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If you train at the gym or eat clean, you have probably wondered whether tossed chicken pho suits you. I am a cook, not a dietitian, so the numbers below are estimates for one bowl portioned for people who train. Everyone needs a different amount.
What goes into the bowl
Estimated portion for one bowl: 80 - 100 g skinless chicken breast, about 150 g of phở noodles, vegetables and herbs, and a sauce made mainly from soy sauce with a few of the restaurant's own seasonings.
Overall estimate
- Energy: about 325 - 415 kcal
- Protein: about 30 - 35 g
Breakdown by ingredient
| Ingredient | Estimated weight | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (skinless, boiled and shredded) | 80 - 100 g | 135 - 165 kcal | ~25 - 30 g |
| Phở noodles (cooked) | 150 g | 150 - 200 kcal | ~3 g |
| Raw herbs and lettuce, cucumber | 50 g | 10 - 15 kcal | ~1 g |
| Soy sauce dressing (soy sauce, a little sugar, garlic and chili, the restaurant's special seasonings) | 1 - 2 spoonfuls | 30 - 35 kcal | ~1 g |
| Total | ~300 g | ~325 - 415 kcal | ~30 - 35 g |
Almost all the protein comes from the chicken breast. The noodles are mostly starch, so they add only a few grams. These are estimates, and a real bowl can weigh a little more or less depending on the portion.
Two tips for gym and eat-clean eaters
- Ask the restaurant to leave the skin off. Chicken skin carries a lot of fat right under it, so without the skin the bowl is clearly lighter.
- Do not toss the sauce too strong. Salty food makes the body hold water under the skin, which blurs muscle definition and makes cramps more likely when you train.
Balancing the bowl
Nutrition experts often split a plate this way: half vegetables, a quarter starch, a quarter protein. A bowl of tossed chicken pho already has all three. Eat the greens first, add more if you still want them, and treat the noodles as a quarter of the bowl. Sip the broth in moderation because it is salty, and water or unsweetened tea is the best drink alongside.
If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or train very hard and need figures of your own, please ask a doctor or a dietitian. I am only sharing how a cook looks at a bowl.
Tossed chicken pho is on the restaurant's menu, served with its own bowl of broth.
Read the article on Hanoi tossed phở
Quick answers
- Roughly how many calories and how much protein are in a bowl of tossed chicken pho?
- With 80 - 100 g of skinless chicken breast and about 150 g of noodles, the estimate is about 325 - 415 kcal and 30 - 35 g of protein. These are estimates, not exact measurements.
- What should gym-goers ask for when ordering tossed chicken pho?
- Ask for no chicken skin and a lightly seasoned sauce. The skin is fatty, and a salty sauce makes you hold water and can bring on cramps when you train.
- Do I have to avoid noodles when eating clean?
- Not entirely. Rice noodles and phở noodles are made from white rice, so by the plate method they are best eaten in moderation. I treat the noodles as a quarter of the bowl and leave the rest for vegetables and protein.
