Phở Trộn (or Phở Gà Trộn) is the dry version of traditional Chicken Phở (Phở Gà). It’s delicious, refreshing and pretty quick to make, making it an ideal choice for a scorching summer day.

🙋‍♀️ What is Phở Trộn?

Phở trộn literally translates to “Mixed Phở” in Vietnamese. It comes in three versions: stir-fried beef, poached chicken, and char siu pork.

Among these, Phở gà trộn, a famous Hanoi delicacy, is the most popular version.

Interestingly, in Vietnamese cuisine, most noodle soup dishes typically have their dry version counterparts , denoted by either “khô” (dry) or “trộn” (mixed).

For instance, for Hủ Tiếu soup, we have Hủ Tiếu Khô; for Miến gà, there’s Miến Gà Trộn.

Even in Vietnam, there’s Bún Bò Huế Khô for Bún Bò Huế and Bánh Canh Khô for Bánh Canh.

I guess during hot weather, a steaming bowl of soup can be a bit overwhelming for people. That’s why, in the South, locals love rice noodle salads like Bún Bò Xào, Bún Thịt Nướng, Bún Chả Giò, or Bún Gà Nướng.

🍲 Ingredients

Chicken:

Normally, locals will use the chicken and broth from Chicken Phở to prepare Phở Gà Trộn, but today, I decided to take some shortcuts.

Chicken thighs: To prepare phở gà trộn, you can use deboned chicken thighs or chicken legs. Chicken thighs are my favorite part to cook with, as they never dry out when cooked.

I love using chicken thighs in many Vietnamese chicken recipes like Gà Xào Sả Ớt (spicy stir-fried lemongrass chicken) and Gà Kho Gừng (caramelized ginger chicken).

Leftover chicken: Sometimes, I even utilize leftover chicken from Lemongrass Chicken, Gà Roti, or Hainanese Chicken Rice to make Phở Gà Trộn.

Just like my chicken spring rolls , this recipe is such a great way to clean out the fridge.

Other Ingredients:

Pho flat rice noodles (or Bánh Phở): sometimes I also use rice stick noodles for Pad Thai.
Chicken seasoning: turmeric powder (optional) and chicken powder.
Aromatics: ginger, scallions.
Herbs: gather some vegetables and Vietnamese herbs like mung bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, Thai basil, and mint.
Sauce: you will need all-purpose soy sauce (I used Maggi), sugar, vinegar, minced garlic, and a bit of cooking oil.
Accompaniments: fried shallots (hành phi), and roasted peanuts.

📝 Instructions

Prepare the chicken

Season the chicken thighs with chicken powder and turmeric powder.
- Turmeric powder is a common ingredient in many Vietnamese dishes such as Bánh Xèo, Mì Quảng, or Chả Cá Lã Vọng when people would like to infuse the dish with a lively golden hue.
Steam the chicken thighs with some sliced ginger and scallions for around 15 minutes. You could poach the chicken or microwave it, as in my microwaved chicken thighs.

Season the chicken with chicken powder and turmeric powder.

Once the chicken is cooked, separate the chicken broth from the chicken as we will use it to prepare the sauce.

Make the sauce

In a sauce pan, sauté the minced garlic in some cooking oil until fragrant. Add the chicken broth (if you don’t have chicken broth, use water), soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Let it simmer for one minute until all the ingredients blend well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Assemble

Prepare the pho noodles according to the package instructions, then drain them.
Blanch the mungbean sprouts if using. Cut the cucumber into strips.
Wash, drain, and chop the cilantro, Thai basil and mint.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
In a bowl, combine the pho noodles with the cucumber, mung bean sprouts, herbs, and chicken. Top with fried shallots and roasted peanuts.
Pour the sauce over the rice noodles, mix well, and enjoy!

🌟 Helpful Tips

If you are not a fan of soy sauce, you can serve this Phở Gà Trộn with Nước Chấm dipping fish sauce. Then, sprinkle some Mỡ Hành (Vietnamese scallion oil) and pickled carrots & daikon to enhance the flavor.
Phở in Vietnam has expanded into many variations beyond the traditional Beef Phở. When visiting Hanoi, you can explore numerous creative Phở dishes. My blog also features some recipes that you can try making at home:
- Phở Bò Sốt Vang (Red Wine Beef Stew Phở)
- Phở Áp Chảo (Crispy Pan-Fried Phở)

🍜 More authentic Hanoi recipes

A platter of Hanoi spring rolls, showcasing their crispy golden exterior and flavorful filling, served with a side of dipping sauce

Nem Rán (Hanoi Spring Rolls)

“Nem Rán” is the famous fried Spring Rolls from Hanoi. They are entirely different from “Chả Giò,” the egg rolls from Saigon. Give them a try, and you’ll love them.

Cà Phê Trứng (Vietnamese Egg Coffee)

Cà Phê Trứng, the creation of a Hanoi barista, has captured the hearts of many coffee lovers. If you are a fan of Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee) , you should definitely give Cà Phê Trứng a try.

Bun Moc (Vietnamese noodle soup with pork balls)

Bún Mọc (Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Balls)

Bún Mọc is a rice noodle soup that originates from Hanoi. It’s my go-to comfort dish during the winter days in Germany, and the best part is, it’s relatively easy to make compared to other Vietnamese noodle dishes.

Thanks a bunch for giving my recipe a shot! If you enjoyed it, I’d truly appreciate a 5-star rating or a comment to let me know your thoughts. And don’t forget to stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube 🥰.