Chicken Pho Soup Recipe
This Vietnamese Chicken Pho is a light, comforting soup with rich, aromatic broth, tender chicken, and rice noodles. Perfectly balanced and easy to make, it’s a wholesome favorite for any season.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 6
Calories 501 kcal
Large soup pot or stockpot
Tongs
Strainer or fine-mesh sieve
Knife and chopping board
Ladle
Small skillet (for charring aromatics)
Bowls for serving
Charred aromatics:
- 1 tbsp oil vegetable or canola (or other plain oil)
- 2 onions halved (skin on fine)
- 5 cm/ 2" piece of ginger sliced 0.75cm / 1/3″ thick (unpeeled)
Pho Soup Broth:
- 2 litres / 2 quarts water
- 1.5 kg / 3 lb chicken thighs bone in skin
- 1 small bunch coriander/cilantro
- 5 star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 8 tsp fish sauce
- 6 tsp white sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt Cooking/kosher salt, or 1/2 tsp table salt
Noodle Bowls:
- 360 g / 13 oz dried rice noodles thin flat (or 600g fresh)
- 2 green onions stems finely sliced
Toppings – help yourself:
- 3 cups bean sprouts
- 1 small bunch EACH Thai Basil min, coriander/cilantro
- 2 limes cut into 4 wedges
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
- Red chillies finely sliced (optional)
Heat oil and char onion and ginger in a skillet until well browned.
In a large pot, add water, chicken, charred aromatics, spices, fish sauce, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.
Skim any foam and fat from the top while cooking.
Remove chicken, shred the meat, and discard bones and skin.
Strain broth and return to the pot to keep warm.
Cook noodles as per package instructions, then drain.
Assemble bowls with noodles, shredded chicken, hot broth, and desired toppings.