Vietnamese Pho Ga: 40-Minute Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup Packed Hot for the School Thermos

Char the onion and ginger cut-side down in a dry pot over high heat for 4–5 minutes, until blackened in spots.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb (680g) bone-in chicken thighs
• 8 cups (2L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large yellow onion, halved
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
• 2 star anise pods, 1 cinnamon stick and 3 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 8 oz (225g) dried flat rice noodles
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus a handful of cilantro and Thai basil
• 1 cup bean sprouts and 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Char the onion and ginger cut-side down in a dry pot over high heat for 4–5 minutes, until blackened in spots.
2. Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander seeds and toast 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the broth, add the chicken thighs and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, skim any foam and cook 25 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred the meat and discard skin and bones. Strain the broth and season with fish sauce and sugar.
5. Meanwhile, soak or cook the rice noodles according to the package, rinse under cold water and drain.
6. For lunches: preheat a thermos with boiling water for 5 minutes. Pour it out, add noodles and chicken, then fill with piping-hot broth and seal.
7. Pack scallions, herbs, bean sprouts and a lime wedge in a small separate container to add at lunchtime.
8. Store extra broth, chicken and noodles separately in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat the broth to a full boil before each thermos fill.
9. Pho ga, the chicken version of Vietnam's national noodle soup, became popular in Hanoi in the 1930s–40s and is lighter and quicker than beef pho. The charred ginger and whole spices give a deep aromatic broth in under an hour, and it travels beautifully in a thermos for a warm, comforting school lunch as the weather turns.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 30g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1180mg