Noodles · Vietnam

How Many Calories in Pho Ga?

Also known as Phở gà, Chicken Pho, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.

The chicken version of pho: rice noodles in a lighter chicken broth with shredded or sliced free range chicken, spring onion and lime leaf. Hanoi does it with skin on and a pile of fried shallots.

400kcal / 1 bowl
A standard bowl of pho ga is around 400 calories, built from 200g of rice noodles, 80g of chicken and 300ml of broth. Shredded breast keeps it near 380; a thigh with the skin on pushes it to about 450. The dry mixed version, pho ga tron, is 500 plus because of the oil and shallots.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bowl (480g)AmountPer 100g
Calories400 kcal83 kcal
Protein26 g5 g
Carbs55 g11 g
Fat9 g2 g

Where the calories come from

Banh pho rice noodles (cooked)200g
220 kcal
Shredded chicken80g
120 kcal
Chicken broth300g
45 kcal
Spring onion, herbs20g
10 kcal
Chili sauce, lime10g
5 kcal

The real talk

Pho ga is about 50 calories lighter than pho bo, and the difference is almost entirely the meat. Chicken breast is 110 calories per 80g against 160 for the same weight of beef. The noodles are identical at 220 for 200g, and chicken broth is a little leaner than beef broth, around 45 for the bowl. So you are looking at 400 for a normal quan portion.

The trap is the Hanoi style bowl. Many quan use ga ta, free range chicken, served with skin on and chopped into bone-in pieces. The skin on an 80g portion adds 60 to 80 calories. Then there is the spoonful of fried shallots in oil that goes on top, another 40. Ask for a lot of chicken and you often get 120g instead of 80, which is fine for protein but now the bowl is 480.

Pho ga tron, the dry version tossed in soy, chili oil and fried shallots with the broth on the side, is the one to watch. The dressing is 80 to 100 calories of oil and the noodle portion is usually bigger because there is no broth to fill the bowl. Expect 500 to 550 for the same price.

How the portions compare

330 kcal
Small bowl, breast
400 kcal
Standard bowl
500 kcal
Large with thigh and skin

Pho Ga variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Pho ga uc (breast)380 kcalLeanest option
Pho ga dui (thigh, skin on)450 kcalSkin adds 60 to 80
Pho ga with long (offal)480 kcalHeart, liver, gizzard on top
Pho ga tron (dry mixed)520 kcalOil and shallot dressing

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Is pho ga healthier than pho bo?
Marginally. Pho ga is about 400 calories versus 450 for pho bo, with similar protein around 26 to 28g. Both are decent meals if you control the noodles.
How much protein is in a bowl of pho ga?
About 26g from 80g of chicken plus a little from the broth. Ask for extra chicken and it climbs to 35g for around 480 calories.
How many calories in pho ga tron?
Roughly 500 to 550. The dry version uses more noodles and a dressing of oil, soy and fried shallots that adds over 100 calories compared with the soup version.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical street stall or quan serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on FPT Shop health page and Long Chau range (300 to 500 per bowl); component estimate at 400 for breast. Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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