Pho Gà – Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
Pho Gà – Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the Spice Base
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 Chinese cardamom
- 10 black peppercorns
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1/2 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 300-350 g chicken thigh, bone-in
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 750 ml water
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce, adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 400 g cooked rice noodles, (150g dry rice vermicelli)
- 40 g bok choy, quartered lengthwise
For the Garnish
- 1 handful mung bean sprouts, as needed
- 1 handful fresh coriander leaves, as needed
- 1 lime wedges, as needed
- 1 tablespoon deep fried shallots, as needed
- 1 red chili, finely sliced, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and peppercorns for about 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer to a spice bag or wrap in muslin and set aside. If you don't have a spice bag, you can cook without but will need to strain the stock later to remove these spices.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Heat the neutral oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely sliced shallots and sliced garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and aromatic.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Add the water and chicken stock to the pot, then bring to a boil. Add the chicken thigh, ginger, and the prepared spice bag. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Skim any impurities from the surface as it simmers.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, and a pinch of white pepper to the broth. Taste and adjust seasoning for a balanced salty-sweet profile.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Remove the cooked chicken from the pot. Shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones. You can return the shredded chicken to the broth or keep it separate for serving, as desired.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add the quartered bok choy to the broth and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Divide the cooked rice noodles into individual serving bowls. Top with the shredded chicken and bok choy, then ladle over the hot broth.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Finish each bowl with a generous amount of mung bean sprouts, fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges, finely sliced red chili, and deep-fried shallots.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pho Gà – Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
For the Spice Base
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 Chinese cardamom
- 10 black peppercorns
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1/2 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 300-350 g chicken thigh, bone-in
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 750 ml water
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce, adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 400 g cooked rice noodles, (150g dry rice vermicelli)
- 40 g bok choy, quartered lengthwise
For the Garnish
- 1 handful mung bean sprouts, as needed
- 1 handful fresh coriander leaves, as needed
- 1 lime wedges, as needed
- 1 tablespoon deep fried shallots, as needed
- 1 red chili, finely sliced, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and peppercorns for about 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer to a spice bag or wrap in muslin and set aside. If you don't have a spice bag, you can cook without but will need to strain the stock later to remove these spices.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Heat the neutral oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely sliced shallots and sliced garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and aromatic.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Add the water and chicken stock to the pot, then bring to a boil. Add the chicken thigh, ginger, and the prepared spice bag. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Skim any impurities from the surface as it simmers.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, and a pinch of white pepper to the broth. Taste and adjust seasoning for a balanced salty-sweet profile.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Remove the cooked chicken from the pot. Shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones. You can return the shredded chicken to the broth or keep it separate for serving, as desired.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add the quartered bok choy to the broth and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Divide the cooked rice noodles into individual serving bowls. Top with the shredded chicken and bok choy, then ladle over the hot broth.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Finish each bowl with a generous amount of mung bean sprouts, fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges, finely sliced red chili, and deep-fried shallots.
⏱️ 3 min