Throughout Vietnam there are many kinds of soups, “canh,” served all year long. I particularly love enjoying this warm, flavorful bowl of Vietnamese chicken soup on laid-back weekends, but it's also great packed in a Thermos for lunch. It's the perfect bok choy soup, too! —Brenda Watts, Gaffney, South Carolina
Ingredients
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons peanut oil
SOUP:
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small onion, cut into thin strips
1 cup bok choy leaves, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup fresh baby carrots, julienned
1 cup julienned roasted sweet red peppers
3 serrano peppers, julienned
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, optional
1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
1In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Add chicken; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 3/4-in. balls. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches; drain. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker.
2Add stock, tomatoes, onion, bok choy, carrots, red peppers, serrano peppers, garlic and salt. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender. If desired, stir in panko. Without stirring, drizzle beaten egg into slow cooker. Let stand until egg is set, 2-3 minutes.
