20-Minute Vietnamese Chicken Pho Recipe
This 20-minute Vietnamese Chicken Pho recipe combines the convenience of a rotisserie chicken with a flavorful, aromatic broth made quickly in the microwave. Packed with traditional spices like star anise, cinnamon, and ginger, this dish serves as a comforting and authentic Vietnamese noodle soup, garnished with fresh herbs, crunchy bean sprouts, and zesty lemon wedges for a perfect balance of taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie roast chicken
- 1 onion, skin on, halved
- 4cm (1.5”) piece of ginger, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole star anise
- 3 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 400g (14 oz) dried rice stick noodles
To Serve
- ½ onion, finely sliced
- ¼ cup spring onion (scallions), chopped
- Bean shoots
- Thai basil leaves
- Lemon wedges
- Sliced red chilli
- Hoisin sauce (optional)
- Sriracha sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Make the broth: Place the chicken bones in a large microwave-safe bowl along with the halved onion (skin on), sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Add 2 litres (2.1 qt) of water. Microwave on high (1000W) for 10 minutes to extract the flavors.
- Enhance the broth: Crumble in the beef stock cubes and stir to combine. Microwave on high for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the microwave and strain the broth into another bowl, discarding the solids. Taste and season with fish sauce and salt to your preference.
- Prepare the noodles: While the broth is cooking, soak the dried rice stick noodles in room temperature water for 10-15 minutes until slightly softened. Then cook them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and divide among serving bowls.
- Assemble and serve: Top the noodles with shredded chicken, finely sliced onion, and chopped spring onion. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and chicken (reheat broth in microwave if necessary). Serve with bean shoots, Thai basil leaves, lemon wedges, sliced red chilies, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on the side for optional added flavor.
Notes
- Using a rotisserie chicken drastically cuts down on preparation time while adding rich flavor.
- The microwave method quickly extracts aromatic flavors from the bones and spices without long simmering.
- Adjust fish sauce and salt seasoning in the broth to taste for a perfectly balanced flavor.
- Soaking the noodles before boiling helps achieve the perfect tender texture without overcooking.
- Garnishes like Thai basil, bean sprouts, and fresh chili provide authentic and fresh flavor contrasts.
- Optional sauces like hoisin and sriracha add sweetness and heat, allowing personalization at the table.
- This recipe can be made gluten free by ensuring the stock cubes and sauces are gluten free and using gluten free noodles.
Keywords: Vietnamese Chicken Pho, Quick Pho recipe, Vietnamese noodle soup, microwave broth, rotisserie chicken soup
