coriander to garnish. You can find it in Asian supermarkets.

How to make this recipe

Char the onions and ginger on an open flame until they’re blackened on the outside. When they start oozing juices, it’s time to take them off the heat.

Note: If you don’t have access to an open flame, simply use an oven to grill the aromatics or an air fryer. The onions will take about 8 minutes at 180°C/350°F in an air fryer, but make sure to peel the outer skin off first. The ginger will need stay in there for another 3 minutes.

Wash the char off the onions and scrape the black parts off the ginger.

Put the aromatics into the stock and season with chicken bouillon powder and salt.

Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and rinse with cold water to remove any odors. Repeat this 3 times, then bring the broth to a boil. Tie 2 sprigs of spring onion into a knot, put it into the chicken and dunk the whole bird in.

Lift it up to drain the cooler liquid from its insides and put it back in to cook for 30 minutes or until just cooked. Add the oocyte in as well and season with fish sauce and rock sugar.

Tip: Poke a chopstick through the flesh to check if it’s cooked. If it oozes out red liquid, it needs more time in the stock. If clear liquid comes out, it’s ready.

Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and clean the organs, then marinate with pepper, salt, chicken bouillon powder and fish sauce. Set them aside as you work on the other ingredients.

Finely chop the red shallots, then pour 5 tbsp oil into a saucepan and brown them on a low-medium heat until golden. Pour the contents into a serving dish for later and save the oil for the organs.

When the chicken is ready, take it out and place it in an ice bath. Rotate every 3 minutes to cool the whole body down. Let the Miến Gà stock simmer on a low heat for another hour.

Take the oocyte out and put them in a bowl.

Shred the chicken into a serving dish.

Add 2 tbsp oil to the saucepan with the red shallot oil and add the organs in to cook on high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until cooked. Pour the organs into a small serving bowl to be eaten later.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles on high heat for 10 minutes or until al dente. Make sure to stir every 3 minutes to stop it from sticking to the pot’s base.

Finely slice the kaffir lime leaves.

To make the dipping sauce, mix the salt and pepper together, then stir in a squeeze of lime/lemon juice to taste. Top with the sliced kaffir lime leaves.

Serve the Miến Gà by layering the toppings over the noodles, pouring hot soup over the top and garnishing with browned onions and the fresh herbs!

FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Use meat on the bone. This technique adds more flavor to the Miến Gà broth.
• Cook the liver separately. Liver can turn everything gritty and murky, so is best cooked in a separate pan.
• Shred the chicken rather than chop. Using the same technique as we do with our Cháo Gỏi Gà, shredding helps to loosen the meat fibres, which means more surface to absorb the dipping sauce and soup aromas.

Our family’s favorite noodle soups!

• Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang (Pork and Prawn Clear Noodle Soup) – Simple, delicious breakfast food for all the locals.
• Bún Mắm (Fermented Fish Noodle Soup) – Robust, earthy and truly Vietnamese, there’s nothing quite like this dish!
• Bún Bò Huế Chay (Vegetarian Spicy Noodle Soup) – Whenever I crave a spicy kick, Mum’s vegetarian noodle soups always hit the spot.
• Vietnamese-Inspired Tom Yum Noodle Soup – Spicy, sweet, salty and tangy is what you’ll get with this flavor-packed dish.
• Phở (Beef Noodle Soup) – Make the most recognized Vietnamese dish in the comfort of your own home. It comes packed with fresh herbs and a deep beefy broth!

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This post was originally published on 3/12/20 and updated with new photos in April 2022.

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