Faux Chicken Pho
I am no expert, but I am pretty sure chicken pho cures everything. A while back I travelled through Vietnam and I came down with the usual travellers sickness. I was down for the count until I tried my first bowl of pho. It completely cured me. More recently I enjoyed a couple too many glasses of red wine one night over the holidays and woke up feeling pretty awful. One bowl of chicken pho and I was back to normal.
Chicken pho is my version of chicken soup. Not only does it have magical healing properties (in my opinion), pho is also really good for you. It is filled with protein, minerals, spices, and herbs. Since we all are trying to eat a little better this New Year, this is the perfect antidote to the holiday season.
There is a great pho place near my house that has become a Sunday night takeout tradition. But that doesn’t mean I can’t recreate that delicious pho whenever or wherever I want with my faux chicken pho. This by all means is not traditional pho; I wouldn’t even pretend how to master that. I am pretty sure that takes years and lots of practice as well as a way longer cook time. This is my version, it skips a lot of traditional pho steps but still has great flavor and I promise the healing properties are still the same.
Faux Chicken Pho
Ingredients:
1 - 14 oz. package rice noodles (or zucchini noodles)
1 Tbs. vegetable or coconut oil
1 lb. bone in-skin on chicken breast
2 shallots, diced
1 lbs shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1-1” piece of ginger, sliced
2 star anise pods
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 tsp. fish sauce, plus more to taste
1 - 14 oz. package rice noodles (or zucchini noodles)
Garnish with green onions, jalapeños, mint, basil, and lime juice
METHOD:
Place the uncooked rice noodles in a large boil. Cover with boiling water and let noodles sit for about 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Carefully remove the noodles from the hot water and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts skin side down. Brown the chicken for about 4 to 6 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
In the same pot add the shallots and mushrooms and saute until soft, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add chicken broth, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. Return the chicken back to the pot, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and carefully shred the chicken breast. Add the fish sauce and shredded chicken back to the pot. Taste the broth, adding more fish sauce if needed.
Place a handful of rice noodles in a bowl followed by a ladle of the pho broth. Top pho with favorite garnishes such as green onions, jalapeños, herbs, and lime juice.
Serves 4 to 6