Pho Ga
Vietnamese chicken noodle soup
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken
- 400 g Pho rice noodles
- 1 Ginger
- 2 Onion
- 3 Star anise
- 3 tbsp Fish sauce
- 4 tbsp Cilantro
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 3 Scallions (optional)
- 2 Lime (optional)
Method
- Char the ginger and onion directly over a flame or under the broiler until the skins are blackened and fragrant.
- Add the whole chicken, charred aromatics, star anise, and salt to a large pot, cover with water, and poach at a bare simmer until the chicken is cooked through; lift it out and shred the meat.
- Season the broth with the fish sauce, skimming any foam so it stays clear.
- Meanwhile, soak and blanch the pho noodles until just tender, then divide them into bowls with the shredded chicken.
- Ladle the hot broth over the bowls and finish with cilantro, scallions, and lime.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Pho Ga
Pho ga is the chicken counterpart to Vietnam's famous beef pho, a lighter, quicker soup built on a clear, gently spiced broth. Where pho bo relies on long-simmered beef bones, here a whole chicken is poached with charred ginger and onion and a little star anise, which delivers a clean, fragrant stock in about 90 minutes rather than a whole afternoon. Charring the aromatics until their skins blacken is what gives the broth its subtle smoky-sweet backbone, and careful skimming keeps it looking as clear as it tastes. Fish sauce seasons the pot without muddying it.
The eating is delicate and restorative: soft rice noodles and shredded poached chicken in a broth that's aromatic but soothing rather than bold. Fresh cilantro, scallions, and a squeeze of lime go on at the end, brightening each bowl and letting everyone adjust the acidity to taste. Lighter and more forgiving than beef pho, it's a natural for a comforting lunch or dinner and scales generously to feed a table of eight. The shredded meat and the broth both keep well, so leftovers reheat into an easy second meal.
Pho Ga: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pho Ga?
A serving has about 607 calories — 38.9g protein, 44.6g carbs, 28.8g fat, 1.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 38.9g of protein, roughly 26% of its calories.
Is Pho Ga gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Pho Ga has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Pho Ga take to make?
About 90 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Pho Ga?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, lime — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Pho Ga make?
This recipe makes 8 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.