Summary: Chicken broth simmered from a whole bird and giblets with charred ginger, star anise and cinnamon, served with rice noodles and shredded chicken. Total time 135 minutes, makes 6 servings.
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Category: Poultry · Vietnamese Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Phở Gà – chicken noodle soup with charred ginger and star anise
- Category: soups, vietnamese-cuisine
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Main ingredient: Chicken, 1400 g (whole, free-range, skin on)
- Guide: 12 most famous Vietnamese dishes: traditional recipes from Vietnamese cuisine
- Total time: 135 minutes (25 min preparation + 110 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Servings: 6 (Serving weight: 901 g)
- Key technique: Simmering broth from a whole chicken below boiling point and seasoning with fish sauce only at the end
- Preparation types: Classic boiling, poaching (simmering), dry-roasting spices
- Dietary info & allergens: fish (fish sauce), gluten (hoisin), soy (hoisin), peanuts (hoisin)
- Suitable for: Weeknight dinner, family lunch with children, food after illness, or first course of a festive menu.
- Nutritional values (per 1 serving): 1011 kcal, Protein: 78.0 g, Fat: 37.0 g, Carbohydrates: 96.0 g
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer
- Pairing: Vietnamese lager, dry Riesling, jasmine tea
- In brief: Chicken broth from a whole chicken with charred ginger, star anise and cinnamon, rice noodles, shredded chicken and a handful of herbs. Total time 135 minutes, 6 servings.
WAGUU says: “Chicken phở should be delicate, not empty. Leave the skin and wings in the broth, they give the soup its body.”
Key facts
| Preparation time: | 25 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 110 minutes |
| Temperature: | Broth 90–93 °C (below boiling point), chicken cooked to 75 °C in the thigh |
| Number of servings: | 6 |
At a glance
Phở Gà is the gentler sister of beef phở. It relies on a broth from a whole chicken that simmers slowly and is seasoned only at the end. The ratio of ginger to star anise matters, as does removing the meat from the broth before it falls apart. Anyone who simmers the broth too long ends up with cloudy soup and overcooked meat.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Serving weight: 901 g
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| chicken | 1400 g | whole, free-range, with skin and wings |
| chicken liver and heart | 150 g | fresh, without green spots |
| rice noodles | 600 g | flat 3 mm, made from rice flour |
| onion | 2 pcs | yellow, halved and charred cut-side down |
| ginger | 60 g | fresh, halved and charred |
| star anise | 5 pcs | whole stars, not ground |
| cinnamon stick | 6 g | thin cassia stick, 1 piece |
| coriander seeds | 4 g | whole, dry-roasted |
| fish sauce | 100 ml | fermented from anchovies, no sugar |
| cane sugar | 20 g | light, coarse |
| salt | 6 g | fine sea salt |
| spring onion | 6 pcs | fresh, sliced on the diagonal |
| fresh coriander | 40 g | stem and leaf, without root |
| bean sprouts | 200 g | fresh, firm, without brown spots |
| lime | 2 pcs | juicy, cut into wedges |
| fresh chilli | 2 pcs | red, thinly sliced into rings |
| hoisin sauce | 60 ml | thick, dark, for seasoning at the table |
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in two hours: Chicken broth simmers for less time than beef, so phở gà is doable even on a weeknight after work.
- Gentle flavour for the whole family: The soup isn’t spicy, chilli and hoisin are added at the table. Children can adjust their bowl to their taste.
- Exact ratios for 6 servings: Chicken, noodles, spices and herbs are calculated for six bowls. The number of servings recalculates according to your diners.
Guaranteed success: The chicken is removed from the broth before it starts falling off the bone. That’s the moment it’s juiciest and won’t fall apart when sliced. Leave the skin and wings in the broth longer, they add body. Charring the ginger and onion creates a crust that gives the broth its colour. Fish sauce goes into the pot only after removing from the heat, so its aroma doesn’t boil away.
