Chicken pho recipe at home: Vietnamese chicken broth, step by step
Phở gà is the lighter counterpart to phở bò: a clearer, quicker broth that is just as fragrant.
Phở gà, a quiet classic
Outside Vietnam, phở usually means beef. In Vietnam, the chicken version is an everyday bowl, loved for its gentler, brighter broth.
This recipe gives you the key steps for a clear, fragrant broth at home.
Phở gà or phở bò: what really changes
Same structure, three key differences.
The broth: whole chicken and carcasses, shorter cooking
Chicken bones release their flavour fast: about 1.5 to 2 hours of simmering is enough.
The spices: same base, lighter dose
Star anise, cinnamon, clove, charred onion and ginger, used more sparingly.
The garnish: shredded chicken, spring onion, kaffir lime leaf
Finely shredded kaffir lime leaf signs the bowl; grated lime zest is the closest substitute.
See also our phở bò recipe and our article on the difference between phở bò and phở tái.
Ingredients for 4
Indicative quantities: taste and adjust.
For the broth
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Whole chicken | 1, about 1.5 kg |
| Chicken carcasses or wings | about 500 g |
| Star anise, cinnamon, clove | small amounts |
For the bowl
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Flat rice noodles (bánh phở) | 400 g |
| Kaffir lime leaves | 4 to 6 |
The herb plate
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Thai basil, coriander, mint | 1 bunch each |
| Bean sprouts, lime | to taste |
Where to shop in Paris
Asian grocery stores across Paris stock everything you need.
Step-by-step recipe
About 2.5 hours in total, mostly gentle simmering.
1. Char the onion and ginger
Blacken them over a flame or in a dry pan for a smoky, golden broth.
2. Blanch, then poach the chicken
Boil 3 to 5 minutes, discard the water, rinse, then simmer gently: the key to a clear broth.
3. Remove, shred, return the carcass
Take the chicken out after 35 to 45 minutes, cool it, shred it and return the bones.
4. Infuse the spices in a bag
Toast the spices, bag them and infuse 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Season: nước mắm, rock sugar, salt
Strain, then season little by little, tasting as you go.
6. Rice noodles: soak and quick-cook
Soak, then blanch just before serving.
7. Assemble the bowl
Noodles, chicken, spring onion, kaffir, then boiling broth; herbs on the side.
Variations: phở gà trộn, express version and chicken pho xao
Phở gà trộn is served without broth in the bowl; a pressure cooker gives a good broth in 30 to 40 minutes.
Chicken also works in pho xao, wok-fried phở.
How to eat phở gà: herbs, lime, chilli, sauces
Taste the broth first, then add herbs, sprouts, lime and chilli; keep sauces in a side dish.
Torn between soup and cold noodles? Read bobun or phở: the difference.
No time to simmer? Phở gà at the restaurant
In the 9th, Phở 98 serves phở gà as an alternative to phở bò, with its herb plate: Thai basil, coriander, mint, bean sprouts and lime. Discover our phở in Paris 9th and our bo bun at the restaurant.
Want to compare with the original? Come and taste our phở gà on rue du Faubourg-Montmartre.
Book a table on TheFork, or order delivery.
All about the chicken pho recipe
How long should chicken phở broth cook?
About 1.5 to 2 hours of simmering after blanching.
Which chicken should I choose?
A free-range chicken of about 1.5 kg, plus carcasses or wings.
Can I freeze the broth?
Yes, strained and on its own, in portions.
Is phở gà lighter than phở bò?
Generally yes: a clearer broth and lighter spicing.
How is it different from chicken soup?
Charred aromatics, infused spices, nước mắm, rice noodles and fresh herbs.
Which herbs go in phở gà?
Thai basil, coriander, mint, plus spring onion and kaffir lime leaf.
Want to taste it first? Find the meilleur pho paris at Phở 98, in the 9th.