Ingredients
Lemongrass Chicken Marinade
4 large chicken thighs, boneless
2 stalks lemongrass, tender inside part coarsely chopped
2 tbsp shallots, minced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lime, juiced
Lemongrass Broth
3 lbs chicken backs, necks, or other bony chicken parts
3 onion, cut in half
8 cloves, crushed
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced in half
1small ginger root, sliced
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
TT salt & pepper
Spice mix (3 whole star anise, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 tbsp Cardamom seed, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice, 1 tbsp black peppercorns)
Topping
Angel hair rice noodles
Cilantro or Culantro, Mint, Thai Basil, Napa Cabbage, Bean Sprouts, Bok Choy, Julienned Carrots, Lime, Enoki or Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms, Peppers – basically whatever you feel like adding
Instructions
Lemongrass Chicken
1. Combine chicken and marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until you get a dark golden brown sear, but not fully cooked. Place seared chicken on a sheet pan or baking sheet to continue cooking in the oven for 10-15mins. Remove from sheet pan, set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Slice chicken into thin pieces.
Noodles
1. Soak the noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander over the sink.
Broth
1. Place the halved onions, sliced ginger, star anise, directly on the cooking grate of a medium-hot charcoal or gas grill, or a gas stove with a medium flame, or in a skillet over an electric stove. Let the skin burn (if you’re working indoors, turn on the exhaust fan and open a window), using tongs to rotate onion and ginger occasionally and to grab and discard any flyaway onion skin. You do not have to blacken the entire surface.
2. Once you have a char (star anise will char quickly), remove onions, star anise and ginger and run under warm running water, rubbing off the charred skin from onion and ginger. Hold it under warm water to wash off any blackened bits. Set the onions, ginger and star anise aside. Tip: you can also lightly toast the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cardamon seeds, and lemongrass in a skillet.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place 3 pounds of chicken backs, necks, or other bony chicken parts in pot to boil out all impurities for 5-10mins. Remove bones, rinse and set aside.
4. In a large stock pot bring to a boil 1/2 gallon of water and the 3 pounds of chicken backs, necks, or other bony chicken parts, Spice mix, lemongrass, ginger, onion, sugar, and fish sauce. Once it comes to a boil bring down to a low simmer for 2hours. Skim off any fat or impurities. Tip: You can add lime leaves and culantro to the broth for more flavor!
5. Place cheesecloth inside strainer and over another pot. Pour over strainer and cheesecloth the now flavorful broth, removing all chicken backs, necks, or other bony chicken parts, Spice mix, lemongrass, ginger, and onion.
6. Serve in deep soup bowls accompanied by rice noodles, lemongrass chicken, and choice of toppings. Let everyone flavor their own soup with chile-garlic sauce or hoisin sauce, and add their own garnishes.
Comments