Chicken Pho Recipe (Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup with Japanese-inspired Chicken Broth)
https://cookingwithdog.com/recipe/chicken-pho/
Servings
2people
Cook Time
50minutes
Servings
2people
Cook Time
50minutes
Ingredients
Broth
  • 800 ml Water
  • 3 Chicken Wings
  • 1 Chicken Thightrim off the excess fat, net weight 240g/8.5 oz
  • 3 slices Ginger Root
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/2 Onioncut into 1 cm (0.4″) slices across the grain
  • Coriander Rootsor coriander stalks
  • 1 sheet Dashi Kombu Seaweed10x5cm/3.9×2 inches
  • 2 tbsp Sake
  • 1 tsp Chicken Stock Powder (Granulated)
  • 1 tbsp Nuoc Mam (Fish Sauce)Vietnamese pungent sauce made from fermented fish, substitute: nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
  • 1 tsp Salt
Noodles
  • 150-200 g Dried Rice Noodles
Toppings
  • 1/4 Red Onionsliced
  • Salted Fresh Wakame Seaweedcheck out our seaweed salad to remove the salt.
  • 100 g Moyashi Bean Sproutslightly boiled
  • Coriander Leaves
  • Spring Onion Leaveschopped
  • 1/4 Lemonor lime
  • Black Pepper
  • Hot Chili Saucepackaged
* 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 ml, 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5 ml
Instructions
  1. First, let's prepare the chicken. Rinse the chicken wings with water and wipe off the moisture beforehand.
    		 First, let’s prepare the chicken. Rinse the chicken wings with water and wipe off the moisture beforehand.
  2. Cut between the joints with a kitchen knife to detach the tip.
    		 Cut between the joints with a kitchen knife to detach the tip.
  3. Then, make a cut along the bones in the wings and separate the joints at the ends. This will help the savory umami flavor to come out easily. The preparation of the chicken wings is important. It takes a bit of work, but please do not skip it.
    		 Then, make a cut along the bones in the wings and separate the joints at the ends. This will help the savory umami flavor to come out easily. The preparation of the chicken wings is important. It takes a bit of work, but please do not skip it.
  4. Place the chicken wings in boiling water. Lightly stir with kitchen chopsticks.
    		 Place the chicken wings in boiling water. Lightly stir with kitchen chopsticks.
  5. When the surface turns white, remove, and place them onto a tray.
    		 When the surface turns white, remove, and place them onto a tray.
  6. Remove any blood or stains on the meat with a paper towel.
    		 Remove any blood or stains on the meat with a paper towel.
  7. Next, let's make the delicious chicken broth. Put 800 ml (3.38 cups) of water in a pot and add the prepared chicken wings.
    		 Next, let’s make the delicious chicken broth. Put 800 ml (3.38 cups) of water in a pot and add the prepared chicken wings.
  8. These are ginger slices, garlic cloves, coriander roots, onion slices cut across the grain, and dashi kombu seaweed.
    		 These are ginger slices, garlic cloves, coriander roots, onion slices cut across the grain, and dashi kombu seaweed.
  9. Put the aromatic vegetables and kombu into the pot.
    		 Put the aromatic vegetables and kombu into the pot.
  10. Add the chicken thigh and sake.
    		 Add the chicken thigh and sake.
  11. Finally, add a small amount of granulated chicken stock powder to really bring out the flavor of the chicken.
    		 Finally, add a small amount of granulated chicken stock powder to really bring out the flavor of the chicken.
  12. Heat the pot on medium heat without covering it.
    		 Heat the pot on medium heat without covering it.
  13. When it reaches a full boil, remove the foam with a mesh strainer.
    		 When it reaches a full boil, remove the foam with a mesh strainer.
  14. Simmer for 7 to 8 minutes on low heat, then remove the chicken thigh and kombu seaweed.
    		 Simmer for 7 to 8 minutes on low heat, then remove the chicken thigh and kombu seaweed.
  15. With the skin facing up, place the thigh into a bowl, cover it with the kombu, and wrap the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the chicken from drying out.
    		 With the skin facing up, place the thigh into a bowl, cover it with the kombu, and wrap the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the chicken from drying out.
