Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe
Pho, pronounced fo, is a famous street food in Vietnam.
It’s a light, clear, and hot soup cooked with spices. A bowl of pho typically contains rice noodles, fresh herbs, and a protein source, usually chicken or beef.
Preparing pho soup, especially beef pho, takes a lot of time, as the soup is cooked slowly with bones and meat for up to 8 hours.
Today I’m going to share with you a quicker version you can enjoy in just 40 minutes.
Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
How to Make Chicken Pho Recipe?
Ingredients for 4–6 people
For the soup
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 3 liters |
| Whole chicken | 1 |
| Chicken carcass | 1 |
| Large onions | 2 |
| Large piece of ginger | 1 |
| Salt | 1/2 tbsp |
| Fish sauce | 6 tbsp |
| Sugar | 2 tbsp |
Spices
| Spice | Amount |
|---|---|
| Star anise | 5 pieces |
| Cinnamon sticks | 2 |
| Cloves | 5 |
| Coriander seeds | 1/2 tbsp |
| Fennel seeds | 1/2 tbsp |
| Black cardamom | 1 |
For the bowl
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rice noodles | 400 grams |
| Onion | 1 |
| Spring onions | 2 |
| Cilantro | 10 grams |
To accompany (Optional)
| Optional topping/sauce | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hoisin sauce | Optional |
| Sriracha sauce | Optional |
| Lime wedges | Optional |
| Soybean sprouts | Optional |
| Hot pepper or jalapeño | Optional |
| Thai basil | Optional |
| Coriander | Optional |
Elaboration
- Toast the larger spices: cinnamon sticks, black cardamom, and star anise.
- When they begin to release their aromas, add the smaller spices: cloves, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds.
- Toast until fragrant, let cool slightly, place in an infusion bag, and set aside.
Roast the onion and ginger (and shallots, if you have them) over low heat until charred on the outside; that’s what we need. Remove the most charred parts, leaving a little to achieve the smoky flavor that’s characteristic of this soup. Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water and set aside.
To prepare the broth
- Place the chicken in a pot with room temperature water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, cook for 5 more minutes.
- Drain the water, thoroughly rinse the chicken with plenty of water, return it to the pot, and cover with water.
- Add the onion and ginger to the pot, and cook over high heat.
- Once it starts to boil, reduce to a simmer.
- Skim off any impurities and fat that may appear.
Add fish sauce, salt, and sugar. I’m using regular white sugar as it’s easier to find, but if you have rock sugar, even better. Cook uncovered so the water doesn’t boil; this will give you a clearer soup.
30 minutes before the end of cooking, put the bag of spices in so that it doesn’t lose its aroma. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Prep the bowl ingredients
- Prepare the remaining ingredients and soak the rice noodles.
- Finely chop the onion and place it in a bowl of water to soften its flavor.
- Separate the white part of the spring onion, slice it thinly, and add it to the onion.
- Chop the leaves and cilantro together and set aside.
After an hour, remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, and separate the meat. I’ll cut the thigh into pieces, leaving the skin on. I’ll simply separate the breast and the rest by hand.
Cooking rice noodles in boiling water will only take 3 to 5 seconds.
Video Guide 🎥
Tips for Making Quick Chicken Pho:
- The chicken should be cooked the day before. It can be boiled, roasted, grilled, or from a rotisserie.
- Fish sauces, sriracha, and hoisin can be found in health food stores or in Chinatown. They aren’t essential, but they give quick chicken pho its Vietnamese identity.
- If you can’t find rice noodles, try tagliatelle; they also work in chicken pho.
Nutritional Facts (Estimated)
These are general estimates per serving (based on 4–6 servings), and will vary by chicken size, noodles used, and toppings.
| Nutrition (per serving) | Approx. amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 380–520 kcal |
| Protein | 28–40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45–65 g |
| Fat | 8–16 g |
| Saturated fat | 2–5 g |
| Sodium | 900–1600 mg |
| Fiber | 2–5 g |
| Sugar | 4–10 g |
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this chicken pho without fish sauce?
Yes. You can reduce it or skip it, but the broth will taste less like classic pho. If you skip it, add a little more salt gradually and taste as you go.
Why do we boil the chicken first and then change the water?
That quick first boil helps remove impurities so the final broth stays clear and cleaner tasting.
Do I have to char the onion and ginger?
It’s not required, but it adds that subtle smoky flavor that makes pho taste like pho.
Can I use different noodles?
Yes. If you can’t find rice noodles, tagliatelle works (as mentioned), and the soup is still delicious.
How do I store leftovers?
Store broth and noodles separately if you can. Broth keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat gently and cook fresh noodles quickly when serving.
Conclusion
This quick chicken pho keeps the clear, aromatic broth and the comforting feel of classic pho, without the long simmering time.
With toasted spices, charred aromatics, and simple toppings, you can get a warm, satisfying bowl on the table fast—perfect for an easy homemade Vietnamese-style soup night.
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