Chicken Pho Recipe: Easy Vietnamese Noodle Soup
Delicious Pho made with organic chicken, and rice noodles has a broth base made with anise seeds and cinnamon. Great for lunch or dinner.
Equipment
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven (4-quart minimum)
- Medium saucepan for noodles
- Colander or mesh strainer
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Large soup bowls for serving
- Fine-mesh skimmer or slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 4 oz fresh bean sprouts about ½ standard package
- 1 bunch Thai basil about 1 cup leaves
- 1 medium lime cut into 4 pieces
- 2 medium red chili peppers sliced
- 4 leaves romaine lettuce optional
- 8 oz thin Vietnamese rice noodles (bánh phở)
- 6 cups water
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 4 slices fresh ginger each about ¼ inch thick
- 3 whole star anise pods
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp neutral oil optional, for charring ginger and garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp fish sauce adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds to sprinkle, optional
Instructions
- Place 1 lb (450g) chicken breast in a large stockpot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam or impurities that rise to the surface during the first few minutes.
- Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, garlic slices, and fish sauce to the simmering broth. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is fragrant.
- Stir the broth occasionally so that the seasoning dissipates well throughout the soup base.
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.
- Then quickly cook the Vietnamese thin rice noodles for about 4 minutes.
- Drain the hot water and place the noodles in cold running water so that it cools off and does not continue cooking.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the broth and shred or slice it against the grain. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve if desired. Divide the cooked noodles among 4 large soup bowls, top with shredded chicken, and ladle the hot broth over the top.
- Then add all the fresh ingredients – the bean sprouts, toasted black sesame seeds, Thai basil leaves, sliced chili peppers, and even some cut romaine lettuce if you like.
- Squeeze a wedge of fresh lime into each bowl just before eating. Taste and adjust with additional fish sauce, chilli, or lime as desired. Serve immediately while the broth is piping hot.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate broth and noodles in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Keep fresh toppings (bean sprouts, basil, lime) separate and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the broth a day ahead and refrigerate — the flavours deepen overnight. Cook noodles fresh when ready to serve so they don't become mushy.
- Substitutions: Swap chicken breast for boneless thighs for richer flavour and more forgiving texture. Use whole star anise pods instead of powder for a cleaner, more authentic broth.
- Freezing: The strained broth freezes well for up to 3 months. Do not freeze cooked rice noodles as they disintegrate upon thawing.
- Pro tip: Char the ginger slices and garlic in a dry skillet until blackened before adding to the broth for extra depth of flavour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1548mgPotassium: 723mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2813IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 3mg
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