By Lisa Golden Schroeder

My Jewish grandmother always said that chicken soup was good for what ails you. And guess what? Science has actually proved that chicken soup is not only good for the soul, but also your bronchial tubes! The benefits of a steaming bowl of rich chicken broth, especially if spiced up with pepper and garlic, are real. In fact, research shows that it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, helping fight off those pesky winter germs. And I think that just about any grandmother, no matter where she’s from, knew this long before laboratory testing proved her right.

I grew up on a very basic, farm-style chicken noodle soup—a nice bone-in hen stewed with carrots, celery and onion. I sometimes got to help slice the hand-rolled noodles—mine were always a little uneven and never quite resembled the beautifully thick and chewy ones my mom slid into the simmering broth. With fingers of asbestos, she tore the hot chicken off the bones, returning it to the soup kettle, along with a hearty grind of black pepper and sprinkle of coarse salt. Nothing more, nothing less—satisfying, a supper that no one didn’t like.

So when my mom became seriously ill with a flu bug this past summer, I rediscovered my own comfort and sustenance in huge bowls of chicken soup from an entirely different place.  Just a few blocks from the hospital, in the heart of an immigrant neighborhood, I found myself haunting a tiny Vietnamese noodle shop that served up an impressive array of traditional pho. Pho (pronounced fuh) is a soothing and beloved rice noodle soup with beef—a breakfast favorite in Vietnam. Intensely aromatic with charred onion, ginger, and spices, pho is also made with chicken—pho ga—and vegetables if you like.

The chicken version is my favorite—and the best part of the dish, beyond the amazing broth and chewy rice stick noodles, are the classic condiments served alongside them:  fragrant Asian basil, fresh bean sprouts, wedges of tart lime and hot chiles (sliced serrano or Thai bird chiles and ruby red chile paste). Other fresh herbs might be offered, like cilantro, culantro, saw-leaf herb or purple mint. Torn leaves are scattered into the steaming bowl, and I personally love adding a spoonful of hoisin and a big squirt of Sriracha chili sauce. The brilliant, deep flavors definitely have curative powers.  If you don’t have time to leisurely simmer a whole chicken, try this short-cut (I make no claims of authenticity) version of pho to stave off any lingering sniffles or coughs, fortifying your family until spring arrives.

CHICKEN AND RICE STICK NOODLE SOUP (Pho Ga)

Makes 6 servings

I know people who crave diving into vast bowls of this aromatic chicken noodle soup. Stirring in torn fresh herbs, a squeeze of lime, a spoonful of hot chiles, some crisp bean sprouts or a drizzle of sweet hoisin, Sriracha chili sauce or fish sauce allows diners to personalize the flavors in their bowl. The rich broth is deeply flavored all by itself, the perfect pool for the chewy rice noodles. Adding chunks of chicken and some steamed veggies only makes it better—a handful of broccoli florets, snow peas, sliced carrots or chunks of sweet bell pepper would make this a one-bowl meal.

INGREDIENTS

For the broth

2 medium onions

1 large (3-inch) piece fresh gingerroot

1 quart good-quality chicken broth

1 quart water

¼ cup fish sauce

2 teaspoons raw sugar

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Thighs*

For the noodles

1 package (14 ounces) dried rice stick noodles, 1/16-inch-wide (banh pho)

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced

3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

Garnishes

6 large sprigs Thai basil

½ pound fresh bean sprouts

1 lime, cut into wedges

Red chile sauce or oil, if desired

Sriracha chili sauce, if desired

Hoisin sauce, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

• Holding the onions and ginger with metal tongs, roast them over an open gas flame or place them under the broiler until the skin is charred. Peel the blackened skin away; cut ginger into 1-inch pieces and onions into wedges.
• Place broth, water, fish sauce, sugar, peppercorns, and salt in large soup kettle. Bring to a boil; add ginger, onion and chicken thighs. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place rice noodles in a large bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Heat a large saucepan of water to boiling.
• When the broth is done, remove chicken. Shred into bite-size pieces.  Drain noodles; place (you can do this one serving at a time) into boiling water. Blanch for about 20 seconds until hot. Place noodles in large soup bowls.
• Top the noodles in each bowl with shredded chicken, along with some red and green onion. Ladle hot broth into each bowl.
• Serve soup with garnishes.

*One (3.5-4 pound) Just BARE™ Whole Chicken, cut into quarters, may be substituted. Simmer broth for 45 minutes, skimming fat and foam from surface occasionally. Remove the skin from the cooked chicken; pull meat from the bones. Shred chicken into pieces and return to soup.