Khao Piak Sen / Lao Chicken Noodle Soup
One of my favorite Lao restaurants in Seattle, Sap Sap in White Center, makes some of the best Khao Piak (and Lao food in general) I’ve ever had. Every spoonful is packed with comfort, depth, and soul. It’s the kind of bowl that warms you from the inside out, and I wanted to capture that
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 15 cloves Garlic
- 1/3 cup Neutral Oil
- 1 Whole Medium Yellow Onion
- 3 inch Knob Ginger
- 2 Stalks Lemongrass
- 15 Kaffir Lime Leaves
- 1 Bunch Cilantro Stems
- 4 lb Whole Chicken
- 6 quarts Water
- 4 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 inch Nub Rock Sugar
- 2 tbsp MSG
- 1 cup Rice Flour, (Plus Extra for Dusting)
- 1 cup Tapioca Starch
- ⅛tsp Salt
- 2 cups Boiling Water
- Fried Garlic
- Cilantro
- Green Onions
- Beansprouts
- Thai Chili
- Chili Oil
- Lime Wedges
Instructions
- 1
Fried Garlic Oil:
- 2
Heat oil over medium heat and fry minced garlic for 2–3 minutes until golden
- 3
Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove and place the garlic on a paper towel-lined plate to cool
- 4
Reserve the garlic oil for the broth and set the fried garlic aside for garnish
- 5
Prepping the Aromatics and Other Garnishes:
- 6
Cut a whole onion and knob of ginger in half. To a dry pan on medium-high heat, place the onion and ginger on the pan to char for 5-7 minutes
- 7
Cut the tops and bottoms off the stalks of lemongrass and remove the outer woodsy layer. Then, using the back of your knife, smash the lemongrass to help it release more of its aroma
- 8
Take your Kaffir lime leaves, and gently crumple them in your hands, and set all the aromatics to the side
- 9
Finely chop green onions and cilantro to use as a garnish. Reserve the cilantro stems to use in the broth
- 10
Cooking the Chicken Soup:
- 11
Scrub the whole chicken with kosher salt, and rinse with water to reduce chickeny odor
- 12
In a large stockpot, combine water, chicken, garlic oil, onion, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and cilantro stems
- 13
Bring to a boil, skim off impurities, then cover (leaving a slight crack) and simmer on low for 60–90 minutes until chicken is fully cooked
- 14
Remove the chicken and let it cool before shredding. Discard aromatics and strain the broth if needed
- 15
Season with fish sauce, rock sugar, and MSG
- 16
Making the Noodles:
- 17
Combine rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon. Once cool enough, knead by hand until smooth. Cover and let rest for 10–15 minutes
- 18
Flour your surface and roll out the dough thinly (it will expand while cooking). Cut into strips and dust with more flour. Cover with a damp towel until ready to cook
- 19
Cooking the Noodles
- 20
Option 1: In the Broth (Thicker u0026 Velvety)
- 21
Bring 2–3 cups of broth to a boil in a separate pot. Add fresh noodles and cook for 1–2 minutes until they float
- 22
Transfer to a bowl, top with shredded chicken and garnishes. Finish with chili oil, if desired
- 23
Option 2: In Water (Lighter Broth)
- 24
Boil 2–3 cups of water, generously salt it, and cook noodles for 1–2 minutes. Strain and add to a bowl with hot broth, chicken, and garnishes