After hearing all of the hype, I finally bought myself an Instant Pot during Cyber Monday. If you’re not familiar with it, and Instant Pot is a magical multi-function device with pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, and other functions. Having already owned a slow cooker, I was hesitant to buy another kitchen device, but after taking advantage of my Instant Pot several times now, I have zero regrets. To test out this wondrous device, I decided to make something that normally takes hours to make – chicken pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), also known as pho ga.
Given that it’s winter time, there’s something incredibly comforting about a big bowl of warm noodle soup. And I was excited to see how the Instant Pot could cut down the long cook time to get a rich flavorful broth, while still making the chicken nice and tender. After testing this recipe out twice (I had to make sure I got it right for you!), I am a massive fan of the Instant Pot. I highly encourage you to buy one of your own, if you’re not a proud owner yourself.
How to make your Instant Pot pho ga
Preparing the chicken broth
Start by peeling 2 onions and slicing in half. Cut a 4-inch piece of ginger into thin slices. Peel and lightly smash 2 garlic cloves.
You want to start by charring the onions and ginger to really develop the broth’s flavor. Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and set cooking for about 10 minutes. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pot, then carefully add the onions, cutside down, along with the ginger. Let cook without moving, until charred—about 4-5 minutes.
Add the garlic to toast slightly. Then add in spices – 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 4 star anise pods, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick (split), and 3 cardamom pods (lightly smashed. Note, you can substitute with ground versions of these spices if necessary – not ideal, but certainly works in a pinch. Stir the spices and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in a small splash of cold water to fully deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Gently add in the chicken. A quick note on the chicken – I use anywhere from 2 to 3 lbs of chicken – depending on how heavy on the chicken you want your soup to have – and typically prefer a mix of thighs and breasts for dark and white meat. But be sure to use bone-in, skin-on chicken for the flavor.
Add in 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt and ½ of a bunch of cilantro. Carefully pour in cold water to cover at least 90% of the chicken.
Secure the lid of the Instant Pot. Select Manual/Pressure Cook and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Prepare the other ingredients for the chicken pho
As the chicken cooks, place dry rice noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Lightly season with salt. Let sit to cook the noodles until soft (30-35 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the rice noodles are cooked through, run them under cold tap water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
Then thinly slice ½ a small white onion. Place the onion slices in a bowl of cold water to soften the taste for at least 10-15 minutes.
Thinly slice green onions, trim the ends of the bean sprouts, slice 2 limes into wedges, and strip cilantro, mint and Thai basil leaves from stems. If desired, you can also thinly slice a jalapeno pepper.
Finish off and serve the chicken pho
Once the chicken broth finishes pressure cooking, let sit for 10 minutes undisturbed so the pressure can natural release. After that time, use the manual release venting functionality to remove any remaining steam from the Instant Pot.
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and place into a separate bowl. It should be nice and tender, and falling off the bone. Skim any fat and scum from the surface of the broth. Strain the broth. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Don’t be afraid to add in a good amount of salt to get this flavorful.
I know bok choy isn’t typical in chicken pho, but I do love adding in vegetables to my soup. Stir in about 1 lb of bok choy into the hot broth until cooked through – about 5 minutes or so.
To serve, place the cooked noodles into the bottom of bowls. Shred cooled chicken meat and add to the bowls. Ladle in bok choy and broth. Top with bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, mint, lime, and sliced jalapeño (if using).
Serve hot and then enjoy your chicken pho!
No Instant Pot or pressure cooker?
If you don’t have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you could easily modify this recipe for a slow cooker. Simply follow the same steps as listed, but when it comes to cooking the chicken, you cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Prepare the noodles close to when the soup is ready. The chicken pho will still be delicious!
Instant Pot Chicken Pho
Print RecipeEquipment Required
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 1 (4-inch) piece ginger, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 star anise pods
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods, lightly smashed
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 2-3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and breasts
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- White pepper
- 1 package rice noodles
- 1 pound bok choy (optional)
- 1/2 white onion
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 small handful fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, and Thai basil, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
- 2 cups bean sprouts, ends trimmed
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
Char onion and ginger: Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting Sauté on high heat. Once hot, add canola oil to the pot. Add the halved yellow onions, cutside down, and the ginger slices. Cook, without moving, until charred—about 4-5 minutes.
Toast spices: Add the garlic cloves, ground coriander, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom. Stir and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in a small splash of cold water and fully deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Prepare and cook broth: Add the chicken, fish sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt and cilantro bunch. Carefully pour in the water to cover at least 90% of the chicken. Secure the lid of the Instant Pot. Select Manual/Pressure Cook then cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Cook rice noodles: As the chicken cooks, pour boiling water over rice noodles in a large bowl, and lightly season with salt. Let sit to cook the noodles until soft (30-35 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Slice and soak onion: While the chicken broth is pressure cooking, thinly slice ½ small white onion. Place the onion in a bowl of cold water to soften the taste.
Release pressure: Once the pressure cooker finishes, let sit for 10 minutes (using natural release). After that time, use manual release to vent any remaining steam from the Instant Pot.
Prepare broth: Remove the chicken from the pot and place into a separate bowl. Skim any fat and scum from the surface of the broth. Strain the broth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add in vegetables: Add in the bok choy until cooked through (about 5 minutes in the hot broth).
Drain noodles: Once the rice noodles are cooked through, run them under cold tap water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
Serve chicken broth: Place the cooked noodles into the bottom of bowls. Shred cooled chicken meat and add to the bowls. Ladle in bok choy and broth. Top with bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, mint, lime, and sliced jalapeño (if using).
Notes
You can omit the bok choy and jalapeno as desired.
If you don't have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you could easily modify this recipe for a slow cooker - just cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours.
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