SLOW COOKER CHICKEN RICE VERMICELLI SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups chicken stock

3 star anise

1/3 cup chopped scallion (white part of stalk)

1 1/2 tbsp. minced ginger

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. sesame oil

4 tsp. fish sauce

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast

1/3 cup chopped scallion (green part of stock)

4 oz. rice vermicelli

juice from 1 1/2 small to medium size limes

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pour chicken stock into a small slow cooker (2 quarts or larger). Use a piece of cheesecloth to create a pouch for the star anise. Knot the opening closed. Place in slow cooker. Add scallion stems, ginger, garlic, pepper, salt, sugar, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Stir to blend. Add chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

When chicken is cooked through, transfer to a plate. Add scallion greens and rice vermicelli to the stock. Use two forks to shred chicken. Return to the slow cooker. Continue cooking until vermicelli is tender (about 10 minutes total cooking time). Add lime juice to soup. Stir and serve.

Makes 4 starter or 2 main servings.

Recipe Notes:

• 1. Using a cheesecloth pouch prevents star anise fragments from break loose into the soup. As an alternative to a cheesecloth, use a tea ball infuser to contain the star anise.

  2. Recipe can easily be doubled using a larger slow cooker.

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