Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Phở Gà): A Family Recipe Passed Down Through Generations

Watch reel -here-.

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a warm bowl of Vietnamese Chicken Pho, also known as Phở Gà. This fragrant, savory soup has been a staple in Vietnamese cuisine for generations and holds a special place in my heart—it’s a dish my parents would often make for us growing up. The rich broth, tender chicken, and delicate rice noodles create a perfectly balanced dish that’s both light and deeply flavorful.

While beef pho (Phở Bò) is often the more well-known version, Phở Gà is just as beloved in Vietnam, often preferred for its lighter, cleaner broth. This dish is served at home for everyday meals and found in street stalls and restaurants all over the country. Many Vietnamese restaurants in the U.S. even use beef broth as a base for their chicken pho to enhance its richness, but today, I’ll show you how to make a true, restaurant-style chicken pho broth at home.

*Please note: This is our family recipe using the exact ingredients we cook with at home. The Amazon links below show the products we personally use, and all quantities, measurements, and flavor notes are based on those specific brands.

---

For the Chicken Carcass Pho recipe, click the button below. Otherwise, scroll down for our complete chicken pho recipe!

---

Help Support My Page

If you’ve enjoyed our pho recipes and want to see more, your support means everything. Every purchase helps launch Dad’s new beef pho spice kits — and you’ll get early access when they’re ready to order. If you can’t grab a packet right now, no worries — check out our free beef pho guide and YouTube video below for our top 10 best tips and tricks.

Digital Product: Our complete guide and recipe dad’s authentic Northern-style beef pho — includes our full list of tips for a flavorful beef broth.

Digital Product: Our complete guide and recipe for dad’s chicken phở. This PDF goes beyond the basics and includes 6 extra tips, and bonus insights.

Dad’s Pho Spice Mix:
Everything you need to make a proper pot of phở at home including rock sugar, optional MSG, and mushroom powder.

---

What Makes a Great Chicken Pho?

Making authentic phở gà requires a few key techniques and high-quality ingredients. Here are some of the best tips I’ve learned from my Aunt Trang, who has worked in a Vietnamese restaurant for over nine years:

✅ Use a whole, organic, free-range chicken for the richest broth. The extra collagen and flavor from the bones create a more velvety texture.
✅ Daikon radish and white onions add a natural sweetness to the broth. Add the daikon later in the cooking process for the best results.
✅ Fish sauce should be added at the end for depth and complexity—it’s much better than just relying on salt.
✅ Keep the broth clear by skimming impurities and lowering the heat to a gentle simmer right after boiling.
✅ Balance the saltiness—pho broth should be slightly saltier than you expect, so when it’s paired with noodles and toppings, it all comes together beautifully.

Vietnamese Chicken Pho Recipe-Phở Gà

Ingredients:

For the Broth:

• ~36 cups water (about 2.25 gallons)

• 1 whole organic/free-range chicken (about 3-4 lbs)

• 1 large ginger root, peeled and charred

• 1 white onion, peeled and charred

• 1 shallot onion, charred (outer shell removed)

• 2 slices daikon radish, peeled (2” thick)

• 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar (or 8 small pieces of rock sugar)

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1 tbsp mushroom powder- Asian mushroom powder

• 1 tbs Knorr Chicken bouillon- (Knorr brand)

• 2-4 tbs Premium fish sauce (Son Fish Sauce)

• *5–6 medium dried shrimp (optional if you can have on hand, adds umami)

Pho Noodles:
1-2 Packages Pho Noodles- Banh Pho Rice Noodles

Pho Spice Bag (store bought is fine)

• Old Man Pho Bac

• Or make your own, recipe -here-
  

Garnishes:

• 1 red onion (thinly sliced)

• Fresh cracked black pepper

• 1 lb bean sprouts, washed and drained

• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1 bunch Thai basil

• 1 lime, quartered

• Fresh red chilies or jalapeños, sliced

Condiments:

• Sriracha or chili sauce

• Hoisin (*optional, Southern condiment)

• Premium fish sauce (such as Red Boat or Three Crabs)

How to Make Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Phở Gà)

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly, scrubbing it with salt to remove impurities (this step ensures a clear broth).

2. Trim excess fat and set aside.

Step 2: Roast Aromatics

1. In a dry pan over medium heat, roast the ginger and onion halves for about 2 minutes, until they develop some char.

2. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Broth

1. Bring 20-22 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot.

2. Add the charred onions, ginger, and the whole chicken.

3. Season with salt, sugar, and vegetable powder (or mushroom poweder)

4. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and skim off any impurities. Add daikon.

5. Simmer for about an hour to 1½ hours, depending on the size of your chicken. Check occasionally to avoid overcooking—poke the thickest part, and if the juices run clear, it’s done. The internal temperature should be around 165–170°F.

Step 4: Slice the Chicken

1. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth and place it in an ice bath to cool. Then remove the meat from the bones and either slice it into bite-sized pieces or shred it by hand. I like to shred the breast meat and cut the dark meat.

2. Set the meat aside for serving.

3. If you have time and want the chicken to have a deeper chicken flavor, add the chicken bones back in the broth and let it lightly simmer for another 30-45 min.

Step 4: Add the Spice Bag

1. Add the spice bag to the broth during the last 20 min of simmering, after 20 min or after it reaches your desired spice level, remove the spice bag.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding fish sauce to taste for depth and pinch or two of msg (optional but it does add more flavor). Add a little more sugar for sweetness, more fish sauce or salt to add saltiness.

Step 6: Prepare the Noodles

1. Cook the pho noodles according to package instructions.

2. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.

Step 7: Assemble Your Pho Bowl

1. In a serving bowl, add a portion of cooked pho noodles.

2. Arrange the chicken and sliced red onions on top and give it a good crack of fresh black pepper.

3. Ladle steaming hot broth over everything.

4. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, and fresh sliced red chilies or jalepenos.

5. Serve with a side of sriracha for added heat, fish sauce for a little more salt/savory and some sliced limes for a little fresh citric zing.