Brown chicken in a skillet in the oil and place in the crock.

Add everything else to the crock, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, then remove the chicken.

Discard skin and save the meat in the fridge. Add the bones back to the crock and continue cooking for another4-6 hours on low, to total 10 hours.

Strain the broth and discard the solids (not the chicken meat).

You can use it now, but I like to refrigerate overnight to allow the fats to solidify (and then I can scoop the solid fat out).

Before serving, place the rice noodles in an oblong container and cover with boiling water. Allow to cool. Check a noodle then to see if it is done enough for you. It should be al dente because when you add hot broth it cooks a little bit more. Otherwise add boiling water again and drain it when it is tender enough. I prefer a soak to cooking them as they easily overcook and get mushy. And most recipes don't really tell you that.

Anyway, place the noodles in your large soup bowl. Cover with the chicken, and very hot or near boiling broth.

Top with bean sprouts, herbs of choice, jalapenos, scallions, squeeze with lime and add a squirt or hoisin sauce and sambal chili paste. I prefer non-fermented sambal to sriracha but do what you like.