Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Description
Phở Gà, or chicken pho, is the Vietnamese version of the chicken noodle soup. With a light, pure chicken broth and flat rice noodles, it is soothing comfort food at its best.

For the noodle and poultry base

 * 1 gallon low-sodium chicken stock
 * 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
 * 4 chicken wings
 * 5 scallions, cut in half
 * 4 cloves garlic
 * 2 cinnamon sticks
 * 2 whole star anise
 * 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into coins
 * ¼ cup dry shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water for 30 minutes and thinly sliced
 * 3 tablespoons fish sauce
 * 2 packages dried, thin rice stick noodles

For garnishing

 * 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
 * 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
 * couple sprigs each fresh mint
 * Thai basil
 * fish sauce
 * hoisin sauce
 * sriracha or hot sauce
 * lime wedges

Directions

 * 1) In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, bring to a simmer the chicken stock, chicken breasts, chicken wings, scallions, garlic, cinnamon sticks, star anise and ginger. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
 * 2) Once the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them, set aside and shred when cooled. Continue to simmer all the other ingredients for 30 minutes. Then strain the broth through a colander to remove the solids and spices.
 * 3) Add the mushrooms, fish sauce and noodles to the strained stock. Simmer until noodles are still al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Scoop some of the noodles into individual bowls.
 * 4) Top with some of the shredded chicken. Ladle lots of broth into each bowl.
 * 5) Garnish with the bean sprouts, jalapenos and fresh mint, and serve with fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Sriracha or hot sauce and lime wedges, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Servings: 4 scoops per bowl