My Nguyen, the culinary content creator behind My Healthy Dish and author of the new cookbook Healthy, My Way: Real Food, Real Flavor, Real Good, knows how to make a pretty spectacular bowl of pho. She’s tried it with just about any ingredient you can imagine, but one version of the recipe is her family’s absolute favorite — and we’ve got it for you.
“Left to my own devices, I will make pho from just about anything: oxtail, half a rotisserie chicken, even the carcass of our Thanksgiving turkey,” Nguyen writes in Healthy, My Way. “All of them are delicious, but this is the one my girls request when they are feeling under the weather, homesick, or, you know, hungry. In other words, they would eat it every day if they could!”
Beyond the incredible taste, the other great thing about this recipe is that it’s super customizable. Nguyen has included green vegetables and quail eggs that she says are “totally optional,” and you can also personalize the prep, too.
“If you are pressed for time, this can simmer for as little as 30 minutes; after 45, though, the flavor will be deeper and more developed,” she says. “Bring the steaming bowls to the table and let everyone doctor their own with their condiments and toppings of choice.”
My Nguyen’s Essential Chicken Pho Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 small white onions, halved
- 2 meaty chicken leg-thigh quarters
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ounce rock sugar or 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pho spice satchet
- 4 ounces rice noodles, fresh or dried (see my tip below!)
- 2 cups green vegetables, such as broccoli florets, Chinese broccoli, or bok choy, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 can (15 ounces) cooked quail eggs, halved (optional)
Extra tip: Fresh rice noodles, which I prefer, take just seconds to heat through; if you are using dried noodles, they will take between 1 and 3 minutes to soften. Just keep sampling them until they have the texture you want.
For serving:
- 4 large sprigs Thai basil or 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 lemon or lime, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional)
- Sriracha or chili oil
- Hoisin sauce
Instructions:
Place a soup pot over medium-high heat and add the ginger and onions, cut side down. Sear them without moving until they begin to char, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken to the pot and enough cold water to cover completely.
Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Add the spice sachet to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer fo 30 to 45 minutes, skimming the surface of the broth once or twice to remove any foam that floats to the top.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and, when it’s cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones.
Taste the broth for seasoning, adding more salt or fish sauce if needed. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discard the solids, and return the broth to the pot.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for about 45 seconds, or according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to a colander and drain.
In the same pot, cook your vegetables until they turn bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes, depending on the thickness and size of the pieces. Drain well in a colander.
To serve, reheat the broth if necessary to a low boil. Divide the noodles among four serving bowls and top each one with some of the vegetables and shredded chicken. Ladle the boiling-hot broth over each portion and serve with the herbs, toppings, and condiments.
Excerpted from Healthy, My Way by My Nguyen. Copyright © 2024 by My Nguyen. Used by permission of Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
