Why You’ll Love This this Aromatic Vietnamese Chicken Pho
This fragrant Vietnamese soup brings together tender rice noodles, perfectly poached chicken strips, and an aromatic broth that’s been simmering with ginger, lemongrass, and fish sauce for nearly an hour – because good things, like patience and perfectly developed flavors, really do come to those who wait.
The beauty of pho lies in its interactive finish, where you get to play chef at your own table, adding fresh bean sprouts, sliced chilies, crushed ginkgo nuts, and bright coriander to create your perfect bowl.
Plus, with that squeeze of lime at the end, you’re getting a burst of citrus that transforms the entire sensation from simple soup to something that feels like a warm hug from Southeast Asia.
Ingredients List
This Vietnamese chicken pho comes together with just a handful of ingredients that pack serious flavor punch, and honestly, most of them are probably easier to find than you think.
- 2 ounces rice noodles
- 1 piece gingerroot
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4 spring onions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
- 3 pints low-fat chicken broth
- 4 ounces raw chicken, sliced in strips
- 1 red chili pepper, finely sliced
- 2 ounces bean sprouts, blanched in boiling water
- 1 ounce ginkgo nuts, crushed
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 lime
A few things worth noting about these ingredients from a health perspective:
- The low-fat chicken broth keeps things light while still delivering that rich, savory base you’re craving.
- Fresh ginger and garlic bring anti-inflammatory benefits along with their amazing aromatics.
- Bean sprouts add a satisfying crunch plus vitamin C and fiber without any guilt.
- That lime wedge isn’t just for show – it’s packing vitamin C and helps your body absorb the iron from the other ingredients.
- Fish sauce might seem like a sodium bomb, but three tablespoons spread across multiple servings isn’t too crazy, and it’s what gives pho that distinctive umami depth you can’t get anywhere else.
Step by Step Directions
Making this Vietnamese chicken pho is all about building layers of flavor through proper timing and technique.
- Cook the rice noodles in boiling salted water for 4 minutes, then strain and set aside.
- Sauté the ginger on low heat for 15 minutes, then cool and slice.
- Add the sliced ginger, crushed garlic, chopped spring onions, fish sauce, and chopped lemongrass to the chicken broth.
- Simmer the broth mixture for 45 minutes to develop deep flavors.
- Strain the broth and reserve the liquid, discarding the solids.
- Add the sliced raw chicken strips to the strained broth and simmer for 10 minutes until cooked through.
- Reheat the cooked noodles by pouring boiling water over them, then drain immediately.
- Divide the hot noodles between serving bowls.
- Pour the hot chicken broth over the noodles in each bowl.
- Garnish each bowl with sliced red chili, blanched bean sprouts, crushed ginkgo nuts, fresh chopped coriander, and a lime wedge.
For the most authentic flavor, consider using a traditional Vietnamese clay cooking pot to slowly simmer your broth, as the porous clay enhances the depth and complexity of the soup’s taste.
Substitutions and Variations
- Ginkgo nut alternatives – These can be tricky to find, so try crushed peanuts, cashews, or even toasted sesame seeds for that satisfying crunch factor.
- Broth shortcuts – When time isn’t on your side, store-bought bone broth with a splash of soy sauce and some ginger powder can work, though your grandmother mightn’t approve.
- Add more vegetables – Mushrooms, bok choy, or snap peas turn this into a more substantial meal without much extra effort.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
A steaming bowl of pho is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but sometimes you want a little extra something to make it feel more like a proper feast.
- Fresh spring rolls – The cool, crisp wrapper filled with herbs and shrimp or tofu creates this amazing temperature contrast that makes your taste buds do a little happy dance.
- Vietnamese iced coffee – That sweet, strong coffee with condensed milk is basically dessert in a glass, and honestly, who doesn’t need more caffeine when slurping noodles?
- Banh mi sliders – Turn those crusty Vietnamese sandwiches into bite-sized versions with pickled vegetables and your choice of protein, because carbs on carbs is always a good life choice.
- Pickled vegetables – Quick-pickled daikon and carrots add that sharp, tangy bite that cuts through the rich broth like a flavor palate cleanser.
- Crispy tofu or shrimp chips – Sometimes you just need something crunchy to alternate with all that slurping, and these deliver that satisfying crunch without overwhelming the delicate soup.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Making perfect pho is honestly more about the little details than following the recipe word-for-word, and these tricks will save you from the heartbreak of bland broth.
- Toast your ginger and garlic first – Char them directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan until they get those beautiful black spots, because that smoky flavor is what separates restaurant-quality pho from sad soup.
- Don’t skip the noodle rinse – After cooking those rice noodles, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process, otherwise you’ll end up with mushy noodles that fall apart faster than my willpower around leftover pizza.
- Keep your broth at a gentle simmer – A rolling boil will make your beautiful clear broth turn cloudy and angry-looking, and nobody wants angry soup staring back at them.
- Slice your chicken paper-thin – Seriously, go thinner than you think you need to, because thick chunks won’t cook properly in the hot broth and you’ll be there chewing like a confused cow.
- Warm your bowls beforehand – Pour hot water in them while you’re finishing up the soup, because cold bowls will instantly cool down your broth and make everything sad.
- Add fish sauce gradually – Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go, since some brands are saltier than others and you can’t un-salt a pot of soup.
Nutritional Facts
This Vietnamese Chicken Pho recipe provides a balanced, nutritious meal with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and beneficial herbs and spices.
- Calories: Approximately 285 calories per serving
- Protein: 22 grams from chicken breast and fish sauce
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams primarily from rice noodles
- Fat: 6 grams, mostly from the low-fat chicken broth
- Fiber: 3 grams from bean sprouts, herbs, and vegetables
- Sodium: 1,200mg mainly from fish sauce and chicken broth
- Vitamin C: High content from lime juice and fresh coriander
- Antioxidants: Significant amounts from ginger, garlic, and chili peppers
- Low saturated fat: Less than 2 grams per serving
- Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free when using rice noodles
- Anti-inflammatory compounds: Present in ginger, garlic, and lemongrass
- Potassium: Good source from chicken and vegetables
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional profile, pho holds captivating secrets that’ll surprise even seasoned food enthusiasts.
I’ve uncovered that pho originated during French colonization when Vietnamese cooks adapted French beef stew techniques with local ingredients. The word “pho” likely derives from “feu,” French for fire, referencing the cooking method.
Traditional pho restaurants serve only two varieties: beef or chicken, nothing else. Vietnamese families often eat pho for breakfast, not dinner like most Americans assume.
The broth requires 12-24 hours of simmering to achieve authentic depth. Curiously, northern and southern Vietnamese pho styles differ markedly in sweetness and herb selections.
