Phở Gà

also called pho ga · phở gà · chicken pho · chicken noodle pho · Vietnamese chicken noodle soup · pho with chicken · P2

The table

1 large(halved)yellow onionchar over a flame 8 minpoach 45 min, lift the bird outseason, simmer 20 min, shred the meat back inladle over, finish the bowls
3 in(halved lengthways)fresh ginger
4 lb(1.8 kg)whole chicken
5 qt(4.7 L)water
1 Tbskosher salt
2 wholestar anise
3 Tbs(45 mL)fish sauce
1/2 oz(15 g)rock sugar
8 oz(225 g)dried bánh phở noodlesboil 5 min, drain into bowls
4 qt(3.8 L)water
3(sliced)scallions
1/2 cupcilantro
1/4 small(shaved paper-thin)yellow onion
1(in wedges)lime
2(sliced)bird chiles
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.15 things to get out.

1char over a flame 8 min

2boil 5 min, drain into bowls

3poach 45 min, lift the bird out

goes in with what step 1 made

4season, simmer 20 min, shred the meat back in

goes in with what step 3 made

5ladle over, finish the bowls

goes in with what steps 2 and 4 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 13 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
8 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. Nothing here says whether you can walk away, so all 8 min of it is counted as time you are standing over it. The recipe itself says 1 hr 30 min.

  1. char over a flame 8 min

    8 minneeds you(assumed)from the start

  2. boil 5 min, drain into bowls

    5 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. poach 45 min, lift the bird out

    45 minwalk away8 min in

  4. season, simmer 20 min, shred the meat back in

    20 minwalk away53 min in

  5. ladle over, finish the bowls

    not timed1 hr 13 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Phở Gà
>> category: Soups
>> tags: chicken, noodles, vietnamese, soup, rice noodles
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì
>> aka: pho ga, phở gà, chicken pho, chicken noodle pho, Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, pho with chicken, P2
>> pairs-with: pho-bo
>> servings: 4
>> time: 1 hr 30 min
>> step.1: char over a flame 8 min
>> step.2: poach 45 min, lift the bird out
>> step.3: season, simmer 20 min, shred the meat back in
>> step.4: boil 5 min, drain into bowls
>> step.5: ladle over, finish the bowls

Char @yellow onion{1%large}(halved) and @fresh ginger{3%in}(halved lengthways) on a burner ~char{8%min} until blackened in patches, then scrape the ash away.

Poach @whole chicken{4%lb}(1.8 kg) with @&(~1)charred aromatics{}, @water{5%qt}(4.7 L), @kosher salt{1%Tbs} and @star anise{2%whole} at a bare shiver ~poach{45%min}, then lift the bird out into a bowl of cold water to stop it and set the skin. Never let the pot boil: a boil turns the broth cloudy and the breast to string.

Season @&(~1)pot{} with @fish sauce{3%Tbs}(45 mL) and @rock sugar{1/2%oz}(15 g) and ~simmer{20%min} while you pull the cooled bird apart, skin and all, and drop the meat back in. One bird is both the broth and what goes in the bowl — there is no moment at which a phở gà broth exists on its own, which is why this is one table where phở bò is two.

Boil @dried bánh phở noodles{8%oz}(225 g) in @water{4%qt}(3.8 L) ~boil{5%min} until just slippery, then drain and divide among four warmed bowls.

Ladle @&(~2)broth and chicken{} over @&(~1)noodles{} and finish with @scallions{3}(sliced), @cilantro{1/2%cup}, @yellow onion{1/4%small}(shaved paper-thin), @lime{1}(in wedges) and @bird chiles{2}(sliced).