Laotian Chicken Rice Soup

Wonderful traditional Laotian chicken soup that I make for my 3 kids and husband when they are sick or just feel like they need soup. I also have the super easy version but this is my traditional version. If you like Southeast Asian soups than you will like this. This recipe does take time to make because of the time to boil the chicken.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 6-8 bowls

Ingredients

• Ingredients

• 2  cups  jasmine rice (You may use other types of white rice if you do not have jasmine, cooking time will differ or 3 cups)
• 1  medium stewing chicken (can be found at most asian stores) or 1  medium  grocers whole chicken
• 4  large  peeled garlic cloves
• 3  tablespoons salt
• 2  tablespoons msg (can be found in most grocery store and at all Asian store the soup will taste different without it)
• 6  whole green onions, finely chopped
• 1  bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 3  celery ribs, finely chopped
•  fish sauce (used as condiment for taste)
•  soy sauce (used as condiment)
•  thai hot chili sauce (used as condiment to taste)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar (condiment)
•  black pepper (condiment)
•  limes, cut into quarter to squeeze into soup (condiment) or  rice vinegar (condiment)
•  hot pepper (condiment)
•  garlic oil, sauce (condiment, this is a traditional Laotian hot pepper flake and garlic oil that we put into most noodl)

• Ingredients

• 10  large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1⁄2 cup  hot pepper flakes (I get my pepper flakes from a family member who grows their own peppers for super hotness, but you m)
• 1  cup canola oil or 1  cup  vegetable oil

Directions

1. Laotian Chicken Rice Soup.
2. Fill the largest pot you have 3/4 full with water, make sure pot will have enough room so that chicken will be fully immersed and covered with water.
3. Boil water in pot on high heat. Once water is boiling put chicken into pot. Make sure chicken is fully immersed if not add more water. Bring water back to boil. Once boiling again bring soup to gentle boil on medium heat. Add 4 garlic cloves to soup. Add salt and MSG to soup. Simmer soup for 2 hrs or longer until chicken is falling apart.
4. Once falling apart take all of chicken out of pot and put into very large bowl to cool. Let chicken cool for about 15 minutes or longer. I don't wait for it to cool because I have asbestos fingers. Bring soup back up to boil. Once boiling add rice and lower heat to gentle simmer on med. low heat. Once chicken is cool shred chicken. Add shredded chicken back into pot. Cook for about 30 more minutes until rice is tender. You may cook your rice longer for softer and thicker rice soup, each Laotian family makes it different. My children and husband prefer the soup thick and rice soft.
5. While the soup is cooking at anytime you make make the Hot Chili Pepper and Garlic Oil.
6. Make sure you have lots of ventilation because the hot pepper will make you cry. Turn on fans and open windows.
7. Hot Chili Pepper and Garlic Oil.
8. Put large frying pan on range add frying oil and heat up oil to medium hot. Once hot enough add finely minced garlic, cook garlic until light brown, do not overcook garlic or it will burn. Add hot pepper flakes and turn heat down to medium low. Sauté garlic and pepper for about 10 minutes Turn heat off and let mixture cool for about 30 minutes Poor mixture into small airtight container that can be refrigerated. This can be used in all types of Southeast Asian noodle dishes such as Pho or anything you like and will last about 6 months or longer if refrigerated.
9. Serve Chicken Rice Soup into large soup bowls, depending on how much a person would like. Put a small amount of minced green onions, cilantro and celery on top of each bowl of soup. Each person adds any or all of the condiments to their own taste. Serve hot or warm.