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Mi Quang (Vietnamese Quang-style Noodle)
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Mi Quang (Vietnamese Quang-style Noodle)

Mì Quảng is a signature rice noodle dish of Quang Nam province in the Central region of Vietnam. It features slippery noodles, colorful toppings, and flavorful broth. If you are ready for something new beyond phở, definitely give it a try.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 754 kcal
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken about 3 lbs/1.4kg; or use a combination of 1.25 lbs/600g chicken bones, 2 breasts and 2 bone-in legs, whole
  • 6 cups water plus more to parboil the chicken bones, divided
  • 1 ginger about 1 inch/2.5cm long, small piece
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 oz shallot about 30g
  • 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 2 teaspoons annatto seeds about 6-7g, red
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons turmeric powder divided
  • 7-8 teaspoons fish sauce divided
  • black pepper
  • 0.7 oz pearl onions called củ nén; or use 1.5 oz/42g more shallots, Vietnamese, peeled, finely pounded or minced
To serve
  • 4 ervings rice noodles (about 1.5-2oz dried noodles per serving)
  • peanuts roasted
  • scallion chopped
  • cilantro chopped
  • lettuce soft, green
  • microgreens
  • rice crackers Asian
  • mint or Thai basil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If using a whole chicken, separate into chicken bones, boneless breasts and bone-in thighs and drumsticks. Slice the breasts into strips and use the poultry shears to cut thighs and drumsticks into smaller pieces.
  2. Bring a large pot with plenty of water to a boil, then add the chicken bones (with the wings and legs too, if any) and parboil for 1-2 minutes. Discard the liquid and give the bones a quick rinse. Clean the pot.
  3. Add 5 cups (1.2l) of water to the pot. Bring it to a simmer then add the chicken bones, ginger and 1 teaspoon salt. Let it come to a boil, then skim off the foam and return to a simmer.
  4. Place a skillet over medium heat and dry roast the shallots for several minutes until they are lightly charred and yield to the touch. Add the shallots to the stock pot, then cover and simmer for about 1 hour or up to 1.5 hours.
  5. Place a small pot over medium heat and add the oil. Place the annatto seeds in a heat-proofed bowl and once the oil is hot, pour it over the seeds. The oil should turn reddish and you can discard the seeds.
  6. Toss the chicken breast strips with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and ½ tablespoon red annatto oil. Set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
  7. Toss the chopped thighs and drumsticks with the remaining turmeric powder, 4 teaspoons fish sauce, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon red annatto oil. Set aside to marinate for 45-60 minutes.
  8. Once the marinating time for the chicken breast is over, place a sauté pan over medium heat. Heat 1 tablespoon red annatto oil, then add ⅓ of the pounded Vietnamese pearl onions and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
  9. Add the chicken breasts and sauté until the outside is no longer pink. Add ¼ cup (40ml) water into the pan and braise for about 10 minutes until the meat firms up and absorbs the seasonings. Transfer the meat along with any cooking juice to a clean bowl.
  10. Heat the remaining red annatto oil and sauté the remaining pounded Vietnamese pearl onions until fragrant. Add the chopped thighs and drumsticks and sauté until the outside is no longer pink. Then add 3/4 cup (180ml) water into the pan and braise for about 20 minutes (up to 30 minutes) until the meat firms up and absorbs the seasonings. Transfer the meat along with half of the cooking juice to a clean bowl. Pour the remaining cooking juice into the stock pot.
  11. The broth should also be ready by now. Season the broth with 1-2 teaspoons fish sauce or to taste. The broth for mi Quang is usually heavily-seasoned.
Assemble the Dish
  1. Prepare the noodles according to package instructions. If you prefer the noodles to be yellow, add a pinch of turmeric powder to the cooking water before adding the noodles.
  2. Divide noodles into serving bowls. Top the noodles with cooked chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks pieces. Also divide the cooking juice into serving bowls.
  3. Add some lettuce, micro greens and fresh herbs to the bowls. Sprinkle chopped scallions and roasted peanuts on top. Pour broth into serving bowls. Add as much broth as desired, but generally the broth should not fully cover the noodles.
  4. Serve with rice crackers and if desired, a small bowl of fish sauce with some slices of red chili pepper on the side.

Notes

  • Nowadays, Vietnamese Quang-style noodles may have a variety of cooked toppings besides chicken, such as:
  • The specific noodles for mì Quảng may not be sold widely. An easy option is to use dried phở rice noodles.
  • boiled eggs: usually quail eggs or chicken eggs
  • different proteins: such as shrimp, pork ribs (or pork slices), fish, frog legs. If you decide to use any of these different proteins, simply follow the same cooking method we use for chicken. Marinate, then sauté with pearl onions/shallots and braise until the protein is well-seasoned.

Nutrition Information

Calories 754kcal (38%) Carbohydrates 50g (17%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 43g (66%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 10g (59%) Monounsaturated Fat 21g (105%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 143mg (48%) Sodium 1661mg (69%) Potassium 461mg (10%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 268IU (5%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 754

% Daily Value*

Calories 754kcal 38%
Carbohydrates 50g 17%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 43g 66%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 10g 59%
Monounsaturated Fat 21g 105%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 1661mg 69%
Potassium 461mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 268IU 5%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 52mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.