# Quick Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)

Chicken pho, or pho ga, is a Vietnamese noodle soup with a clear, fragrant broth, tender chicken and a pile of fresh herbs. It tastes slow-cooked but this version is ready in under an hour.

The flavor comes from charring the onion and ginger, toasting the spices, and simmering gently. Serve it with lots of fresh toppings so each bowl is bright and balanced.

- Total time: 55 min (prep 15 min, cook 40 min)
- Serves: 4
- Per serving (estimated): 410 kcal, 30 g protein
- Cuisine: Vietnamese. Category: Soup. Diet: dairy-free, high-protein.

## Ingredients

- 1 large onion, halved
- 1 piece ginger (7 cm), halved lengthwise
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 600 g chicken breasts or thighs, boneless
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 200 g flat rice noodles (banh pho)
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 bunch Thai basil
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 2 limes, in wedges
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- Hoisin sauce and sriracha, to serve

## Method

1. Char the onion and ginger, cut sides down, in a dry pan over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until blackened in spots.
2. Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander seeds in the dry pot over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the broth, charred onion and ginger, and the chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer 20 minutes, partly covered, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken and shred it.
5. Keep the broth simmering 10 minutes more. Strain out the spices and aromatics, then stir in the fish sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust.
6. Meanwhile, soak the rice noodles in hot water for 8 to 10 minutes, or as the package says, until soft but still slightly chewy. Drain.
7. Divide the noodles and chicken among 4 big bowls. Ladle the boiling hot broth over so it warms the noodles.
8. Serve with bean sprouts, herbs, lime, jalapeno, hoisin and sriracha on the side.

## Why it works

- Charring the onion and ginger adds smoky sweetness that normally takes hours of simmering.
- Toasting the spices wakes up their oils, so the broth smells warm and fragrant.
- Using store-bought broth as a base cuts the time without losing depth, since the spices and aromatics do the work.
- A gentle simmer keeps the broth clear instead of cloudy.

## The science

- **Why gentle simmering keeps broth clear.** A rolling boil churns fat and proteins into the liquid, which turns the broth cloudy and greasy. A gentle simmer keeps them intact, so you can skim them away. Pho broth is meant to look clear and golden, which is why you keep the heat low.
- **Toasting wakes spices.** Whole spices like star anise and cloves hold their aroma in tiny oil pockets. A minute of dry heat warms those oils and makes the aroma stronger and rounder. Without toasting, the spices taste flatter and more bitter in the finished broth.

## Tips

- Soak rice noodles in hot water, not boiling, so they stay chewy and do not turn mushy.
- Ladle boiling hot broth over the noodles right before serving so everything stays hot.
- Taste the broth before serving and adjust with fish sauce for salt and sugar for balance.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Boiling the broth hard: it turns cloudy, so keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Overcooking the noodles: they turn mushy in the hot broth, so keep them slightly firm.
- Skipping the charring: the broth tastes flat, so char the onion and ginger.

## Variations and swaps

- Use beef slices and beef broth for classic pho bo, pouring boiling broth over raw thin slices.
- Add a splash of rice vinegar and a little chili oil to the bowl.
- Add mushrooms and tofu with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Swap fish sauce for soy sauce, adding a squeeze of lime for brightness.
- Swap rice noodles for thin rice vermicelli.

## Storage

Store the broth, chicken and noodles separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the broth to a full boil, and the chicken to 165°F (74°C), before assembling.

## FAQ

**What is pho ga?**

Pho ga is Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, made with a clear spiced broth, rice noodles and chicken.

**How do I make pho broth faster?**

Start with good low-sodium broth and add charred onion and ginger plus toasted spices. A 30 to 40 minute simmer gives much of the flavor of a long-simmered broth.

**What spices are in pho?**

Pho gets its warm, sweet aroma from star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander seeds, along with charred ginger and onion.

**Can I make pho gluten-free?**

Yes. Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, so check the labels on the fish sauce and hoisin to be sure.

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Source: https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/quick-chicken-pho (Cooking Scientist). Learn the science of cooking in the Cooking Scientist app for iPhone and iPad: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830326846