Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Baby Spinach (Canh Ga Nau Rau)
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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 with at least two other side dishes, Canh being one of them. Canh is a light and refreshing clear soup that can be made with any type of meat and vegetables. Unlike Vietnamese noodle soups which can be complex and time-consuming to prepare, this everyday soup is easy to make and quick to cook.
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.
You can often find Canh served with a side of fish sauce straight from the bottle with thinly sliced red chili peppers for a spicy kick. This sauce is used to dip pieces of meat or vegetables from the soup for added customized flavor.
Canh is typically 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 chickens and save the backbones to make a stock for Canh. You can also use any bone-in 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 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 sauce, 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 (see below) for a complete meal.
Related Posts
The Guide to Cooking Perfectly Steamed Rice: Asian Kid Edition
Other Soups You May Enjoy
Kabocha Squash Soup with Chicken
Pork Spare Rib Soup with Opo Squash
Cabbage and Shrimp Soup
Kabocha Pumpkin Soup with Minced Shrimp
Popular Chicken Dishes to Complete the Meal
Caramelized Ginger Chicken
Braised Coconut Chicken
Pan-Fried Lemongrass Spicy Chicken
Lemongrass Roast Chicken
Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Baby Spinach (Canh Gà Nấu Rau)
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 with steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
Alternatively, use store-bought chicken stock for a quicker but meatless version.
