Rice noodles are a staple in various Asian cuisines, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. They are made from rice flour or starch and come in different shapes and sizes. Some rice noodles are thin, like angel hair, while some are wider and flatter, similar to fettuccine or pappardelle. Rice noodles are often sold in dried form and are available in grocery stores. Fresh rice noodles are also available and can be found in specialty Asian grocery stores. Rice noodles are used in soups like pho or stir-fried noodles like pad Thai. You can also find them in spring rolls, giving the spring rolls the texture and mouth-feel. Delicate and slightly chewy in texture, rice noodles absorb flavor well, making them versatile and easy to incorporate into your cooking.
In this chicken noodle soup recipe, I’m using dried rice vermicelli, a thin noodle that requires little cooking time and has the perfect texture to soak up all the flavors from the shiitake, corn, and chicken. This recipe is also gluten-free for those seeking a gluten-free chicken noodle soup option.
Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated
- 6 oz. of boneless chicken about 1 chicken breast, sliced
- ¼ tsp sea salt plus more
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 ginger slices
- 2 tsp avocado or neutral-flavored oil
- 4 to 5 cups chicken broth or 4 cups chicken broth + 1 cup water
- ½ cup corn frozen or fresh
- 4 oz. dried rice noodle/ rice vermicelli
- Soy sauce
Instructions
- To rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms, soak them in cold water for 3 hours or in hot water and microwave for 3 minutes. The fast method shortens the total soaking time to about 20 minutes. Cut the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms into thin slices.
- In a bowl, season the sliced chicken with some sea salt and white pepper.
- In a pot, heat the oil and cook the ginger slices for a few minutes. Sauté the shiitake mushrooms for a few minutes. Monitor the temperature so the shiitake mushrooms don’t dry out.
- Add the chicken broth, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Add the chicken, corn, and rice noodles. Cook until the rice noodles become soft.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt or some soy sauce. Serve hot.