🍜 Pho Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)
Light, aromatic, and deeply comforting—Pho Gà is all about a clear, fragrant broth, tender chicken, and fresh herbs.
🧾 Ingredients
🍗 Broth
- 1 whole chicken (or 500–700g bone-in chicken pieces)
- 1 onion (halved)
- 1 piece ginger (about 2–3 inches, halved)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2–3 star anise
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Salt to taste
- 2–2.5 liters water
🍜 Noodles & Toppings
- 200–300g rice noodles (pho noodles)
- Cooked chicken (shredded)
- Fresh herbs: cilantro, green onions
- Bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- Sliced chili (optional)
👩‍🍳 Instructions
1. Char aromatics (key flavor step)
- Roast onion and ginger in a dry pan or over flame until slightly charred.
- This adds depth and smoky aroma.
2. Make the broth
- In a large pot, add chicken, charred onion, ginger, spices, and water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Skim foam from top for clear broth.
- Simmer 30–45 minutes (longer = deeper flavor).
3. Season
- Remove chicken and shred the meat.
- Strain broth to remove solids.
- Add fish sauce and salt to taste.
4. Prepare noodles
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions.
- Drain and divide into bowls.
5. Assemble
- Add shredded chicken over noodles.
- Pour hot broth over the top.
- Garnish with herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and chili.
🍽️ Serve
- Serve hot with extra lime, chili, and herbs on the side.
- Customize each bowl to taste.
🔥 Tips
- Don’t boil aggressively—gentle simmer keeps broth clear.
- Fish sauce adds authentic depth—don’t skip it.
- Fresh herbs are essential for that classic pho flavor.
If you want, I can also make a quick 30-minute pho shortcut, a beef pho (Pho Bò), or a restaurant-style deeply simmered version.
