You guys are going to love this EASY chicken pho recipe! I fell in love with pho many years ago as Minneapolis actually has a lot of Vietnamese restaurants (we do have more than hot dish!). It’s also really cold (ha!) and pho warms you right up in the best possible way. When we lived in LA, we had some favorite Vietnamese spots, but it was rarely “soup weather” so now that we’re back, it was time for some more pho!
As with most of my “ethnic” recipes, this is not meant to be authentic pho. Not even close. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen chicken pho on a menu. (Maybe someone can correct me on that…)
Be sure to try my dumpling soup, chicken taco soup, pastina soup, and creamy tortellini soup with sausage next time.

Traditional pho (which is pronounced “fuh”) is usually made with thinly sliced meat. Flank steak, tenderloin, brisket, tendon, tripe…so many options! This version? It’s all about easy!
If you’ve never had chicken pho noodle soup, it’s a flavorful soup with bites of meat, rice noodles, and a delicious broth studded with anise, cinnamon, ginger, and fish sauce. Then you top the bowl with a ton of fresh toppings!


Chicken Pho Recipe Ingredients:
The ingredients in this chicken pho soup recipe are pretty simple:
- chicken thighs
- flavorful aromatics: onion, garlic, ginger
- broth: I’ve made pho broth before and it’s a long and expensive process. I swore I would never make it again. But I found a pho broth at my local market by Simply Asia. It’s also available on amazon if your store doesn’t carry it. I highly recommend it! It’s easy and full of flavor.
- toppings: fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and a hit of spice and umami from hoisin sauce and sriracha

What to Serve with Chicken Pho:
Chicken pho is ALL about the toppings! It’s what makes the soup. Without the toppings, the soup is pretty basic. But when you add the toppings? They add flavor, color, and crunch! Don’t skip them!
Traditionally, pho is served with a big plate of all the toppings and the noodle soup is served in a huge bowl to leave plenty of room for toppings.
I think of this meal as a one-bowl meal, but if you need an additional vegetable, a side of french green beans never hurts. 😉
How to Make Chicken Pho:
This version is as easy as sautéing up the aromatics (onion, garlic, and ginger) and then cooking the chicken. Add the broth and let it simmer until you’ve prepped the toppings.

Two last chicken pho recipe tips:
- Serve your noodle soup with a big spoon and chopsticks so that you can slurp the broth and pick up the meat and toppings with chopsticks.
- Younger kids who are a little too young for soup, can have a little broth over chopped noodles and chopped toppings.


Chicken Pho Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Description
This chicken pho recipe is so EASY! You’ll learn what’s in chicken pho noodle soup, how to make it in 30 minutes, and what to top it with!
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1/2 white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tsp ginger
- 1 lb. chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) – cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 cups pho broth (simply asia or amazon)
- 8 oz. rice noodles
For the toppings:
- 8 oz. bean sprouts
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 oz. mint
- 1 oz. basil
- 1 lime
- sriracha
- hoision
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Thinly slice onion. Mince garlic. Mince ginger if using fresh. Cut chicken into 1″ pieces.
- Heat oil in heavy pot. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add chicken and season with salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until chicken is browned.
-
Add broth into pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a low simmer.
-
10 minutes before you’re ready to eat, add noodles to pot. Taste after 5 minutes to see if they need more time cooking – they cook quickly!
- While soup is cooking, prep toppings: Wash and dry bean and fresh herbs. Cut lime into wedges.
- Assemble chicken pho. Ladle soup, chicken, and noodles into bowls. Top with desired fresh toppings and sriracha and hoisin to taste.
Notes
- Get your kids involved! They can: tear up fresh herbs, top their own bowl of soup.
Keywords: chicken pho soup, noodle soup,
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