Description
A warm, fragrant Vietnamese chicken noodle soup (pho ga) with a clear, savory broth simmered with charred onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves, then ladled over rice noodles and topped with shredded chicken and fresh herbs. Simple, nourishing, and easy enough for cozy weeknights.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs or breast: 2 lbs
- Yellow onion, halved: 1 large
- Fresh ginger, sliced: 3-inch piece
- Star anise: 3 pods
- Cinnamon stick: 1
- Cloves: 3
- Fish sauce: 3 tbsp
- Rock sugar or brown sugar: 1 tbsp
- Rice noodles: 12 oz
- Fresh herbs (cilantro, basil): 1 cup
- Lime wedges and bean sprouts: For serving
Instructions
- 1. Char the onion and ginger in a dry pot.
- 2. Add chicken, spices, fish sauce, sugar, and 10 cups water.
- 3. Simmer for 35 minutes.
- 4. Remove the chicken and shred it.
- 5. Meanwhile, strain the broth and cook the rice noodles.
- 6. Divide noodles into bowls, top with chicken, pour hot broth, and garnish.
- 7. Serve this Vietnamese chicken noodle soup right away.
Notes
- Skim the broth often for a clear soup. Don’t boil hard, or the broth turns cloudy.
- Taste and adjust fish sauce at the end.
- Soak noodles briefly so they stay springy.
- Store broth and noodles separately in airtight containers; keep in the fridge up to 3 days.
- To reheat, warm the broth on the stove and add fresh noodles.
- This soup does not freeze well with noodles, but the broth alone freezes beautifully for 2 months.
- Serve with crunchy bean sprouts, lime wedges, and fresh herbs; spring rolls or a simple cucumber salad pair nicely.
- Make ahead: cook the broth a day early and refrigerate it, then assemble quickly before serving.
- The base is mild; add chili oil or sliced chilies at the table if you like heat.
- Flat rice noodles (banh pho) work best; vermicelli also works fine.
- Rotisserie chicken can be used: skip the raw chicken and use shredded rotisserie chicken, simmering the broth with spices for 20 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, pho ga, chicken pho, chicken noodle soup, easy pho recipe, cozy soup, weeknight dinner
