Pho Ga
Ginger-poached chicken, clear aromatic broth, rice noodles and herb plate.
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Pho ga is the gentler cousin of pho bo - lighter, cleaner, the chicken version your grandmother makes when you're sick. Bare simmer (never a hard boil) is what keeps the broth crystal clear.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 4 servings.
- 8 cupsstore-bought chicken broth
- 1½ lbbone-in chicken thighs
- 12 ozdried rice noodles (banh pho, medium)
- 1 mediumyellow onionhalved (skin on)
- 4 inchfresh gingersliced lengthwise (skin on)
- 3star anise pods
- 1cinnamon stick
- 1 tspcoriander seeds
- 2½ tbspfish sauce
- 2 tsprock sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 bunchThai basilleaves picked (garnish)
- ½ cupfresh cilantroroughly chopped (garnish)
- 2 cupsbean sproutsrinsed (garnish)
- 3scallionsthinly sliced (garnish)
- 2limecut into wedges
- 1jalapeñothinly sliced (table heat)
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 420calories
- 36gprotein
- 52gcarbs
- 8gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Halve the onion and slice ginger lengthwise (skins stay on - they color the broth).
- Pick basil, chop cilantro, slice scallions, wedge limes, slice jalapeño.
- Soak rice noodles in hot tap water 30 min while broth simmers.
Char aromatics
Char onion halves and ginger slices in a dry skillet over high heat, cut-side down, 4-5 min until blackened in spots. This is the flavor backbone - don't skip.
9 min · hands onToast spices
Add star anise, cinnamon, and coriander to the skillet. Toast 60 sec until fragrant.
1 min · hands onPoach chicken
Combine broth, chicken thighs, charred aromatics, spices, fish sauce, sugar, and salt in stockpot. Bring to a bare simmer (not a boil - keeps broth clear) and poach 25 min until chicken reads 165°F.
25 min · hands offShred and strain
Lift out chicken with tongs; cool 5 min then shred meat off the bones. Strain broth through fine-mesh sieve back into pot. Bring back to a hard simmer.
5 min · hands onCook noodles
Drain soaked noodles. Cook directly in the hot broth 60 sec until tender. Lift into 4 bowls with tongs.
1 min · hands onBuild bowls
Pile shredded chicken on top of noodles. Ladle hot broth over. Top with scallions and cilantro. Serve with basil, sprouts, lime, and jalapeño at the table.
3 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Poach breast 15 min instead of 25; shred when cool enough to handle. Saves about 10 minutes.
Use vegetable broth base; sear cubed tofu 4 min and add to bowls instead of poached chicken.
Pan-sear the tofu before adding to the bowls. Also steep 1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms in the broth for depth. Also add 1 tsp white miso.
What keeps
Broth and shredded chicken keep 4 days, freeze 2 months. Cook noodles per bowl - they bloat reheated.
Reheat broth to a hard simmer before pouring over fresh noodles and chicken.
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