Easy Chicken Pho

In a large stock pot over high heat add chicken broth, garlic, scallions, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, Tabasco, sesame oil, carrots and if you have it a chicken carcass, wings, skin legs, whatever you have. Bring your stock to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Allow the flavors to develop by simmering for 20 minutes.

Remove stock pot from heat, allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Then strain the stock into a large bowl, pressing on your solids in the strainer to get every bit of flavor you can. If you are adding in sliced mushrooms, add them in now to the strained broth.

Just before you are ready to serve the soup, place your noodles in large bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain noodles and set them aside.

Return your strained broth to your pot and bring to a simmer. Add your shredded chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and turn off the heat.

Fill your bowl(s) with the amount of noodles you would like (I like the bowl ¾ full of noodles) then ladle in the soup. Top each bowl with cilantro leaves and serve.

Colleen’s notes: I recommend either using a leftover chicken carcass or buying a rotisserie chicken for this. Just take what meat you need for the soup, find a use for the rest and use the skin, bones and wings for the stock. It makes the broth so very rich!

The Pho I first tasted from my new Vietnamese neighbor did not have mushrooms in it, however if you enjoy mushrooms feel free to add some sliced shiitake mushrooms to your soup. I opted to add a few pinches of truffle salt and we totally enjoyed the result.

A bowl of Pho is a meal, so plan on this for your lunch or dinner. This is amazing left over as well. Just place your still wet noodles in a sealed container or make a fresh batch, it only takes 5 minutes. They way I warm it up is to strain out the chicken, bring the broth to a boil, remove from heat and then add the chicken and noodles in and top with cilantro (this way your chicken doesn’t dry out). My mouth is literally filling with saliva as I type this. You have to make it!

Enjoy!