Recipe overview
Preparation: 25 min | Cooking: 110 min | Difficulty: Medium | Servings: 6 | Type: Soup | Origin: Vietnamese
Detailed method
Overall progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Preparing the chicken and aromatics – 25 min
Equipment: large 6 l pot, dry frying pan, chopping board
1. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and remove any remaining feathers around the wings. Rinse the inside with cold water and let it drain, do not remove the skin.
2.Halve the onion and ginger and char them cut-side down in a dry pan until they darken. The blackened edge gives the broth its colour, but don’t let it turn to charcoal.
3.Toast the star anise, cinnamon and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, then tip them into a piece of muslin. Clean the liver and heart and set aside in the fridge.
VKB:The chicken skin is dry, the cut sides of the onion and ginger are dark, and the spices in the pan smell of bark and anise, not burnt.
Before you move to the next step:
Don’t rinse the chicken under a running tap – it splashes bacteria around the kitchen. Rinse the cavity over the sink and pat the surface dry with kitchen paper.
Phase 2: Simmering the chicken broth – 65 min
Equipment: large 6 l pot, slotted spoon, thermometer
1.Put the chicken in the pot, cover with cold water so it’s submerged, and heat slowly. As soon as foam starts to rise, lower the heat and skim it off with a slotted spoon.
2.Add the charred onion and ginger and the spice bag. Keep the broth below a simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the juices at the bone run clear.
3.Lift the chicken onto a tray and leave to cool. Drop the liver and heart into the broth and poach briefly until they darken and are no longer pink inside. Then remove them.
VKB:The juices at the thigh bone run clear, the meat pulls away from the bone without resistance, and the broth is golden and clear, not milky.
Before you move to the next step:
Don’t leave the chicken in the broth until it falls apart. The meat would lose its texture and the broth would turn heavy. Take it out the moment the thigh bone loosens.
Phase 3: Clarifying and seasoning the broth – 15 min
Equipment: fine sieve, smaller pot, ladle
1.Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Pick the spices off the cooled chicken, discard the spice bag, and spoon off any fat from the surface.
2.Reheat the broth, add the fish sauce, palm sugar and salt, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste: it should be savoury with a gentle sweet finish, not overly salty.
VKB:The broth is clear and golden, there are no fat droplets on the surface, and the flavour is balanced. After tasting, a spicy star anise note lingers, not saltiness.
Before you move to the next step:
Add salt only after the fish sauce and taste between spoonfuls. Fish sauce already carries salt, so it’s easy to oversalt.
Phase 4: Shredding the chicken and blanching the noodles – 15 min
Equipment: large pot for noodles, colander, two forks
1.Pull the skin off the cooled chicken – you won’t need it – and shred the meat with two forks into strips. Slice the liver and heart.
2.Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, drain, and rinse under cold water. Rinsed noodles won’t clump in the bowl and won’t thicken the broth.
VKB:The meat is shredded into evenly thick strips that hold their shape, not mush. The noodles are translucent, springy, and can be separated with your fingers after rinsing.
Before you move to the next step:
Don’t leave the noodles in hot water after draining or press them in the colander. Spread them out and let them drip dry, or they’ll stick together in a block.
Phase 5: Assembling the bowls – 5 min
Equipment: deep bowls, kitchen tongs, ladle
1.Put the drained noodles in each bowl, top with shredded chicken and slices of liver and heart. Add a handful of bean sprouts, which stay crunchy because they’re only wilted by the hot broth.
2.Line up the bowls and scatter spring onion rings over each. Have the pot of boiling broth ready alongside.
VKB:The bowls are two-thirds full, the meat sits in an even layer on the noodles, and the sprouts are on top. Everything is ready in one line.
Before you move to the next step:
Don’t put the noodles in the bowls more than five minutes before serving. They’ll go cold and the broth won’t heat them through.
Phase 6: Pouring the broth and serving – 4 min
Equipment: ladle, serving tray
1.Bring the broth to the boil and ladle it into the bowls so the level reaches the rim. The hot liquid heats the meat and noodles through.
2.Scatter torn coriander over the top, add chilli rings, and put a lime wedge on the side of each bowl. Serve hoisin sauce separately in a small dish.
