Mì Gà Tiềm (Vietnamese Herbal Chicken Noodle Soup)
Mì gà tiềm is a comforting Vietnamese chicken noodle soup distinguished by its dark, aromatic herbal broth. Originating from Southern Vietnam, this dish is great when you want something nourishing and restorative. It is definitely a nice change from lighter chicken soups such as phở gà, miến gà and bún gà.
I once shared my mì vịt tiềm recipe which uses duck legs. While the two dishes share a similar herbal base and cooking method, mì gà tiềm has a noticeably lighter taste, as duck meat is richer and more robust than chicken. The word tiềm refers to gently braising or simmering over low heat for an extended period, allowing both the protein and medicinal herbs to gradually release their flavors.
For the broth, you will need a combination of aromatics and Asian spices that are now easy to find at most grocery stores or on Amazon. The main ones are star anise, cinnamon, coriander seeds, garlic, shallots, red dates and dried shiitake mushrooms. The base of the broth is chicken stock, and while homemade stock is ideal, a good-quality store-bought version works fine when you need a shortcut.
The cooking process begins with marinating the chicken legs with dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and five-spice powder. Then, before the chicken goes into the broth, it is roasted until the skin turns deeply golden and slightly crisp. This extra step makes a significant difference in flavor.
Once added to the pot, the chicken legs are gently simmered in the herbal broth over low heat. The goal is not a rolling boil but a steady simmer that allows the meat to become tender while absorbing the herbal fragrance of the broth. I prefer to cook the chicken until it is just tender, not overly soft, as overcooking can cause the meat to lose too much flavor.
Traditionally, mi ga tiem is served with egg noodles and blanched leafy greens such as bok choy or choy sum. However, I find it surprisingly delicious with soba noodles, which add a slightly nutty note to the dish.
Leftovers also keep well. I have frozen the chicken legs and broth separately for up to a month, and the soup still tastes good once thawed and gently reheated.
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
Mì Gà Tiềm (Vietnamese Herbal Chicken Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Broth
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 shallots
- 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger, sliced
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 3-4 star anises
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 red dates
- 8 cups chicken stock (See Notes for making the stock from scratch)
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon rock sugar to taste
To Serve
- 4 servings of egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions
- blanched leafy greens, such as bok choy or choy sum
- chopped scallions
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken leg quarters with all the ingredients in the For the Chicken section. Rub the marinade thoroughly over the chicken and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Cover the dried shiitake mushrooms with water until rehydrated.
- In a dry pot over medium-low heat, add the garlic, shallots, ginger, coriander seeds, star anises, cinnamon stick and red dates. Lightly toast for about 8 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Also add the five-spice powder, salt, light soy sauce and oyster sauce for the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 45-60 minutes.
- While simmering the broth, preheat the oven to 375℉ (or 190℃). Arrange the chicken legs on a rack set over a lined baking tray. The leftover marinating liquid can be added to the broth.
- Roast the leg quarters for 12-15 minutes, until the skin turns golden. If the color has not developed enough, you can change the oven to Broil (or Grill) setting to deepen the color of the skin.
- Add the roasted chicken legs to the simmering herbal broth. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender but not falling apart. You may adjust cooking time until the meat is tender to your liking.
- Cook the noodles separately according to package instructions. Blanch the greens briefly in boiling water.
- Transfer the chicken legs to a clean plate. Add rock sugar to the broth, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Then strain the broth and discard all the spices.
- Divide noodles into serving bowls, top with a chicken leg and greens, then ladle the hot herbal broth over everything. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and cilantro.
