Chicken pho soup recipe

Fill up and warm up with this chicken pho soup recipe, a classic and seriously tasty Vietnamese dish, from Pho Restaurants. At just 397 calories per serving, it’s a firm winter fave with the WHL team.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Tip – we recommend you roast a whole chicken (for Sunday lunch!) and afterwards use the carcass for the stock, then add leftover meat to each bowl of pho.

1 whole roast chicken (chicken bones – whole carcass for stock)
2 large pieces cinnamon
4 pieces star anise
10 coriander seeds

1-2 cloves
4 inches ginger
1 white onion, halved
2 red shallots, halved

1 garlic bulb, broken into whole cloves
Salt, for seasoning
Sugar, for seasoning
Fish sauce

3 spring onions
Banh Pho noodles

For the side
Fresh herbs (coriander, mint, Thai basil), bean sprouts, thinly sliced chillies, lime wedges
All quantities and can be increased or decreased depending on pot size and water used

Method:
Place the chicken carcass in a large stockpot and fill with water. Bring to the boil.

Cut the ginger lengthways in half and bash it with a rolling pin, then roast the ginger, garlic, shallots and half the white onion in a dry hot wok until a little charred.

Add cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns and cloves to the wok and dry roast for a minute or two.

As the water reaches a simmer, if you are starting with raw bones, skim off any scum or foam that forms. Then add all the roasted spices.

Bring back to the boil (uncovered) then reduce the temperature to its lowest and simmer on low for 2-3 hours. Add a little more water if needed.

Drain through a fine sieve or chinois to get a clear stock, then return to the stock to the pot and season with salt, fish sauce and sugar.

The stock is ready to serve or cool quickly, cover and store in fridge.

Serve stock over blanched Banh Pho noodles and sliced cooked chicken, then garnish with thinly sliced white onion and spring onion.

Serve piping hot with side plate of fresh herbs (coriander, mint, Thai basil), beansprouts, sliced red chilies and a wedge of lime, which should be added throughout the meal to tailor your bowlful as you eat. Build on the flavour with a second helping of hot stock, more fish sauce, a spoonful of rice vinegar for sourness, Sriracha chilli sauce or even a raw egg yolk.

Pho is a Vietnamese restaurant group specialising in the national dish of Vietnam (a delicious and nutritious noodle soup), with locations in London, Brighton and Leeds.