Name: Bún thang (Hanoi chicken and egg vermicelli soup)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 180 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1 small whole chicken, about 1.2 kg; 500 g pork soup bones; 30 g dried shrimp; 2.5 L water; 180 g yellow onion, halved; 40 g fresh ginger, split lengthwise; 30 ml fish sauce; 8 g fine salt; 10 g granulated sugar; 1 kg fresh fine rice vermicelli (bún), cooked according to package directions; 4 large eggs; 15 ml neutral oil; 200 g giò lụa (Vietnamese pork roll), cut into fine strips; 20 g rau răm (Vietnamese coriander), finely sliced; 30 g scallions, finely sliced; 40 g dried shredded white radish; 80 ml rice vinegar; 80 ml cool water; 15 g granulated sugar; 2 g fine salt

Wide view of bún thang, with neat bands of chicken, egg, pork roll and herbs over rice noodles in clear broth.

Yield 4 bowls

Cook time About 1 hour 40 minutes

Passive time About 30 minutes

Total time About 3 hours

Calories About 760 kcal per bowl

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bún thang (Hanoi chicken and egg vermicelli soup)

Bún thang is known for its clear broth and finely cut toppings. Hanoi sources describe it as a labor-intensive bowl enjoyed at family gatherings and around Tết. Chicken, thin egg, Vietnamese pork roll and herbs are central to many versions, while dried shrimp, pork bones, pickled radish, shiitake and other seasonings vary. Accounts also offer different explanations for the word “thang,” so this recipe does not treat one etymology as settled.

The broth starts with chicken, pork bones, dried shrimp, charred onion and ginger. Poach the bird until safe and tender, then simmer its carcass to deepen the stock. While it cooks, prepare very thin egg crepes and a small batch of tangy radish pickle. Arrange the toppings in fine strips over the noodles and pour the broth around them just before serving.

The bowl is arranged as carefully as it is seasoned. Finely shredded chicken, thin egg ribbons, giò lụa and a little pickled radish sit in distinct bands, with fresh rau răm and scallion for lift. The broth should taste rounded and savory while staying clear enough to show the toppings.

This is one practical home formulation, not a claim that every Hanoi household uses the same ingredients. Some older-style accounts omit shiitake and certain herbs; some modern versions include them. Rare cà cuống and specialty sá sùng are not needed here.

Practical

Tips for successBlanch and rinse the pork bones before simmering to help keep the broth clear. Bring the chicken stock only to a gentle simmer; a rolling boil can cloud it. Skim foam early and often, and strain the finished broth through a fine sieve. Cook the chicken to 74°C / 165°F in both the thickest breast and innermost thigh; do not rely on the clock alone. Make the egg crepes thin and cook them until fully set before slicing into ribbons. Slice the giò lụa and toppings into fine, even strips for the characteristic look. Keep noodles, toppings and broth separate until serving so the bowl stays clear and tidy. Hold broth at 60°C / 140°F or hotter if it will not be served immediately.

Ingredients

For the broth

1 small whole chicken, about 1.2 kg
500 g pork soup bones
30 g dried shrimp
2.5 L water
180 g yellow onion, halved
40 g fresh ginger, split lengthwise
30 ml fish sauce
8 g fine salt
10 g granulated sugar

For the bowls

1 kg fresh fine rice vermicelli (bún), cooked according to package directions
4 large eggs
15 ml neutral oil
200 g giò lụa (Vietnamese pork roll), cut into fine strips
20 g rau răm (Vietnamese coriander), finely sliced
30 g scallions, finely sliced

For the radish pickle

40 g dried shredded white radish
80 ml rice vinegar
80 ml cool water
15 g granulated sugar
2 g fine salt

