Chicken Pho Recipe

Char aromatics

Place the halved onion and ginger directly on a gas burner or under a broiler until charred and blackened in spots (about 6–10 minutes), turning as needed. Rinse briefly under cold water to remove loose soot, then set aside.

Toast spices

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast peppercorns, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, and star anise until fragrant (1–2 minutes). Transfer to a piece of cheesecloth or spice bag and tie closed, or keep loose to strain later.

Prepare chicken and simmer

Place the whole chicken in a very large stockpot. Add charred onion and ginger, spice bundle (or loose spices), bay leaves, rock sugar, and 6 liters of cold water. Bring slowly to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. As it reaches a boil, skim off any foam and impurities with a ladle. Reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.

Simmer low and long

Simmer gently, partially covered, for 4 hours initially, skimming occasionally. After 4 hours, remove the chicken to a bowl and cool slightly; reserve the meat for shredding and set aside. Continue simmering the stock for up to 24 hours total (longer for deeper flavor) — maintain a very low simmer, topping off with hot water as needed to keep the aromatics submerged and to end with about 5–6 liters of broth. Skim as needed.

Finish broth

After desired simmer time (recommended 12–24 hours for best depth), strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot to remove solids and spices. Discard solids. Season the strained broth with fish sauce (start with 6 tablespoons), salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons), and adjust a touch of sugar if desired. Keep the broth hot over low heat until serving.

Prepare noodles

Place dried rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with very hot (but not boiling) water. Soak according to package directions until pliable but still slightly underdone (typically 20–30 minutes for wide rice noodles). Alternatively, blanch briefly (10–20 seconds) in boiling water just before serving if the package indicates. Drain and separate with a little sesame oil or a drizzle of neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Shred chicken

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones. Shred the cooked meat into bite-size pieces (about 1 lb of meat). Reserve any additional cooked breast for thin slicing if you prefer layered chicken texture in the bowl.

Rewarm chicken (optional)

If you want warm chicken in the bowls, briefly poach shredded or sliced chicken in the hot strained broth for 1–2 minutes just before serving, then remove with a slotted spoon to place into bowls.

Portion noodles: Divide the drained rice noodles among 6 large soup bowls (approximately 4 oz dried noodles per serving).

Top with chicken: Place about 3 oz shredded chicken (by weight) or a combination of shredded and thinly sliced poached chicken atop the noodles in each bowl.

Heat broth to serving: Bring strained broth to a rolling simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more fish sauce for umami, salt for seasoning, or a pinch of sugar to balance.

Ladle broth: Using a ladle, pour very hot broth over the noodles and chicken in each bowl, filling the bowl and allowing the heat to finish cooking the noodles and warm the meat. This should be done immediately before serving so noodles don't become soggy.

Garnish and serve: Top each bowl with thinly sliced white onion, scallions, and chopped cilantro. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, sliced chiles, hoisin, and sriracha on the side so diners can customize. Adjust final seasoning to taste with lime and sauces.