Vietnamese – style Noodles with chicken

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Vietnamese – style Noodles with chicken

Why this Recipe Works: this simplified version of bun cha, a quintessential Vietnamese street food offering, gets its bold flavor from boneless, skinless chicken thighs that have been coated in an assertive marinade. The thighs cook quickly and, thanks to a fair amount of fat, remain moist. Their succulence adds richness to an otherwise fat-free dish. If desired, cilantro leaves can replace the mint leaves, or you can try a mixture of both.

Ingredient: 4 serving

7 tablespoon fish sauce

7 tablespoon sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon pepper

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds), trimmed of excess fat

1/3 cup lime juice

5 tablespoon water

8 ounces rice vermicelli

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce leaves (6 to 8 leaves)

2 cups bean sprouts (about 6 ounces)

¾ cup shredded fresh mint leaves

½ cup chopped roasted salted peanuts

Procedure:

1. Combine 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 table spoon sugar, garlic, and pepper in medium bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat.
2. In small bowl, combine remaining 5 tablespoons fish sauce, reaming 5 tablespoons sugar, lime juice, and water and stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Remove from heat, add vermicelli, and let stand until vermicelli are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in colander and rise vermicelli with cold running water until cooled. Drain well.
4. Divide lettuce, bean sprouts, and mint among 4 individual bowls. Top vegetables with vermicelli, dividing evenly.
5. Grill chicken over medium – hot fire until charred and chicken registers 170 degrees, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cut chicken crosswise into ½ - inch strips. Place chicken on top of vermicelli and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve, passing sauce on side for pouring over individual servings.

Smart Shopping Rice Vermicelli

Asian noodle nomenclature can cause confusion in the grocery store. For this recipe, look for thin rice noodles called rice vermicelli – they are also some times labeled as rice sticks or as mainfun. But be warned: other rice noodles are also labeled as rice vermicelli and rice sticks. Always look closely at the noodles themselves – for this recipe and other like it, purchase the fine, wiry noodles in strands that resemble angel hair pasta. To add to the confusion, there are no standard weights for rice vermicelli packages – some contain 6.75 ounces of noodles, others 8.8 ounces. Both of these sizes should be enough to serve four, but if you’re less than 7 ounces, consider supplementing the dish with additional vegetables just to be sure.