Description
This Crockpot Chicken Pho recipe offers a comforting and authentic Vietnamese noodle soup made easy by slow cooking tender chicken thighs with aromatic spices and herbs. The broth is rich and flavorful, enhanced with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and fish sauce. Served over delicate rice noodles and garnished with fresh cilantro, green onions, lime, and optional bean sprouts and chili peppers, this soup is perfect for a cozy meal with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Broth and Aromatics
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 onion, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon ginger, sliced
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Noodles and Garnishes
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Green onions, sliced for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Bean sprouts, for serving (optional)
- Sliced chili peppers, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper to enhance their flavor before cooking.
- Place in Crockpot: Add the seasoned chicken thighs into the crockpot to start the base of the soup.
- Add Broth: Pour the chicken broth over the chicken in the crockpot to create the soup base.
- Add Aromatics: Add the halved onion, smashed garlic cloves, sliced ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick to the crockpot. These ingredients infuse the broth with traditional pho flavors.
- Season the Broth: Stir in the fish sauce and sugar to balance savory and sweetness in the broth.
- Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on a low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until the chicken is tender and the broth is richly infused.
- Prepare Noodles: About 30 minutes before serving, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken thighs from the crockpot, shred the meat using two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the broth in the crockpot.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Taste the broth and adjust seasoning by adding more fish sauce, salt, or sugar as needed to achieve your preferred flavor balance.
- Assemble and Serve: Place a serving of cooked rice noodles into bowls. Ladle the hot broth along with shredded chicken over the noodles.
- Garnish: Finish each bowl with fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, lime wedges, and optional bean sprouts and sliced chili peppers to taste, enhancing texture and freshness.
Notes
- You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs, but thighs provide richer flavor and tenderness.
- For a spicier broth, add additional chili peppers or a splash of Sriracha.
- Leftover pho broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Substitute rice noodles with other Asian-style noodles if preferred.
- Adjust the sweetness and saltiness of the broth to your taste by balancing sugar and fish sauce.
