Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga)

Chicken Pho (Pho Ga) – the little sister of famous Beef Pho, equally delicious but much easier to make! I call it the Vietnamese version of homemade chicken noodle soup made from scratch. Except – dare I say it – so much more exciting!

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Chicken Pho soup

Chicken Pho – called Pho Ga in Vietnamese – is the chicken version of Beef Pho, Vietnam’s most famous food export.

The magic of Pho is that while the broth looks completely unassuming, it’s actually full of complex-yet-delicate spice infused flavours. That special something-something that makes it unforgettable, and you just can’t stop eating it.

If you’re a Pho fan, you will love this chicken version because it’s easier to make than Beef Pho – no need to hunt down specific bones, just use chicken pieces!

This magical Pho soup broth is made the traditional Vietnamese way, using chicken pieces and infused with spices. Using store bought stock just isn’t the same!

Chicken Pho Soup broth

We’re making this Chicken Pho from scratch today – no cheating with store bought broth! 

Here’s what you need:

• Chicken – I use chicken thighs for convenience (easier than man handling a whole chicken) but you can use a whole chicken too. Do not sub with breast – we need to use dark meat here, and we need skin to maximise flavour into the broth!

• Leftover chicken – We use some chicken to top the soup, but you will have leftovers – and it will be infused with lovely flavour! See bottom of post for things to use it for;

• Spices – cloves, fennel, star anise, coriander (fresh and seeds) and cinnamon – infuse the broth with the distinct Pho fragrance that you know and love so well!

• Onion and ginger – these are aromatics that are charred first to add a hint of smokiness to the broth. A traditional and mandatory inclusion!

• Fish sauce – this provides more complexity and depth of flavour than soy sauce, as well as salt in the broth;

• Sugar – Pho broth is actually a bit sweet. Most people don’t realise it because it’s subtle! But it’s there – and if you don’t use enough sugar, you will notice something lacking in the broth;

Chicken Pho Toppings

Pho is a dish that is the sum of its parts. It wouldn’t be Pho if you didn’t have the toppings – especially fresh herbs, a signature of Vietnamese food!

How to make Chicken Pho from scratch

Here’s how to make it. Little more than a plonk-and-simmer job!

Essentially, there’s 3 steps:

1. Char onion and ginger – this provides a subtle smokey fragrance to the broth that is a signature feature of Pho. So char them well!

2. Simmer everything gently for 1.5 hrs to infuse the water with all those incredible broth flavourings; and

3. Strain, shred chicken, serve with Toppings!

See how clear the soup broth is? Beautiful! (And if only you could smell it…. those spices! It’s intoxicating!)

Source: Recipetineats https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-chicken-pho-soup-pho-ga/