Atlanta has some of the best little "pho" cafes in the Asian quarter. I'm crazy about this simple Vietnamese street food, Vietnamese Phở Gà! The soup, pronounced "fuh," warms the belly and nourishes the soul. So I just had to make it for the blog, SO easy!
You can find the basics for the stock at the Asian markets, or online. Just add chicken stock, rice noodles and your choice of protein (we used chicken in this recipe). The herb garnish toppings give it that nice crunch. You can round it out with as much heat your palate can tolerate!
This soup is "pho"nominal! No pun intended, LOL! My cooking buddy, Damien, makes a mean Vietnamese Phở Gà! Here we are in his kitchen cooking up a pho storm!
What is Phở?
Phở or pho is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef, sometimes chicken. Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam and served in restaurants around the world (Wikipedia). This Vietnamese sweet-savory soup is steaming hot bowl of comfort!
Different Types of Phở:
- Phở Hà Nội (Hanoi-style pho)
- Phở Sài Gòn (Saigon-style pho)
- Phở Bò (beef pho)
- Phở Gà (chicken pho)
- Phở Cá (fish pho)
- Phở Mực (squid pho)
- Phở Tíu (stir-fried pho with pork)
What kinds of toppings should you use as garnish?
- The herb garnish toppings give the Phở Gà that nice crunch. It's mostly topped with fresh Thai basil or cilantro. Substitute regular basil if you're not able to find the Thai variety.
- Crunchy bean sprouts or mung bean sprouts are also a nice crunchy topper on the Pho Ga.
- Chopped peanuts are also a nice crunchy addition!
- Jalapeño peppers are often sliced and served as a garnish for extra heat!
- Lime or lemon wedges really temper the heat in this dish.
- Pho Ga is always served with a hot sauce, like Sriracha or sambal oelek. The spicier the better for me! You'll often find hoison sauce on the side for a bit of sweetness to temper the heat.
I bought these easy Phở Gà soup starter cubes at my local Asian market. You can find them online as well here. And the pho spice blend packet is a lifesaver! Get it here!
TIPS & TRICKS:
- Make the soup broth in advance and either refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. The longer it sits, the more flavors it will develop!
- Make sure to buy super fresh bean sprouts. They go bad very quickly!
- The chicken will cook very quickly by slicing it very thinly. Leaving it in the broth too long will overcook the chicken! I like to drop it in at the very last step.
- You can substitute the chicken for beef using beef broth and skirt steak, or use shrimp instead of meat!
WANT MORE?
If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Asian Turkey Noodle Soup. Loaded with deliciousness, this bowl of yum is also healthy and filling.
Update Notes: This post was originally published on January 7, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step by step instructions and tips in October 2019.
Print Vietnamese Phở Gà
This simple Vietnamese street food, Phở Gà, warms the belly and nourishes the soul. You're going to love all the flavors in this comforting Asian noodle dish!
- Total Time: 2 hrs 35 min
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 6 pints cold water
- 2 cubes of pho seasoning packet
- 4 small onions quartered, skin on
- 5 whole garlic cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger root
- Handful fresh cilantro
- ½ lemon w/ rind on
- Chinese spice blend packet - 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise, cloves, peppercorns, fennel seeds)
- 3 skinless/boneless chicken breasts sliced very thinly
- 8 oz. rice noodles
Toppings
- Green onions, chopped
- Torn sweet Thai basil leaves or regular basil leaves
- Mung bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
- Chopped peanuts
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha hot sauce
Instructions
- In large heavy pot, add chicken broth, water, Pho cubes, onions, garlic cloves, ginger root, and lemon. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer, partially covered for 2 hours. Meanwhile, put spices in a cheesecloth and tie with string. Add spice packet for the last 20 minutes. Discard spices and strain the broth. Return broth to the pot and keep at a low simmer.
- During last 30 minutes of cooking, soak the rice noodles in water for 20 minutes and strain. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook noodles until just done, about 5 minutes (firm but not mushy). Remove soup from stove. Add in sliced chicken just before serving (chicken will cook very quickly in the hot broth).
- To assemble soup: Place some noodles at the bottom of the bowl. Ladle soup over noodles, including sliced chicken. Serve with veggie toppings and sauces.
Notes
- Make the soup broth in advance and either refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. The longer it sits, the more flavors it will develop!
- Make sure to buy super fresh bean sprouts. They go bad very quickly!
- The chicken will cook very quickly by slicing it very thinly. Leaving it in the broth too long will overcook the chicken! I like to drop it in at the very last step.
- You can substitute the chicken for beef using beef broth and skirt steak, or use shrimp instead of meat!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 min
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 583
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 686.3 mg
- Fat: 9.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.2 g
- Protein: 60.6 g
- Cholesterol: 148.9 mg
Julie Kushner says
Nothing says comfort more than a steaming hot bowl of pho! Thanks for the recipe!
Asian Caucasian says
You're so welcome, Julie! I am so looking forward to this pho now that winter is approaching!
Kim says
If I don't have access to pho cubes, what combination of seasonings can use to substitute? Thanks.
Asian Caucasian says
You can use chicken or beef stock and simmer with a whole onion halved, ginger slices, whole garlic cloves, and peppercorns. Add in the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander, and cardamom. The flavors are terrific!
ktrankina says
I followed this recipe as closely as i could, and it was FANTASTIC! My whole family loved it. So tasty, and my whole house smells good. Thanks Lesli!
Asian Caucasian says
So glad you liked the Pho Ga, Kim! If I could bottle up that smell I would sell it! Thanks for your comments!