Simple Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Pho Soup (Phở Gà) -

Simple Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Pho Soup (Phở Gà)

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: chicken, chicken pho, pho, soup

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: people

Calories: 607kcal

A hearty soup bowl layered with chewy rice noodles, shredded chicken, fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and flavourful simmered chicken pho broth. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the broth

10 litre water
4½ pound whole chicken or a combination of chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
½ cup star anise
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 large yellow onions peeled and halved (against the grain)
2 medium ginger roots (whole) peeled and halved, lengthwise
½ cup fish sauce
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
½ cup yellow rock sugar or 1/3 cup white sugar

For the noodles

2 packages medium, dry, flat, pho noodles (Bánh Phở) soaked in lukewarm water* (see notes)

Assemble & Garnish

1 large white onion peeled, halved & sliced thinly
2 bags bean sprouts or 1/2 cup per soup bowl
2 cans cooked quail eggs (optional - 2x 400mL cans) drained & rinsed** (see notes)
6 sprigs fresh Thai basil
1 cup green onions (4 stalks) finely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro (leafy part) finely chopped
2 large jalapeno peppers (optional) or 3 red Thai chili, sliced thinly
2 whole Limes cut into wedges

Additional Seasoning

1 bottle Hoisin sauce
1 bottle Sriracha sauce

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Instructions

Boil the Chicken: Fill a 15L stockpot with 10L of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat (covered). Rinse the chicken and carefully add it to the boiling water along with the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Skim the surface to remove foam and impurities. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, uncovered.
Char the Spices and Aromatics: Preheat a large skillet over high heat. Add the star anise and stir continuously for 3 minutes until fragrant and lightly charred; set aside. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil to the skillet. Place the onion halves cut-side down and roast until charred; flip and char the other side; set aside. Roast the ginger halves until charred on both sides. Let the ginger cool for 5 minutes, then pound lightly with a meat tenderizer to release the juices.
Simmer the Broth: Add the charred star anise, onions, and smashed ginger to the simmering chicken pot. Stir in the fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, and rock sugar. Simmer on medium-low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour until the chicken is fully cooked (it will float to the surface).
Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the whole chicken from the pot and immediately plunge it into a cold water bath for 10 to 15 minutes to cool. Debone and shred all the chicken meat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Prep the Noodles: Immerse the dry pho noodles in a large bowl of lukewarm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Bring a separate large saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Portion a serving of soaked noodles into a large mesh strainer and dunk them into the boiling water for just 3 to 5 seconds, stirring with chopsticks. Shake off the excess water and place in a serving bowl. Repeat this step for the remaining bowls.
Assemble and Serve: Top the cooked noodles with shredded chicken and quail eggs.
For picky eaters: Stop here, pour the broth, and serve the vegetables on a side platter!
For fully loaded bowls: Add the sliced white onion, bean sprouts, Thai basil, green onions, cilantro, and chili peppers (optional).
Filter the boiling hot broth through a mesh strainer directly into the bowls. Serve immediately with lime wedges, Hoisin, and Sriracha!

Video

Notes

How to get a clear broth: The secret to a beautiful, translucent restaurant-quality broth is two-fold: you must diligently skim the foam off the top during the first 15 minutes of boiling, and you must simmer the soup uncovered and on low to medium-low heat. Putting a lid on a simmering bone broth will cause it to turn cloudy!

Where can I find quail eggs?

Most Asian grocery stores sell both fresh and canned quail eggs. For pure convenience, I highly recommend buying them in a can! They are already boiled and peeled; all you have to do is drain, rinse, and drop them into your soup.

What is the best way to store leftover Pho broth?

Let the broth cool completely. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months! Genius hack: Freeze leftover broth in ice cube trays so you can pop out individual "broth pods" to use in your weeknight stir-fries!

Why soak the noodles instead of just boiling them?

Boiling dry pho noodles directly in a pot of water often leads to a mushy, broken mess. Soaking them in lukewarm water first hydrates them gently. Then, a quick 3-to-5-second blanch in boiling water yields the perfect, chewy restaurant bite!

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