Slow Cooker Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)
Steamy Kitchen recipe - Vietnamese
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 6 hr
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken bones
- 1/2 onion
- 3 inch piece of fresh ginger (sliced)
- 2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems only (tied with twine (reserve leaves for bowls))
- 2 tbsp sugar (or rock sugar)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1.5 lb chicken meat (breast or thigh)
- 1.5 lb dried rice noodles (about 1/4" wide)
- 1 green onion, green tops only (sliced)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced onions (red onion or yellow onion)
- 1-2 jalapeño or serrano chiles (sliced)
- 1 lime (in wedges)
- Sriracha hot sauce
- Hoisin sauce
Instructions
- 1
To the slow cooker, add the chicken, onion, ginger, coriander seeds, cloves, star anise, sugar, fish sauce, and cilantro stems. Fill with water to the max level of your slow cooker. Turn slow cooker to high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Remove all chicken and cilantro stems, strain broth through cheesecloth. Taste and adjust with additional fish sauce and sugar if needed.
- 2
If using yellow onions, soak the onion slices in ice cold water for 10 minutes. I find that red onions are milder and do not need soaking. Prepare the rest of the ingredient for the table, including bean sprouts, sliced jalapeño and sauces.
- 3
Chicken Pho is best when the broth is boiling hot, and the noodles are freshly cooked. When you're ready to cook the chicken meat and noodles, go ahead and put the Chicken Pho broth back on the stovetop and turn the heat to low, so that it's ready. Alternatively, you can return the broth to the slow cooker and turn onto "simmer" if you have that function.
- 4
Soak rice noodles in cool water for 10 minutes. Drain. In the meantime, bring a big pot of water to a boil and then turn to low. Add the chicken meat and let cook for 1-3 minutes or until cooked through--timing depends on how thin slices are. Remove the chicken slices, and set aside. Next, add the rice noodles to the water and cook for 1 minute. Remove noodles and divide amongst 6 serving bowls. Also, add to the bowls, the chicken meat, green onion and cilantro leaves.
- 5
Ladle hot Chicken Pho broth into each bowl and serve immediately.