Mi Quang Ga - Braised Chicken with Rice Noodles
5-6 Servings
0:30 Prep
0:45 Cook
Moderate - You'll be right
This recipe was created in partnership with Aurum Poultry Co.
If you’re ever travelling through Central Vietnam, a bowl of mi quang is a must do in the coastal city of Da Nang. In this central-Vietnamese delicacy you can expect, soft and chewy rice noodles served with quick-braised marinated chicken, eggs, and doused in a golden umami-filled broth.
Growing up surrounded by predominantly South-Vietnamese families, mi quang ga was foreign to my palate. It wasn’t until I met my wife, whose family is from Da Nang, that I discovered this central Vietnamese dish. Now, as we live away from home, mi quang is a nostalgic meal that’s in our weekly rotation.
Like mi bo kho (Vietnamese braised beef with noodles), mi quang ga is a dish I wouldn’t categorise as a Vietnamese noodle soup or a Vietnamese noodle salad but somewhere in-between, as the noodles and chicken are not completely covered with broth, like you would see in a bowl of pho, bun bo hue or bun mam. Instead, a small amount of concentrated braising liquid is added to the bowl. To achieve this depth in flavour, ensure you use a whole chicken with bone-in – my preference is Aurum Poultry Co’s cockerel. Using the whole chicken, including parts such as neck, feet and bones, allows the braising liquid to naturally thicken with collagen and take on that deep gamey flavour.
Along with the braising liquid, the choice of rice noodles is also key to creating the most authentic bowl of mi quang at home. Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that fresh mi quang noodles in Da Nang is unparalleled but with limited options in Australia, dried mi quang noodles is the next best thing. Found in most Vietnamese supermarkets, the noodles may look like pho rice noodles at first glance but they’re slightly wider and thicker. Mi quang noodles also have a higher percentage of tapioca starch compared to pho noodles, giving them their unique bite and chew.
If pho, bun bo hue or bun thit nuong are already popular in your household or a dish you regularly order when out, grab yourself a cockerel from Aurum Poultry Co and a packet of mi quang noodles from the Asian supermarket, to experience the delicate flavours and exciting textures of the Da Nang delicacy.
Ingredients:
Chicken marinade:
1 whole cockerel, chopped into medium pieces
1 teaspoon anchovy salt
1 tablespoon premium fish sauce
½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Other:
5 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Thai shallots or 1 red onion, crushed
1 red chilli, crushed (optional)
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder
750ml-1L water
6 hard-boiled eggs or 300-350g hard-boiled quail eggs
1 bunch Vietnamese/butter lettuce
1 bunch spearmint (húng cay) or mint
½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Small bag (250g) bean sprouts
600g dry mi quang noodles/pho rice noodles
100g roasted peanuts
3 toasted rice paper sheets
Chilli oil (optional)
Method:
How to marinate chicken:
1. Using 3 handfuls of salt, rub and agitate to clean the chicken for 5 minutes then rinse well.
Duncan’s tip: Cleaning with salt helps to remove impurities and debris from the chicken
2. Segment chicken into medium pieces: head, neck in thirds, breasts in thirds, thighs in thirds, legs in half and feet and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Marinate cockerel with marinade ingredients and allow to sit for 30 minutes, or for best results in the fridge overnight.
How to braise chicken:
1. In a large pot on medium heat, add cooking oil, garlic, shallots and chilli. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant then add turmeric and Chinese Five Spice powder and sauté for another minute.
2. Turn heat to medium high, add chicken and sauté for 5 minutes, or until residual water has evaporated. At this point, season with an additional 1 tablespoon premium fish sauce, ½ teaspoon anchovy salt and ½ teaspoon sugar, add 100ml water. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat until water evaporates while occasionally stirring.
Duncan’s tip: This step will allow chicken to absorb more flavour and develop a more firm but tender texture.
3. Add hard boiled eggs and enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Season with premium fish sauce, MSG, sea salt and sugar as required.
How to assemble:
1. In a salad bowl, add lettuce, spearmint leaves, coriander and bean sprouts. Toss then serve on the side.
2. Cook noodles as per packet instructions.
Duncan’s tip: Soak dry noodles for an hour prior to boiling for 30-90 seconds depending on brand of noodles.
3. Place a serve of noodles into a large serving bowl, top with chicken, egg, a few ladles of the braising liquid. Add some of the salad mix, roasted peanuts, crushed toasted rice paper sheets, and add some fresh chilli, chilli oil or sate to taste. If you like things on the savoury side, add a few splashes of premium fish sauce.
Duncan’s tip: A quick way to toast and puff up your rice paper sheets is to microwave it for 30-60 seconds.
