Why you’ll love this rotisserie chicken pho!
I’ve only had a few experiences with pho in my life. My mom and I tried out a pho restaurant here in town that was pretty good, and my sister and I got takeout from a place down the street that was great, had some crazy meatballs that were a bit too exotic for me. For all I know, it could have been the most authentic pho in the world, but we just weren’t expecting what we got.
But, I still found myself intrigued by pho and it’s potential. Since regular takeout isn’t really an option around here, I decided to try making some myself at home. Of course, I can’t verify how authentic this rotisserie chicken pho recipe actually is – I mean it uses rotisserie chicken – but the flavors ended up very similar to the first pho I tried, and I was really satisfied with the outcome.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this Thai basil pesto, and these quick peanut noodles and this roasted sesame butternut squash. And try this ginger dressing on a simple side salad. It would go great with this soup.
This easy, rotisserie chicken pho recipe is a quick version of the authentic Vietnamese soup. You can make the homemade broth as spicy as you want, and it can easily be made gluten free by using certified fish sauce and stock.
Ingredient notes:
- Fish sauce – We like Red Boat fish sauce, it has only 2 simple ingredients without any extra, unnecessary additives. This sauce is made with just anchovies and salt. You can find it in the international section of your local grocery store, or maybe you are lucky and have an Asian grocery store in your area.
- Rice noodles – You can use whatever type of rice noodle you like best, we used a wide rice noodle or a pad thai style rice noodle. Follow the instructions on the package for how to cook your rice noodles.
- Star anise, cinnamon and clove – These spices are key to the flavor of the dish. If you want to enhance their flavor, try toasting them before adding the broth.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
What is pho broth made of and what makes this chicken pho recipe unique?
The key to achieving the right flavor lies in 4 simple pho ingredients – anise, cinnamon, clove and fish sauce. They’re also ginger and garlic in there, but I consider them fairly common ingredients, so I wouldn’t say that they contribute to the uniqueness of the soup.
When I’m making something new like this, I try to take some small shortcuts to make it more manageable, and by using rotisserie chicken, we cut the cook time of the soup in half. In fact, you can chop up the chicken while the broth and noodles are cooking. This easy pho recipe is also a great option for using leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Don’t let the less familiar ingredients scare you off. It’s really a simple soup, and the remaining spices you have can be used to make some vin chaud this holiday season. Just make sure you store them properly so they don’t lose their flavor.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make rotisserie chicken pho
Season your broth. Start by bringing your stock to a boil with all the ginger, garlic, anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sriracha and fish sauce. This gets all the flavor into your pho.
Cook the rice noodles. Add your rice noodles and cook them for the length of time indicated on the package.
Add the chicken, bean sprouts and green onion. When you have about 2 minutes left in the cooking time, add the chicken and bean sprouts. This will get them to the proper temperature and ready to eat when the noodles are ready.
Customize with garnishes. Pho is traditionally served with all the fixings, and can be customized to each individual’s taste. Try fresh cilantro, basil, lime wedges, and thinly sliced chili peppers (if you can handle it).
More takeout-inspired recipes: easy Thai basil chicken / chinese cashew chicken / ahi tuna poke bowl / chicken teriyaki bowls / sriracha cilantro chicken salad
Rotisserie Chicken Pho
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- ½ – 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 8 ounces rice noodles, small or medium size
- ½ rotisserie chicken, meat only, chopped or shredded
- 2 thinly sliced green onions
- 1 15- ounce can bean sprouts, drained and rinsed
For garnish:
- Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 thinly sliced green onions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat chicken broth, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and fish sauce to a boil.
- Add noodles and chicken. Cook for time indicated on package.
- When noodles are fully cooked, add bean sprouts and green onions. Cook for an additional two minutes.
- Before serving, remove star anise, cinnamon stick and cloves. Garnish with toppings of choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
While not ‘traditional pho’, it comes close, and if that’s a gateway for anyone to later enjoy the traditional version (and all other Vietnamese cuisine), that is an awesome way to build an inclusive eating community!
I saw one reviewer comment that ‘pho’ means noodle- it does not. Bun means noodle in Vietnamese, pho is the actual name of the dish with noodle (bun), soup broth (nuoc canh), and all the other ingredients.
My only suggestion for this quick recipe is to boil the noodles separately and rinse it with water to remove the starch. Then, re-add to your bowl at the end (and then herbs!). That will speed up the process and make it all tastier and closer to traditional!
Great advice! Looks forward to making this!
This soup is the bomb.com! I’ve made it twice now and it’s sooo good and a lot easier than making traditional pho, but you still get your craving fed! Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️