Prepare the garlic and shallot in one bowl. Ginger, carrot, and shiitake in another bowl. Halve or quarter the bok choy, rinse and set aside to drain well. Shred the chicken and set aside.
Prepare the noodles by following the package instructions. If the noodles need to be boiled, cook them in a separate pot. Drain well and toss the noodles with a little oil to prevent them from sticking.
Preheat a medium to large soup pot over low heat, when it feels warm, add the toasted sesame oil. Saute garlic and shallot with 2 small pinches of salt over medium heat until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
Add the ginger, carrots., and shiitake. Season with 2 small pinches of salt. Saute about 2 minutes.
Add the stock. Cover with a lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and bring it to a gentle simmer, for about 4-5 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken (or turkey) and the bok choy. Simmer for another 1 minute or until the bok choy stems turn a deeper green color yet still crunchy. Add the noodles.
Season with fish sauce to taste, one tablespoon at a time. Off heat, drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with jalapeno and cilantro. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
Noodles:
Shirataki noodles don’t need to be cooked. Follow the package instructions and rinse well.
Zucchini noodles also don’t need to be cooked separately. Add them to the hot soup.
For all other noodles, follow the package instructions and boil the noodles separately before adding them to the soup.
Ingredient Swap Suggestions:
Vegetables: Don’t skip the carrots! Feel free to add celery and swap baby bok choy for broccoli, cauliflower florets, or even Chinese broccoli if you happen to have them in the fridge.
Mushrooms: I recommend using shiitake - either dried and rehydrated shiitake or fresh. If you really don’t have it, try cremini or baby bella.
Seasoning: I use fish sauce so it tastes more Vietnamese-inspired. If you use coconut aminos, it’ll taste more Chinese. :)
Storage: After cooking, store noodles and Chinese soup broth separately to prevent noodles from absorbing broth and turning mushy. Both components will keep up to 3 days refrigerated.
Reheat: To serve, reheat broth on the stovetop or microwave until piping hot. Add noodles and shredded chicken just before serving