VKB:The broth is hot but not boiling, the meat is heated through, and the herbs on the surface are fresh. There are no fat droplets on the surface.
Equipment needed
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| large pot | 6 l capacity, heavy base | pressure cooker with lid off | a thin base will scorch and the broth will pick up a metallic taste |
| fine sieve | 22 cm diameter, double mesh | mesh sieve lined with muslin | a coarse mesh lets small particles through and the broth stays cloudy |
| meat thermometer | range up to 120 °C | check that the juices at the thigh bone run clear | without checking, the chicken easily overcooks or stays pink at the bone |
| slotted spoon | 9 cm diameter, flat | long-handled spoon | a deep ladle won’t lift the foam and the broth turns cloudy |
Shopping list
Nutrition profile
Values per 1 portion (without sides). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 470 kJ / 112 kcal | 4230 kJ / 1011 kcal | 25384 kJ / 6066 kcal |
| Fat | 4.1 g | 37.0 g | 222.0 g |
| of which saturates | 5.9 g | 5.9 g | 5.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.7 g | 96.0 g | 576.0 g |
| of which sugars | 5.4 g | 5.4 g | 5.4 g |
| Protein | 8.7 g | 78.0 g | 468.0 g |
| Salt | 3.1 g | 3.1 g | 3.1 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Tested recipe with precise ratios and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 1:Take the chicken out of the broth as soon as the thigh bone loosens. That’s when the meat is juiciest and shreds into strips rather than mush.
- Tip 2: Pull the liver out after a very short poach and cook it separately. Longer cooking makes it tough and gives the broth a metallic taste.
- Tip 3: Leave the chicken skin in the broth until it pulls apart, then remove it with the meat. It gives the broth body and a golden colour.
- Tip 4: Strain the broth twice: first through a coarse sieve to catch the bones, then through a fine cloth. The second strain is the difference between a clear and a cloudy phở.
The science behind it
Chicken skin and joints contain collagen, which turns into gelatine at around 90°C. This gives the broth a slightly sticky mouthfeel and a fuller flavour. A rolling boil emulsifies the fat into the liquid, making the broth cloudy and flattening the taste. Star anise contains anethole, a compound released by heat that dissolves in both fat and water, which is why the spices are toasted and cooked in a bag. Fish sauce carries free amino acids that provide umami; prolonged boiling breaks some of these down, so it goes in at the end.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plating: Twirl the noodles into a low spiral, arrange the chicken strips in a circle on top, and place a pile of herbs in the centre. The bowl then looks like a restaurant portion.
- Texture contrasts: Alongside bean sprouts, add thin cucumber slices and a few crispy fried shallots. The crunchy layer balances the soft noodles.
- Temperature contrast: Warm the bowls with hot water and keep the lime in the fridge. Cold juice on hot soup releases the coriander aroma.
- Aromatic extras: Put lime, chilli and hoisin sauce on a separate tray. Guests can adjust their own bowl, which is the usual way it is served in Hanoi.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Golden clear broth, white noodles, pale chicken strips, green spring onion and coriander.
- Aroma: First star anise and cinnamon, then charred ginger, and finally fresh coriander with lime.
- Taste: Salty and gentle, with a spicy aftertaste and fresh acidity from the lime. Heat comes only from the chilli on the table.
- Texture: Noodles soft and springy, chicken tender, sprouts crunchy, liver smooth.
Pairing
- Vietnamese lager: A light pale beer with higher carbonation cleanses the palate. Serve it chilled to 6–8°C.
- Dry Riesling: The acidity in Riesling pairs with the spicy star anise. Sweeter wines overpower the delicate chicken broth.
- Jasmine tea: Unsweetened jasmine tea with floral notes. It accompanies the soup at the table and lets the coriander shine.
Variations
- Phở Gà with chicken thighs: Instead of a whole chicken, use thighs and wings and leave the meat in the broth for ten minutes longer. The broth will be fuller and the meat juicier.
