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Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga)

Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga)

Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga) is a delicious and easy-to-make version of chicken noodle soup made from scratch.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Mains, Soup
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 6 people
Calories 501 kcal

Equipment

  • 6 litre / 6 quart pot

Ingredients
  

Charred aromatics

  • 1 tablespoon oil vegetable or canola (or other plain oil)
  • 2 pieces onions halved (skin on fine)
  • 5 cm ginger sliced 0.75cm / ⅓" thick (unpeeled)

Pho Soup Broth

  • 2 litres water
  • 1.5 kg chicken thighs bone in skin on
  • 1 small bunch coriander/cilantro
  • 5 pods star anise was short in photo & video!
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 cloves cloves
  • 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 8 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 6 teaspoon white sugar
  • 0.75 teaspoon salt Cooking/kosher salt, or ½ teaspoon table salt

Noodle Bowls

  • 360 g dried rice noodles thin flat (or 600g fresh)
  • 2 stems green onions finely sliced

Toppings - help yourself

  • 3 cups bean sprouts
  • 1 small bunch Thai Basil
  • 1 small bunch coriander/cilantro
  • 2 pieces limes cut into 4 wedges
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sriracha
  • red chillies finely sliced (optional)

Instructions
 

BROTH

  • Heat oil in a 6 litre / 6 quart pot over high heat. Place ginger and onion facedown, leave undisturbed for 2 minutes until they blacken. Turn and leave for another 2 minutes.
  • Add water and remaining Broth ingredients EXCEPT salt. Bring it a simmer, then lower heat so it's simmering VERY gently with the lid on, but open a crack.
  • Simmer gently for 1.5 hours. Scoop off scum that rises to surface once or twice during the simmering.
  • Remove chicken, then strain broth into a clean pot - you should have 1.5 litres / 1.5 quarts. If you have more, simmer to reduce. If less, top it up with water.
  • Add salt, bring broth to a gentle simmer. Broth should be slightly on the salty side - it dilutes when you add the noodles.
  • Keep broth warm until ready to serve.
  • Shred chicken meat, discard bones and skin.

ASSEMBLING

  • Place Toppings out on the table.
  • Reheat chicken (can briefly dunk in broth!).
  • Prepare noodles per packet directions, just prior to serving. Drain very well (excess water dilutes broth).
  • Place noodle in bowls. Top with chicken, ladle over 375ml / 1.5 cups broth. Sprinkle with green onion.
  • Pile on Toppings of choice, add a squeeze of lime into the broth. Consume immediately!

Notes

You won't use all the chicken for the Pho. Leftover chicken can be used for other dishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 501kcalCarbohydrates: 87gProtein: 20gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1486mgPotassium: 352mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg
Keyword chicken pho, chicken pho from scratch, Pho recipe, pho soup
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