This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho is light, fragrant, and totally delicious! Made from scratch and in a fraction of the time, this Vietnamese soup recipe takes 30 minutes thanks to the magic of the pressure cooker.
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My quick and easy version of Chicken Pho
There’s nothing like a homemade noodle soup to get you through the winter. So I wanted to share my family’s new favorite soup: Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho.
I have a confession to make: I am a pho beginner. I was introduced to this delicious and flavorful Vietnamese soup not long ago by my older daughter who absolutely loves it.
Of course, after trying different restaurants, I loved it too, so I knew I had to come up with one quick and easy option making at home to satisfy those cravings while going out is not an option.
Pho usually takes hours to make, but this Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho Recipe does takes 30 minutes to make, thanks to Instant Pot magic.
This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho recipe is quick and easy to make and packed with flavor without a lot of time and effort.
Easy way to make chicken pho soup at home
The secret of a good pho soup lies in the quality of the broth, which is made from flavors, bones and tangy spices.
- Sweat the vegetables and spices
Heat the Instant Pot in sauté mode and set to “more”. heat oil; Add onion, garlic and ginger. Toast for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and browned. Mix together the cinnamon, star anise pods, cloves, coriander and peppercorns; continue toasting until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- add chicken
Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, sugar, and fish sauce to the saucepan; mix to combine.
- pressure cooker
Cover and lock the lid. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and set the time to 15 minutes. After the time is up, release the pressure on its own for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn the valve to “Vent” to release any additional pressure that may be present. Press “Cancel”.
- scraps The chicken
Remove chicken from Instant Pot and shred with two forks; put aside.
- Strain the broth
Gently strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth; Discard solids. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
- cook noodles
Cook the noodles in a separate large saucepan of boiling water according to package directions, then drain well.
- Assemble & Server
Place the cooked pasta and chicken in 4 bowls. Pour broth over it. Garnish with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chillies, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
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Recipe notes, tips & variations
Chicken: This time I’m using bone-in skinned chicken breast, but you can use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer.
Noodles: To save time, some people cook the noodles in the broth in the instant pot, but I prefer to cook the noodles in a separate large pot to avoid overcooking. However, if you choose to cook the noodles in the Instant Pot, after straining the broth, add the broth back to the pot, turn on the sauté mode, and bring the broth to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Serve immediately.
Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, substitute 8 ounces of fresh shiitake mushroom for chicken breast and vegetable broth for chicken broth.
Char the Vegetables & Spices: Make sure you roast the vegetables and spices very well. You must look almost slightly burned. This simple step will add a lot of flavor to your pho.
Pho Common Spices
The species most commonly found in pho soup are cinnamon, star anise, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
Serve chicken pho
Place the cooked pasta and chicken in 4 bowls. Pour broth over it. Garnish with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chillies, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Save on computer: The broth can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Prepare the broth and let it cool completely. Then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat until hot.
frequently asked Questions
The two sauces that pho tops it with are hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce.
Technically you can. However, the bone-in chicken makes your broth tastier, so I recommend sticking with the bone-in chicken.
Add the cooked rice noodles and chicken to the bowl. Pour over the pho broth. Garnish with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chillies, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
The species most commonly found in pho soup are cinnamon, star anise, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
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Recipe card 📖
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho
This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho is light, fragrant, and totally delicious! Made from scratch and in a fraction of the time, this Vietnamese soup recipe takes 30 minutes thanks to the magic of the pressure cooker.
instructions
-
Heat the Instant Pot in Sauté mode and set it to “more”. Add oil, onion, garlic and ginger. Toast for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and browned. Stir in the cinnamon, star anise pods, cloves, coriander, and peppercorns; continue toasting until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
-
Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, sugar, and fish sauce to the saucepan; mix to combine.
Boil broth
-
pressure cooker: Cover and lock the lid. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and set the time to 15 minutes. After the time is up, release the pressure on its own for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn the valve to “vent” to release any excess pressure that may still be present. Press “Cancel”.or slow cook: Close the pot with the lid and select “Slow Cook”. Cook for 7 – 8 hours. Make sure the valve is set to vent. When the time is up, press Cancel.
-
Remove chicken from Instant Pot and shred with two forks; put aside.
-
Gently strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth; Discard solids. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
Surcharge:
-
Divide the cooked pasta and chicken among 4 bowls. Pour broth over it. Garnish with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chillies, bean sprouts, and chopped green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Freeze: Prepare the broth and let it cool completely. Then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat until piping hot.
Chicken: This time I’m using bone-in skinned chicken breast, but you can use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer.
Char the Vegetables & Spices: Make sure you roast the vegetables and spices very well. You must look almost slightly burned. This simple step will add a lot of flavor to your pho.
Noodles: To save time, some people cook the noodles in the broth in the instant pot, but I prefer to cook the noodles in a separate large pot to avoid overcooking. However, if you choose to cook the noodles in the Instant Pot, after straining the broth, add the broth back to the pot, turn on the sauté mode, and bring the broth to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Serve immediately.
Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, substitute 8 ounces of fresh shiitake mushroom for chicken breast and vegetable broth for chicken broth.
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Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate and may vary depending on the products used.
nutrition
Calories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 46GProtein: 32GFat: 17GSaturated Fatty Acids: 6GCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 2099mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 2GSugar: 4GVitamin A: 115ieVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2.5mg
This recipe was originally published in January 2019. The recipe remains the same, but more hints, tips, photos and information have been added to the December 2022 post to make it as helpful as possible!