Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Ingredients

• 🍗Chicken Thigh (boneless), skinless, boneless1
• 🍲Chicken Bone Broth (carton), high quality for best flavor2 cup
• 🍜Rice Noodles (thin), dry thin rice sticks50 grams
• 🧅Yellow Onion, peeled and halved½
• 🧄Garlic, smashed2 clove
• ⭐Star Anise, whole pods2
• 🧂Cinnamon Sticks, whole stick1
• 🧂Coriander Seeds, whole seeds1 tsp
• 🧂Cloves (whole), whole2
• 🥢Fish Sauce, adjust to taste1 tbsp
• 🍯Granulated White Sugar, to balance saltiness1 tsp
• 🫚Ginger (ground), added to broth¼ tsp
• 🌱Bean Sprouts, rinsed½ cup
• 🧅Scallions, thinly sliced2
• 🌿Cilantro, roughly chopped¼
• 🌿Thai Basil, leaves only¼
• 🍋Lime, cut into wedges½
• 🌶️Fresh Thai Bird's Eye Chili, thinly sliced1
• 🫒Cooking Oil, olive or vegetableas needed
• 💧Wateras needed

Contains Celery, Fish, Garlic, Gluten, Onion. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Char the aromatics

   Place the halved yellow onion and smashed garlic cloves directly into a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook them without oil until the cut sides are deeply blackened and charred, which will take about 5-7 minutes. This charring process is essential for providing the characteristic smoky depth and amber color to the traditional Pho broth.

   7 min
2. 2

   Toast the whole spices

   In the same skillet used for the aromatics, add 2 star anise pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, and 2 whole cloves. Toast these spices over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they become highly fragrant and slightly darkened. Toasting releases the essential oils, making the broth much more aromatic.

   3 min
3. 3

   Simmer the broth and chicken

   Transfer the charred onion, garlic, and toasted spices into a medium pot. Add 2 cups of chicken bone broth, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Submerge the whole chicken thigh into the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is fully tender.

   20 min
4. 4

   Rest and shred the chicken

   Remove the cooked chicken thigh from the pot and place it on a clean cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Once cooled enough to handle, thinly slice the chicken across the grain or shred it into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, keep the broth simmering on the lowest possible heat setting to continue concentrating the spice flavors.

   5 min
5. 5

   Boil the rice noodles

   While the chicken rests, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add 50g of thin rice noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until they are tender but still have a slight bite (al dente). Drain the noodles immediately and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent them from sticking together.

   5 min
6. 6

   Strain the broth and assemble

   Place the cooked rice noodles in the bottom of a deep serving bowl and top with the sliced chicken. Pour the hot broth through a fine-mesh strainer directly over the noodles and chicken, discarding the solids (onion, garlic, and whole spices). The heat from the broth will gently warm the noodles and chicken through for serving.

   2 min
7. 7

   Add fresh toppings

   Top the bowl with 1/2 cup of fresh bean sprouts, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with a side plate of Thai basil leaves, lime wedges, and sliced Thai chili for personal customization. Squeeze the lime into the broth just before eating to brighten the flavors and cut through the richness of the chicken.

   3 min

Nutrition per serving