Easy chicken pho (phở gà) at home

To make chicken pho at home, simmer a whole chicken with charred onion, charred ginger and a few toasted spices, then season the broth with fish sauce and a little sugar and pour it over rice noodles and shredded chicken. The whole recipe takes about two hours, most of it hands-off.

Phở gà is lighter and quicker than beef pho, which makes it a friendly first pho to try in your own kitchen. The broth should be clear, golden and fragrant with ginger rather than heavy with spice.

What makes chicken pho different from beef pho?

Beef pho broth often simmers for many hours with bones and a fuller spice mix. Chicken pho uses a whole bird, cooks faster and usually goes easier on the spices, so the chicken flavor leads. In Northern Vietnam, phở gà is often finished with finely shredded lime leaves and scallions. Southern-style bowls tend to come with a plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts and lime on the side.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6)

For the broth:

• 1 whole chicken, about 3½ to 4 lb (1.6 to 1.8 kg)
• 1 large yellow onion, unpeeled, halved
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, about 3 in (8 cm), unpeeled
• 4 quarts (about 3.8 liters) cold water
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 3 star anise, 1 small cinnamon stick and 3 whole cloves
• 3 to 4 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or regular sugar, and 2 tsp salt

For the bowls:

• 14 to 16 oz (400 to 450 g) dried flat rice noodles (bánh phở)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ small onion, sliced paper-thin and soaked in cold water
• A handful of cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges, sliced fresh chili and black pepper
• Optional: 4 to 5 makrut lime leaves, very finely shredded

Allergen note: fish sauce is made from fish. If you are cooking for someone with a fish allergy, use a fish-free seasoning sauce and add salt to taste.

Steps

1. Char the aromatics. Hold the onion halves and ginger over a gas flame with tongs, or set them under a hot broiler, turning until blackened in spots, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let them cool slightly, rub off the loosest charred skin, and slice the ginger lengthwise.

1. Toast the spices. In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the coriander, star anise, cinnamon and cloves for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant. Put them in a spice bag or a square of cheesecloth tied with string.

1. Clean the chicken. Rinse the chicken and rub it with a little salt. For a cleaner broth, put it in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse the chicken and pot. This step removes much of the scum before the real simmer begins.

1. Start the broth. Return the chicken to the clean pot with 4 quarts of cold water, the charred onion and ginger. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat until the surface barely bubbles. Skim any foam.

1. Poach, then remove the meat. Simmer gently for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Lift the chicken into a bowl of cold water for a minute so the skin firms up, then pull the breast and thigh meat off the bones. Refrigerate the meat.

1. Simmer the bones. Return the carcass and bones to the pot with the spice bag. Simmer gently, uncovered, for another hour. Remove the spice bag after about 45 minutes so the spices stay in the background.

1. Strain and season. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Add the fish sauce, sugar and salt, then taste. It should taste slightly too salty on its own, because the noodles will soak up seasoning.

1. Cook the noodles. Soak or boil the rice noodles following the package directions, usually a few minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse briefly so they do not stick.

1. Build the bowls. Divide noodles among large bowls. Top with shredded chicken, scallions, onion, cilantro and lime leaves if using. Bring the broth back to a full boil and ladle it over everything.

Tips for a better bowl

• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil clouds the broth. Look for lazy bubbles.
• Taste the broth before adding more spice. Phở gà should taste like chicken first.
• Season at the end. Fish sauce can turn bitter if boiled for a long time.
• Serve the broth very hot. It warms the noodles and chicken in the bowl.

For more on clarity, see pho broth: how to get a clear, deep broth. If you want the side plate explained, read pho toppings explained.

Make-ahead and storage

The broth keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and freezes well for about 3 months. Store noodles, chicken and broth separately, so the noodles don't go soft. Chilling the broth also makes it easy to lift off any fat that sets on top.

Can I use chicken parts instead?

Yes. About 3 lb (1.4 kg) of bone-in thighs and drumsticks plus 1 lb (450 g) of wings or backs makes a rich broth. Pull the thigh meat once it is cooked through, then keep simmering the bones.

Save the chicken fat that you skim off the chilled broth; a spoonful stirred into the hot broth just before serving adds a lovely richness.