FFWD - Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

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I tried Vietnamese pho recently from a local restaurant that is near my house. Foolishly, I ordered it to go and was overwhelmed with the containers of broth and sauces, baggies containing basil leaves, jalapenos, bean sprouts, and various spices, and takeout containers full of meat and noodles. Unsure of the proper protocol for combining all of these elements, I poured some broth in a bowl, added the meat and noodles and then topped the soup with what I liked of what remained. This resulting concoction was a rich, flavorful soup full of layer upon layer of flavor.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I'm in my kitchen making Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup. I actually prefered this homemade version to the restaurant one mainly because it used chicken instead of beef. The flavor of Dorie's soup was just as complex and actually a little softer in flavor. My soup was missing some of the spice because I didn't have dried peppers and subbed a pinch of red pepper flakes instead. I also like the idea of drizzling it with chili oil. Overall this soup was very good and I will probably make it again with more coconut milk, less fish sauce, and the addition of fresh basil and chili oil.

My changes/substitutions:

• I used chicken tenderloins
• Red pepper flakes instead of dried red chilies
• Ground coriander in place of coriander seeds
• Black peppercorn instead of a white one
• Angel hair pasta