Quick Chicken Pho with Sticky Chicken

Quick Chicken Pho

As a Vietnamese, I could eat a bowl of pho at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is something so nourishing about about a steaming bowl of slippery noodles, fragrant with fresh herbs and laced with spicy chillies for that much needed kick.

When I have the time and can manage to find all of the ingredients (which is not always possible in Zurich unless I get to the Asian grocer on the same day as they get their shipment and I am organised enough to pre-order the oxtail from the butcher), I like to make a double batch of Beef Pho which will sustain us (happily) for several meals over several days.

When time is a bit shorter, a Chicken Pho is an easy, but always welcome, alternative.

Shortcut Chicken Pho

Recently, I discovered an even quicker shortcut to pho heaven, one which might prompt purists to recoil in shock, and even my own mother might not talk to me again if she found out. Although I have much love and devotion for the humble stock cube which I use freely and merrily in many dishes, I rarely ever use it in Asian broths where the flavour and quality of the broth is so important that one ought to never cheat in this regard.

But, of course, there are always exceptions. This Chicken Curry Soup uses a stock cube as its base and still tastes fabulous, and it is one of our favourite dishes at home.

Quick Chicken Pho Recipe

So, one night, I had a craving for pho but had neither the ingredients or time to make it from scratch. I was, however, organised enough to marinate some chicken thighs and drumsticks earlier in the day, intended to be served with plain steamed rice and sautéed pak choy.

A quick search in the pantry revealed a packet of dried flat noodles, and my balcony was already boasting a container of coriander (cilantro) and Thai basil which had been planted the previous week.

I set about infusing the chicken broth (made using a stock cube) with some ginger and star anise over a very low heat while the marinated chicken roasted in the oven until golden and crispy. Once cooked, sliced and added to the finished dish, the sticky sweetness of the chicken added a lovely colour and savoury boldness to the soup, and the addition of coriander (cilantro) and Thai basil gave the soup a suitably Vietnamese flavour. I loved it, and my husband loved it. Actually, this roast chicken recipe is one of his favourites, and serving it with a noodle soup was a nice change to the usual steamed rice.

The Sticky Chicken obviously takes longer to prepare than the soup itself. As I mentioned earlier, I had prepared it to serve with rice, but changed my mind at the last minute. The Sticky Chicken is delicious served with this pho, but if time is tight, you could absolutely skip the Sticky Chicken and just make the Quick Chicken Pho. In which case, I would suggest poaching some chicken breast fillets in the broth while it is simmering.

I don’t think this Quick Chicken Pho will replace my love for the more traditional pho, but it will definitely still be a regular feature in our home at mealtimes.

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