- Phở Gà with chicken breast: Poach the breasts separately in a small pan and slice them thinly. The soup is leaner and suits a lighter meal.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: fish (fish sauce), gluten (hoisin), soy (hoisin), peanuts (hoisin) • Gluten: yes, trace amounts from hoisin sauce • Not suitable for: people with allergies to fish, soy, peanuts and gluten
Suitable for
A weeknight dinner, a family lunch with children, a meal after illness, or a first course for a celebration menu.
Substitution catalogue
- chicken: chicken thighs and wings, the broth will be fuller and needs ten minutes longer
- chicken liver and heart: chicken gizzards, they need longer cooking and are firmer
- rice noodles: thin rice noodles or rice starch noodles, cooking time will be shorter
- fish sauce: soy sauce with a teaspoon of salt, the flavour will be less pronounced
- hoisin sauce: dark soy sauce with a teaspoon of sugar, the colour will stay similar
FAQ
Can I use only chicken thighs?
Yes, but the broth will be richer. Poach thighs for ten minutes longer than a whole chicken and leave the skin in the broth until the end. Then shred the meat with forks.
How long does chicken phở simmer?
About an hour and a half. Beef phở needs three hours, chicken is ready sooner. Longer cooking dries out the meat and the broth turns bitter from the skin.
Why is the broth cooked below boiling point?
A rolling boil disperses fat into the liquid and makes the broth cloudy. Small bubbles are enough to release flavour from the meat and bones, and the broth stays clear.
Do I have to add liver to the soup?
It is not essential. If you leave it out, add two extra tablespoons of fish sauce to the broth for a fuller flavour. Liver only needs a short poach and should be cooked separately.
How do I reheat phở the next day?
Reheat the broth in a pan below boiling point and blanch the noodles separately in clean water. Never reheat the soup with the noodles in it, they will soften and fall apart.
What can I use instead of palm sugar?
Use light honey or maple syrup in the same amount. White sugar works too, but the flavour is flatter and the sweetness comes forward more.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Poach the chicken in the largest pan you have and cook the noodles in batches. Assemble two bowls at a time and top up with broth at the table. • 10+ people: Prepare two chickens and strain the broth into one pan. Cook the noodles in batches and keep the rinsed noodles in a colander over a pan of boiling water. Chop the herbs and chilli in advance into bowls and leave them on the table.
Sides and serving
Serving: Phở Gà is served in a deep bowl with broth filled to the rim. Place a lime wedge, a handful of coriander and a bowl of chilli next to the bowl. Hoisin sauce is served in a small bowl for dipping the meat.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 2 months • Reheating: Heat the broth below boiling point, blanch the noodles separately. Store broth and noodles separately, otherwise the soup turns to mush.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 9 Oct 2026 • Updated: 10 Oct 2026
More recipes from the article
Guide: 12 most famous Vietnamese dishes: traditional recipes from Vietnamese cuisine
Phở Bò – beef noodle soup with star anise, cinnamon and charred ginger
Bánh Mì – crispy Vietnamese baguette with meat, pâté and pickled vegetables
Bún Chả – grilled pork slices and patties with rice noodles and sweet and sour sauce
Gỏi Cuốn – fresh summer rolls with rice paper, prawns and herbs
Bún Bò Huế – spicy noodle soup from Hue with lemongrass and chilli
Cơm Tấm – broken rice with grilled pork, egg and fish sauce
Cao Lầu – Hoi An speciality with firm rice noodles and crispy chips
Bánh Xèo – crispy rice pancake with turmeric, prawns and sprouts
Chả Giò – fried Vietnamese spring rolls with meat, vegetables and noodles
Cá Kho Tộ – caramelised braised fish in a sweet and savoury sauce
Chè – Vietnamese sweet desserts from beans, tapioca and coconut milk
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Most common mistakes
- Overcooking the chicken – the meat falls apart and the broth tastes of skin. Remove the chicken as soon as the bone in the thigh loosens.
- Spices measured by eye – too much star anise gives the soup a medicinal taste. Weigh the spices on a scale.
- Noodles blanched too far in advance – they soften and stick together in the bowl. Cook the noodles five minutes before serving and rinse with cold water.
- Fish sauce added at the start – its aroma boils off and the soup loses umami. Add it to the hot broth at the end.