Phở Gà Thơm Ngon: Chicken Noodle Soup

A complex and deeply flavored Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, slow-simmered with traditional aromatics and spices, served with tender shredded chicken, slippery rice noodles, and a fresh herb platter.

• Prep: 45 min
• Cook: 2 hr 30 min
• Total: 3 hr 15 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Vietnamese
• Difficulty: Hard

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Low-Cholesterol
• High-Protein
• Nut-Free
• Low-Fat
• Low-Saturated-Fat
• Low-Calorie

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• fresh
• classic
• crowd-pleaser
• special occasion
• sweet

Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
• 1 whole chicken carcass
• 1 yellow onion (large, halved and charred)
• 4 fresh gingers (sliced and charred)
• 5 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (3-inch piece)
• 5 whole whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 0.5 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 12 cup water
• 0.25 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 pound dried flat rice noodles
• 2 cup bean sprouts
• 1 red onion (large, thinly sliced)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 bunch fresh Thai basil (leaves picked)
• 4 limes (cut into wedges)
• 1 bottle sriracha sauce
• 1 bottle hoisin sauce
• 2 red chiles (thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. Char aromatics: Preheat broiler or heat a dry skillet over high heat. Char the halved yellow onion and sliced fresh ginger until fragrant and slightly blackened, about 5-7 minutes. This deepens the flavor of the broth.
2. Toast spices: In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the star anise pods, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Place the toasted spices in a spice bag or cheesecloth satchel.
3. Blanch bones: Rinse the chicken carcass or bones thoroughly. Place in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and blanch for 10 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the bones and pot thoroughly to remove impurities.
4. Simmer broth: Return the rinsed chicken carcass or bones to the clean pot. Add 12 cups water, charred yellow onion, charred fresh ginger, and the spice bag. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours (or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).
5. Add chicken and shred: If using uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast for the shredded chicken, add it to the broth during the last 30 minutes of simmering. Cook until just tender. Remove chicken and let cool, then shred. Set aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Return the clear broth to the pot.
6. Season broth: Season the strained broth with 1/4 cup fish sauce and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed for your desired balance of savory and sweet.
7. Prepare noodles: While broth is simmering, cook the dried flat rice noodles according to package instructions, typically by soaking in hot water then briefly boiling, or just boiling, until tender but still chewy. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. Divide the cooked noodles among 8 large serving bowls.
8. Assemble and serve: Arrange a portion of shredded chicken breast over the noodles in each bowl. Pour the hot, simmering broth over the chicken and noodles. Serve immediately with a platter of fresh bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh Thai basil, lime wedges, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and thinly sliced red chiles on the side, allowing each person to customize their bowl.

Notes

The charring of the onion and ginger is crucial for an authentic pho broth flavor; don't skip this step. For a clearer broth, do not let the broth boil rapidly for extended periods; maintain a gentle simmer. The cooking time of the rice noodles can vary by brand, so follow package instructions carefully to avoid mushy noodles.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 480
• Protein: 36 g
• Carbohydrates: 65 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Sodium: 1350 mg
• Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Sugar: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 68 mg