Quick Chicken Pho

This recipe is a great introduction to pho if you’ve never had it before. And for pho addicts like myself, it’s a good one to have around when a pho-craving strikes.

There are so many things to love about Andrea’s new cookbook, and not just the recipes! In Andrea’s own words when I spoke with her about it, “This cookbook contains 99% of what I know about pho. And the other 1% isn’t all that interesting.”

Again and again, Andrea underscores the idea that pho is not a fussy or difficult dish to make at home. There are no laborious prep requirements or unfamiliar techniques to master. Really, if you can boil water, you can make pho.

This is because, with pho, it’s really all about the broth. The noodles and bits of tender meat definitely have curb appeal and make the soup into a substantive meal, but all the real flavor and allure of pho comes from a slow-simmered broth.

Making a good pho broth will feel familiar to anyone who has ever made their own chicken stock or beef stock. The process is almost exactly the same, except for the addition of a few uniquely Vietnamese ingredients like star anise, cinnamon, ginger, soy sauce, and fish sauce. These extra ingredients give pho its seductive personality and trademark balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors.

Of all these ingredients, fish sauce is likely to be the least familiar to most of us. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a sauce made from fermented fish. It has an intense flavor and super-pungent aroma, like concentrated anchovies.

You might be dubious about adding this to your food, but give it a chance! Fish sauce adds a deep (and surprisingly non-fishy) flavor to foods. Once added, it melts into the background. You won’t necessarily be able to pick it out of the crowd, but you’d miss it if it weren’t there.

Quick Chicken Pho Recipe

 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3/4-inch (2 cm) section ginger
• 2 medium-large green onions
• 1 very small (.5 oz | 15 g) bunch cilantro sprigs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 whole clove
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups (840 ml to 1 l) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 6 to 8 ounces (180 to 225 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
• About 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 5 ounces (150 g) dried narrow flat rice noodles
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• About 1/2 teaspoon organic sugar, or 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
• Pepper (optional)
• Optional extras: Bean sprouts, mint sprigs, Thai basil, cilantro leaves, lime wedges, thinly-sliced chili peppers

Read More: Quick Chicken Pho