How to Make Vietnamese Chicken Stock
Turn chicken meat, bones, and other simple ingredients into a delicious Vietnamese chicken stock.
Ingredients · Servings 3
- 1 whole small chicken (or a combination of bones and meats about 4 lbs total)
- 2 large yellow onions
- 3-inch piece ginger
- 3 green onions (optional)
- 1 small daikon (optional, about 1 lb)
- 4 quarts water
Method · 2 h 5 min
- Peel the outer layer of the yellow onions. There’s no need to peel the ginger and daikon. Slice the ginger into thick coins and give each one a smash to help release its aroma. Cut the daikon into chunks.
- In a large stock pot with a lid, add the chicken, yellow onions, ginger, green onions, daikon, and water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently, partially covered for one hour if using meat with bones or two hours if using just bones. Occasionally, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface with a spoon or fine mesh strainer and discard.
- At the one-hour mark, chicken meat should be done. Avoid overcooking, as it may become dry. Remove the meat and save them for another dish such as Vietnamese chicken salad (goi ga). Return the bones to the stock pot and continue cooking.
- After a total of two hours, remove all the solids so you have a clear stock. Let it cool completely before refrigerating or use immediately in your favorite Vietnamese and Asian dishes.
This stock is great for Vietnamese and other Asian dishes. You can use it as a base for soups, stews, and sauces, or just swap it in for water to give your dish more flavor.
Store-Bought Western Stock
I am not a big fan of store-bought chicken stock for my Vietnamese and Asian dishes.
These western stocks are too strong with the aroma of carrots, celery and herbs such as bay leaves and thyme, none of which fit well with Asian and Vietnamese cuisines.
Plus, store-bought stock is cloudy. It isn’t as important as flavor, but a clear stock is highly prized in Vietnamese cooking.
Whenever I have enough chicken bones piled up in the freezer, I make my own chicken stock.
