Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Baby Spinach (Canh Ga Nau Rau)
Searching for a classic and flavorful Vietnamese soup to complement steamed rice? Here is a delicious and comforting Vietnamese chicken and spinach soup to solve just that.
Prepared with bone-in, bite-sized pieces of chicken and American baby spinach, this soup is ready in under 20 minutes and made with easy-to-find ingredients.
What is Canh
Vietnamese home cooking centers around steamed rice that is served with at least two side dishes. Canh is typically one of those side dishes. It’s a light and refreshing soup that features a clear broth and made with a variety of meats and vegetables.
The great thing about Canh is its simplicity. Unlike Vietnamese noodle soups which can be complex and time-consuming to prepare, this everyday soup is quick to cook and easy to make.
The stock for Canh is typically made with the same protein as the main protein dish. For example, if Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng) is served, chicken will also be used to make the stock for the soup. This keeps the cooking simple.
Canh is typically served with a side of fish sauce straight from the bottle. For a spicy kick, thin slices of red chili peppers are added. This sauce is used to dip pieces of meat or vegetables from the soup to add additional flavor.
Canh is enjoyed towards the end of the meal. Ladle it over the remaining rice and enjoy some of the protein and vegetables in each spoonful. This way of eating cleanses the palate and provides a satisfying end to the meal.
Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Baby Spinach (Canh Ga Nau Rau)
What You Will Need
There are many varieties of Vietnamese soups. For this recipe, we are making chicken soup with baby spinach. Here’s what you will need to make it.
Chicken — I like to purchase whole chicken and save the backbone for Canh. You can also use any bone-in chicken cuts if you don’t want to process a whole chicken. Alternatively, use store-bought chicken stock for a quicker but meatless version.
Baby spinach — The Vietnamese version of spinach is Malabar Spinach or Rau Mồng Tơi, which can be difficult to find. For this recipe, we are using American baby spinach that you can get anywhere. I like to use spinach already bagged and usually labeled ready to eat. But you can never be too careful so I always give them another rinse at home. If you get them any other way, make sure to rinse them a few times as spinach collects a lot of dirt.
Aromatics — Garlic and shallots. Saute first in a bit of vegetable oil to bring out their aroma.
Seasonings — All Vietnamese soups use the same basic seasonings: salt, a bit of sugar for balance, fish sauce, and bouillon powder (either chicken or mushroom in the States). Add a little of each and adjust to your taste. Chicken bouillon powder does contain MSG. If you are not into that, simply omit it from the recipe below.
Ground Black Pepper — There’s no green garnish in this particular soup here because the spinach is already green. Only a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper will be needed at the end for a finishing aroma.
How to Make Vietnamese Soup
Making Canh is as easy as 1-2-3. And this holds true for almost all varieties of Canh.
Step 1: Make the Broth
In a medium pot, add oil, shallots, and garlic. Pan-fry until fragrant. Add chicken and toss the chicken in the aromatics. Add water and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 2: Add the Vegetables
Add the spinach to the pot and cook for 1 minute or until wilted.
Step 3: Season the Stock
Make the stock into a flavorful broth by adding, salt, sugar, fish sauc,e and bouillon powder. Finish the broth with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper for a wonderful aroma. Serve immediately alongside other Vietnamese side dishes for a complete meal.
Yield 5Author Vicky PhamCook time20 MinTotal time20 MinVietnamese Chicken Soup with Baby Spinach (Canh Gà Nấu Rau)
A delicious and light chicken and spinach soup that comes together in 20 minutes. Prepared with bite-sized pieces of bone-in chicken and baby spinach, this soup can be paired with steamed white rice for a satisfying and authentic family-style Vietnamese meal.Ingredients
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add oil and heat on medium-high. Add shallots and garlic. Pan fry until fragrant (about one minute).
- Add chicken and toss the chicken in the aromatics for about one minute. Add water and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add spinach. Cook for 1 minute or until spinach is wilted.
- Season soup with salt, sugar, fish sauce, and bouillon powder. Add a little at a time to taste.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with ground black pepper for a wonderful aroma. Serve immediately with other Vietnamese side dishes for a complete meal.
Notes
Alternatively, use store-bought chicken stock for a quicker but meatless version.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
373Fat
26 gSat. Fat
7 gCarbs
4 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
3 gSugar
2 gProtein
30 gSodium
1125 mgCholesterol
114 mgThe values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
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