Chicken Pho Recipe
Vietnamese · Soup · 80 min total
A comforting Vietnamese noodle soup with a fragrant, clear chicken broth, tender shredded chicken, and fresh herbs. This home-cook version simplifies the traditional process without sacrificing flavor.
20
min prep
min prep
60
min cook
min cook
4
servings
servings
450
kcal/serving
kcal/serving
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs), cut into pieces
- 1 large onion, halved
- 1 piece ginger (about 3 inches), halved lengthwise
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces flat rice noodles (bánh phở)
- 4 cups water (plus more as needed)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 fresh red chilies, sliced (optional)
- Hoisin sauce and sriracha for serving
Instructions
- Char the onion and ginger: Place onion halves and ginger pieces cut-side down on a baking sheet under the broiler or directly on a gas flame until charred, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- In a large pot, combine chicken pieces, charred onion and ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, fish sauce, salt, and 4 cups water (add more water to cover chicken if needed). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, skimming off any foam, for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken pieces from broth and let cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return to pot. Keep warm.
- Cook rice noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Divide noodles among 4 bowls. Top with shredded chicken. Ladle hot broth over each bowl.
- Serve immediately with bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai basil, lime wedges, sliced chilies, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on the side.
Tips
- For a deeper flavor, toast the star anise, cinnamon, and cloves in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes before adding to the broth.
- Leftover broth can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust salt and fish sauce to taste; traditional pho is savory but not overly salty.
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