Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
Warm your soul with a comforting bowl of Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, or pho ga, a classic dish that combines fragrant spices, tender poached chicken, and silky rice noodles in a savory, aromatic broth. This traditional recipe features a flavorful base made with a whole chicken, toasted pho spices like star anise and cinnamon, and fresh aromatics like ginger and onion. The broth is simmered to perfection, creating a rich yet light foundation for the dish. Garnished with vibrant herbs like cilantro, Thai basil, and a crisp mix of bean sprouts, each bowl is a symphony of textures and flavors. Serve with lime wedges, chili slices, hoisin, and sriracha for a customizable and authentic experience. Perfect for cozy evenings, this homemade pho is surprisingly easy to make, offering restaurant-quality comfort right from your kitchen.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 medium (about 3-4 lbs) Whole chicken
- 2 inches, sliced and lightly smashed Ginger
- 1 large, peeled and halved Yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons Fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 packet or 1 tablespoon of each Pho spices (star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, coriander seeds)
- 10 ounces, dried Rice noodles (banh pho)
- 3 stalks, sliced thinly Green onions
- 1 cup, chopped Cilantro leaves
- 1 cup, whole leaves Thai basil
- 2 cups, fresh Bean sprouts
- 2 cut into wedges Limes
- As desired Chili slices
- As desired Hoisin sauce
- As desired Sriracha sauce
Instructions
Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with about 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Add the ginger and halved onion to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let the chicken simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
While the chicken is poaching, toast the pho spices in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until aromatic. Place the toasted spices in a spice bag or cheesecloth and tie it securely.
After 30 minutes of cooking, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Add the spice bag, fish sauce, sugar, and salt to the pot. Continue to simmer the broth for another 30 minutes.
While the broth is simmering, shred the cooled chicken into thin strips, discarding the skin and bones.
Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking.
Discard the spice bag from the pot. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve if desired, to achieve a clear soup.
To assemble, divide the cooked rice noodles among serving bowls. Top each bowl with shredded chicken.
Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and chicken. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, Thai basil, and bean sprouts.
Serve immediately with lime wedges, chili slices, hoisin sauce, and sriracha sauce on the side for customization.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
820 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 14.7 g | 19% | |
| Saturated Fat | 3.3 g | 16% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 102 mg | 34% | |
| Sodium | 8764 mg | 381% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 138.2 g | 50% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 22.9 g | 82% | |
| Total Sugars | 31.0 g | ||
| Protein | 50.7 g | 101% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 439 mg | 34% | |
| Iron | 13.3 mg | 74% | |
| Potassium | 2749 mg | 58% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