Method

Soak the shrimp and radish. Cover the dried shrimp with cool water and soak for 15 minutes; drain and rinse. Rinse the dried radish and soak in cool water for 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. Stir together the rice vinegar, 80 ml water, 15 g sugar and 2 g salt until dissolved. Add the radish and leave to pickle for at least 30 minutes.
Start the broth. Blanch the pork bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the bones and pot. Add the chicken, bones and 2.5 L fresh water to the clean pot. Bring slowly to a bare simmer, skimming foam. Char the onion and ginger in a dry pan until browned in spots; add them with the rinsed shrimp. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F.
Poach and shred the chicken. Lift the chicken onto a clean tray. Check the innermost thigh and thickest breast with a clean thermometer; if either is below 74°C / 165°F, return it to the broth and continue cooking. Once safe, let it cool briefly, remove the meat and shred it finely. Return the carcass to the broth and simmer another 35–45 minutes, skimming as needed.
Strain and season. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Season with fish sauce, 8 g salt and 10 g sugar. Keep it hot at 60°C / 140°F or above while preparing the bowls.
Prepare the toppings. Whisk the eggs until smooth. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Cook very thin crepes in batches until fully set, turning once if needed; do not leave any wet egg. Stack, roll and slice into fine ribbons. Warm the rice vermicelli according to its package directions and drain well. Cut the giò lụa into fine strips, slice the herbs and drain the radish pickle.
Make the shrimp garnish and arrange. If desired, lift the softened shrimp from the strained broth, pat dry, then pound or chop finely. Toast in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and dry. Divide the warm vermicelli among four warm bowls. Arrange shredded chicken, egg ribbons, giò lụa, a little pickled radish, rau răm, scallion and shrimp in distinct fine strips over each bowl.
Ladle and serve. Pour about 500 ml steaming broth gently around the toppings in each bowl. Serve immediately while the broth is hot and the toppings remain neatly arranged.

Practical

Practical guidance

Clear broth: Keep the stock at a bare simmer and skim the surface instead of stirring vigorously. Strain before seasoning. Tender chicken: Check both the breast and thigh. If the bird reaches 74°C / 165°F before the broth has developed enough flavor, remove it and continue simmering the carcass and bones. Thin egg ribbons: Cook the crepes over moderate-low heat so they set smoothly without browning or remaining wet. Make ahead: Prepare the broth, chicken, egg ribbons and radish pickle in advance, then chill them separately. Cook or refresh the noodles shortly before serving. Serving: Keep each topping in its own neat strip. Add the hot broth at the table or just before carrying the bowls out. Storage: Refrigerate broth and toppings separately in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F. Keep at 4°C / 40°F or colder and use within 3–4 days.

Troubleshooting

The broth is cloudy: It may have boiled hard or been stirred. Keep a gentle simmer, skim, then strain through a fine sieve. The chicken is dry: It may have cooked beyond tenderness. Remove it as soon as both temperature checks are safe, and keep the shredded meat covered with a little broth. The egg ribbons break: The crepes may be too thick or still warm when rolled. Cook thinner layers, cool them flat, then stack and slice. The soup tastes flat: Adjust the measured fish sauce and salt gradually. A clear broth should be savory but not aggressively salty. The noodles clump: Warm and drain them shortly before serving; keep them separate from the broth until the bowl is assembled. The toppings sink or shift: Use a ladle to pour broth around the edge of the bowl rather than directly over the arranged strips.

Frequently asked questions

Is bún thang always made with dried shrimp? No single formula is universal. Dried shrimp appears in many recipes and gives this broth a gentle seafood savoriness; household versions vary. Can I leave out the pork bones? Yes. Use additional chicken bones or chicken stock in their place, understanding that the broth will taste lighter. The nutrition estimate is based on the listed ingredients. What is giò lụa? It is a Vietnamese steamed pork roll, usually sold ready to eat. Slice it into fine strips and keep it refrigerated until serving. Can I prepare the toppings ahead? Yes. Chill the chicken, egg ribbons, pickle and sliced giò lụa separately. Reheat the broth until steaming and assemble the bowls just before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 bowl
CaloriesAbout 760 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 74 g
ProteinAbout 47 g
FatAbout 27 g
FibreAbout 3 g
SodiumAbout 1,850 mg

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains egg, fish from fish sauce and crustacean from dried shrimp. Giò lụa may contain other allergens; check its label. Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat ingredients, and wash hands, knives, boards and surfaces after handling it. Cool all cooked components, including the noodles, broth and toppings, in shallow containers and refrigerate them within the safe time limit. Cook the chicken to at least 74°C / 165°F in the thickest breast and innermost thigh, avoiding bone. Cook the egg crepes until fully set. Keep broth at 60°C / 140°F or hotter if holding it for service. Cool all cooked components, including noodles, broth and toppings, in shallow containers; refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F. Store at 4°C / 40°F or colder for 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F; bring broth to a boil before serving.

Closing notes

Keep the stock clear with a gentle simmer and careful skimming.
Arrange the toppings first, then pour the hot broth around them.

Bún thang (Hanoi chicken and egg vermicelli soup)

Practical

Ingredients

For the broth

For the bowls

For the radish pickle

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Closing notes

Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh canh cua (Southern Vietnamese crab noodle soup)

Bánh canh chả cá (Vietnamese thick noodle soup with fish cakes)

Bánh đúc nóng (Hanoi warm savory rice-flour cake)