  16. Simmer the broth for 10 more minutes. The foam keeps appearing, so remove it frequently each time.
    		 Simmer the broth for 10 more minutes. The foam keeps appearing, so remove it frequently each time.
  17. Now, the delicious broth is ready.
    		 Now, the delicious broth is ready.
  18. Remove the chicken wings and aromatic vegetables, and place them onto a strainer over a bowl.
    		 Remove the chicken wings and aromatic vegetables, and place them onto a strainer over a bowl.
  19. Return the strained broth in the bowl to the pot. We will season the broth with Nuoc Mam, a Vietnamese fish sauce later.
    		 Return the strained broth in the bowl to the pot. We will season the broth with Nuoc Mam, a Vietnamese fish sauce later.
  20. These chicken and vegetables can be enjoyed as ingredients for another type of soup or Nabemono, a Japanese hotpot.
    		 These chicken and vegetables can be enjoyed as ingredients for another type of soup or Nabemono, a Japanese hotpot.
  21. When the chicken thigh has cooled, slice it into bite-size strips.
    		 When the chicken thigh has cooled, slice it into bite-size strips.
  22. Let's season the broth and cook the rice noodles. Heat the broth and season it with the nuoc mam, a Vietnamese fermented fish sauce, and salt. You can also substitute nam pla, a Thai fish sauce and adjust the amount of salt to taste.
    		 Let’s season the broth and cook the rice noodles. Heat the broth and season it with the nuoc mam, a Vietnamese fermented fish sauce, and salt. You can also substitute nam pla, a Thai fish sauce and adjust the amount of salt to taste.
  23. The resulting amount of the soup will slightly vary depending on the strength of heat while cooking.
    		 The resulting amount of the soup will slightly vary depending on the strength of heat while cooking.
  24. These are rice noodles for one person.
    		 These are rice noodles for one person.
  25. Place the noodles into boiling water. And lightly loosen up the noodles.
    		 Place the noodles into boiling water. And lightly loosen up the noodles.
  26. Cook for about 5 minutes. If you want to shorten the boiling time, soak the noodles in lukewarm water for a while before cooking them.
    		 Cook for about 5 minutes. If you want to shorten the boiling time, soak the noodles in lukewarm water for a while before cooking them.
  27. Strain the noodles and hit the strainer against a kitchen towel several times to remove the excess water thoroughly.
    		 Strain the noodles and hit the strainer against a kitchen towel several times to remove the excess water thoroughly.
  28. Place the noodles into a bowl. Arrange the noodles with chopsticks.
    		 Place the noodles into a bowl. Arrange the noodles with chopsticks.
  29. Add the red onion, which is less pungent and beautiful in color. Top with the fresh wakame seaweed with the salt removed.
    		 Add the red onion, which is less pungent and beautiful in color. Top with the fresh wakame seaweed with the salt removed.
  30. Add the lightly cooked moyashi bean sprouts, and tender leaf tips of the coriander.
    		 Add the lightly cooked moyashi bean sprouts, and tender leaf tips of the coriander.
  31. Arrange the sliced chicken thigh on top.
    		 Arrange the sliced chicken thigh on top.
  32. Pour over the piping hot soup. This exquisite chicken soup with the kombu's umami flavor makes you want to enjoy it until the last drop.
    		 Pour over the piping hot soup. This exquisite chicken soup with the kombu’s umami flavor makes you want to enjoy it until the last drop.
  33. Top with the chopped spring onion leaves. Garnish with the lemon or lime wedge and sprinkle with black pepper.
    		 Top with the chopped spring onion leaves. Garnish with the lemon or lime wedge and sprinkle with black pepper.
  34. Drizzle on the hot chili sauce if you like it spicy.
    		 Drizzle on the hot chili sauce if you like it spicy.
Recipe Notes

We received requests for Vietnamese food from our fans in Vietnam so we introduced how to make pho easily at home using Japanese ingredients like kombu and wakame seaweed.
The salted fresh wakame is delicious and we use it on a regular basis. To check how to remove the salt from the fresh wakame, please check out our Seaweed Salad recipe.