Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Name: Vietnamese Chicken Pho
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Family
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces; 300 g rice noodles; 1 onion, halved; 1 thumb ginger, halved; 3 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 tbsp fish sauce; to serve herbs, lime, chili

Vietnamese chicken pho, or pho ga, is a fragrant bowl of clear, aromatic broth, silky rice noodles, and tender poached chicken. Charred ginger and onion plus warm spices give the broth its signature depth in less time than beef pho. Pile on fresh herbs, lime, and chili to make each bowl your own.

Vietnamese Gluten-Free Dairy-Free High-Protein Stovetop Lunch Dinner Soup One-Pot Comfort Food Chicken

⏱ 60 min
📊 medium
🍽 Family

Ingredients

1 kg bone-in chicken pieces
300 g rice noodles
1 onion, halved
1 thumb ginger, halved
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp fish sauce
to serve herbs, lime, chili

Instructions

Char the onion and ginger directly over a flame or in a dry pan until blackened in spots.
Add the chicken, charred aromatics, star anise, and cinnamon to a pot and cover with water.
Simmer gently for 40 minutes, skimming the foam often, then season with fish sauce.

Remove the chicken, shred it, and keep the broth hot.
Soak or cook the rice noodles, then divide them among bowls with the chicken.
Ladle the hot broth over the top and serve with herbs, lime, and chili.

💡 Chef's tip

Skim the broth often as it simmers; removing the foam is what keeps a pho broth clear and clean-tasting rather than cloudy.

Charring the ginger and onion before they go into the pot is essential, as the smoky char dissolves into the broth and gives pho its unmistakable deep, sweet aroma.