Pho Ga

1. Preparation

Gather all ingredients and kitchen tools.

Soak the rice noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes until softened, then drain.

Slice the chicken breast into thin pieces.

Slice the ginger and onion into thin rounds.

Prepare herbs by rinsing and plucking mint, cilantro, and basil leaves from stems.

Cut the lime into wedges.

2. Making the Broth

In a large pot, add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Add the halved onion and slices of ginger to the pot. Stir occasionally.

Add the chicken (either whole or in pieces) to the boiling water.

Season with fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop.

Skim any foam or impurities that rise to the top during cooking.

3. Cooking the Chicken

After 1 hour of simmering, remove the chicken from the broth. Let it cool slightly before shredding it into bite-sized pieces.

Return bones and skin to the pot to continue infusing the broth, simmer for another 30 minutes.

4. Finalizing the Broth

Remove bones and strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve to achieve a clear soup.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary with more fish sauce or salt.

5. Assembling the Pho

Bring the strained broth back to a gentle boil.

Add the hydrated rice noodles to bowls.

Top with shredded chicken, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts.

Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and chicken while serving.