Pho Ga Chicken Noodle Soup
A clear chicken broth built on charred ginger and onion with star anise, cinnamon and coriander, poured boiling hot over rice noodles, poached chicken and a pile of herbs.
- 1
Char the ginger and onion halves cut side down in a dry skillet over high heat, 5 to 7 minutes, until blackened in patches. Scrape off any loose burnt skin.
- 2
Toast the star anise, cinnamon stick and coriander seeds in the same dry pan 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, then tie them in cheesecloth or drop them into a tea infuser.
- 3
Put the chicken in a large stockpot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower the heat until the surface barely trembles.
- 4
Add the charred aromatics, the spice bundle and the salt. Simmer gently, never boiling, for 45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
- 5
Lift the chicken out and let it cool enough to handle. Pull the meat off in strips and return the carcass to the pot. Simmer the broth 30 minutes more.
- 6
Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the solids, and season it with the fish sauce and sugar. Keep it at a hard simmer.
- 7
Soften the rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water, 5 to 8 minutes depending on thickness. Drain and divide among six bowls.
- 8
Top the noodles with the chicken and ladle the boiling broth over. Serve with the scallions, cilantro, Thai basil, chiles and lime wedges alongside.
Ingredients
- 1 (4 inch) piece ginger, halved lengthwise
- 2 yellow onions, halved
- 4 star anise pods
- 1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 (3 1/2 pound) whole chicken
- 4 quarts water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 14 ounces dried flat rice noodles
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 2 Thai bird chiles, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Char the ginger and onion halves cut side down in a dry skillet over high heat, 5 to 7 minutes, until blackened in patches. Scrape off any loose burnt skin.
- 2
Toast the star anise, cinnamon stick and coriander seeds in the same dry pan 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, then tie them in cheesecloth or drop them into a tea infuser.
- 3
Put the chicken in a large stockpot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower the heat until the surface barely trembles.
- 4
Add the charred aromatics, the spice bundle and the salt. Simmer gently, never boiling, for 45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
- 5
Lift the chicken out and let it cool enough to handle. Pull the meat off in strips and return the carcass to the pot. Simmer the broth 30 minutes more.
- 6
Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the solids, and season it with the fish sauce and sugar. Keep it at a hard simmer.
- 7
Soften the rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water, 5 to 8 minutes depending on thickness. Drain and divide among six bowls.
- 8
Top the noodles with the chicken and ladle the boiling broth over. Serve with the scallions, cilantro, Thai basil, chiles and lime wedges alongside.