🍜 Pho Ga (Baby Chicken Poussin Style)

Mini chicken, mega flavour. This Pho Ga is made with a whole baby poussin — perfect for two people to slurp through without fighting over drumsticks. The broth is rich, aromatic and spiced just right, while the fresh herbs, chilli and lime make every spoonful bright and addictive. Comfort food that doesn’t mess about and is ideal for cooler months.

Pho Ga Baby Chicken Style Recipe

Pho Ga Baby chicken (Poussin)

Pho Ga Baby Chicken Recipe

Serves

2

Difficulty

Medium

Time

1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

Baby Chicken

• 1 x 500g poussin (baby chicken)

• 1 big spring onion

• 3 thin slices of ginger

• Pinch of salt

Pho Broth

• 1.2L water

• 1 small red onion

• 1 piece of ginger (3 inches thick)

• 2 star anise (or 3 if broken)

• ½ tsp coriander seeds

• ½ cinnamon stick

• 1 chicken stock cube (I use Kallo organic)

• 14g palm sugar

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• Pinch of salt

Noodles

• 200g large rice stick noodles (Thai Kirin brand recommended)

To Serve (your choice, pile it high):

• Red bird’s eye chillies, sliced

• Thai basil leaves

• Mint leaves

• Spring onion, sliced

• Beansprouts

• Sriracha

• Lime wedges

Method

1. Prep the chicken: Bring poussin to room temp. Stuff with spring onion + ginger, salt inside and out.

2. Soak noodles: Cover rice noodles with cold water and set aside.

3. Char the aromatics: Blacken red onion + ginger over an open flame (5–10 mins), rinse under cold water, rub off the charred bits, halve.

4. Toast spices: Dry-fry star anise, coriander seeds and cinnamon till fragrant.

5. Make broth: Add water, poussin, charred aromatics and toasted spices to a pot. Use a spice infuser/coffee filter to keep spices contained. Bring to boil, skim off scum, then simmer uncovered for 40 mins. Flip chicken gently now and then.

6. Season broth: Remove chicken, cool in ice bath. Add palm sugar, fish sauce + salt to broth, simmer 15 mins. Strain, taste, adjust seasoning. Remember the broth needs to be salty as it seasons the rest of the dish. Keep warm.

7. Cook noodles: Boil for 30 seconds, drain and divide between two bowls.

8. Serve: Ladle over broth, top with ½ chicken per bowl and all the herbs, chillies and extras you fancy.

Top Tip

Pop your spices in a tea ball or coffee filter before simmering, it keeps you from having to separate the spices from the impurities that you skim off.