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The Instant Pot Chicken Pho (pronounced "fuh") is incredibly easy to make and tastes like it's been simmering for hours. Only 30 minutes in the Instant Pot will give you the most amazing, fragrant, umami-packed broth.
I don't know about you guys, but a bowl of steaming hot pho is one of those things that always makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Whether I'm feeling great or under the weather, I feel like this chicken pho cures all my ills.
Plus, it's super easy made right in the Instant Pot. Just like this Instant Pot Beef Pho that is one of the most popular recipes on the site.
We LOVE using the Instant Pot to make soups (or other dishes) that typically take a long time to make - check out some of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Ramen
- Instant Pot Clam Chowder
- Instant Pot Bolognese
- Instant Pot French Onion Soup
- Instant Pot Bean Soup
With a rich roasted seasoned chicken broth, tender pieces of dark meat chicken, slurp-able rice noodles and all the fresh garnishes you'd ever want, this pho recipe has it all.
You may also want to try this spicy chicken ramen, pho tai or Bun Bo Hue for a soul warming soup recipe!
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What is Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)?
Chicken pho is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup make with chicken broth, herbs and spices, rice noodles and chunks of chicken. It is often served garnished with fresh herbs (Thai basil and mint are popular), limes, jalapenos and bean sprouts.
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The Ingredients
The full list of recipes and ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
I always recommend using chicken thighs with bones, otherwise the meat may become dry while cooking.
Any kind of fresh or dried rice noodles will work.
The recipe calls for palm sugar, which is a natural sugar from the coconut tree. It has a rich, caramel flavor and I love it. You can also substitute coconut sugar if you have it.
You're also going to need fresh whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander, star anise and white peppercorns. Whole spices are going to have a much better flavor than using pre-ground spices.
Pro-Tip: Buy the whole spices in the bulk section of your grocery store so you only buy what you need. Spices get stale quickly so you can avoid throwing away a bunch of unused spices.
Fish sauce is a must when making pho. My favorite is Red Boat 40 as I believe it has the best flavor and I highly recommend using it (especially in this Vietnamese Dipping Sauce).
The remaining ingredients are listed in the recipe card with links to buy them if desired. Don't be turned off by the long list, this recipe is very easy to make!
Step By Step Instructions
I highly recommend roasting your chicken thighs before making the broth. While this adds time to the meal, it's totally worth it to get that extra depth of flavor.
Lightly salt the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt.
Roast in a 400F degree oven for 20 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Pro-Tip: If you do not have time to roast the thighs, just remove the skin before putting them in the Instant Pot with the other ingredients. The uncooked skin will cause the broth to become too fatty.
Heat the fat in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting.
Add the onions and ginger and let them cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring. They should get charred. The char adds an amazing deep flavor to the broth.
Add the whole cinnamon, coriander, star anise, cloves, peppercorns and green onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so the spices don't burn.
Add the water, roasted (or raw and de-skinned if you didn't roast it) chicken, fish sauce and palm sugar.
Switch the Instant Pot to the pressure setting and cook on high for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the manual release.
Strain the broth and set the chicken aside. Add the salt to the broth. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Set the broth aside and keep hot in the Instant Pot.
Cook the rice noodles according to the package.
While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into bite size pieces.
Place the noodles and chicken in a bowl and pour the broth over top. Garnish with the pickled onions (see below), fresh limes, bean sprouts, herbs, jalapenos, crispy garlic, sriracha and hoisin sauce as desired.
How to Make Pickled Onions
Slice onions in ¼" slices and cover with rice vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure onions are covered. Drain the excess vinegar off and serve.
What To Serve With Chicken Pho
Honestly, I like to eat this stuff just by itself as a meal. But if you've got company, a significant other who like more "substance" or kids who just want to eat apps all day, here are some other options for serving:
- Vietnamese Egg Rolls
- Chicken Summer Rolls
- Pork Meatball Banh Mi
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos (yes, these have a Vietnamese flair!)
- Fish Sauce Chicken Wings
Expert Tips
- Roast the chicken thighs in advance for the best flavor. If you choose not to roast them, be sure to remove the skin before adding to the Instant Pot.
- Don't stir the onions once you add them. Let them char as it adds flavor to the broth.
- Once you add the whole spices, stir regularly to prevent them burning (whole spices will burn quickly and ruin your broth).
- Make sure to use whole spices, not ground spices. Ground spices will make it difficult to get a nice clear broth and may affect the flavor.
- If you don't have palm sugar, brown or coconut sugar can be substituted.
How to Make Chicken Pho in Advance
Make the broth and shred the chicken in accordance with the above instructions. Store the broth and chicken separately in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To serve, heat the broth to boiling. While broth is heating, cook the rice noodles according to the package. Serve the boiling broth ladled over the shredded chicken and cooked rice noodles. Garnish per recipe instructions.
How to Freeze Chicken Pho
The broth can be made ahead and frozen if desired. After the broth is strained, place it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Shred the chicken and place the meat in an airtight container. The chicken can also be store for up to 3 months.
To thaw, place broth and chicken in the fridge overnight. To serve, heat the broth to boiling. While broth is heating, cook the rice noodles according to the package. Serve the boiling broth ladled over the shredded chicken and cooked rice noodles. Garnish per recipe instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The combination of charred whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and star anise, aromatics (onions, garlic, etc), fish sauce and mix-ins like fresh herbs, lime, jalapenos, sriracha and hoisin sauce all mixed together is what helps give pho it's delicious sweet and savory flavor.
This is going to be a matter of preference. Chicken is going to be the healthier option as it contains less fat, but beef has a richer, meatier flavor. I personally am a sucker for a delicious beef pho, but I can appreciate the lightness of a chicken broth as well.
Typically whole coriander, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and white peppercorns are used to make pho broth. Some versions use whole cardamon pods as well.
Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Recipe
Instant Pot Pho Ga
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in skin on chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons sea salt plus 1 teaspoon (to season chicken)
- 1 tablespoon fat or oil
- 8 cups water
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ whole cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 whole star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
- 4 whole green onions
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar
- 14 ounces rice noodles (dried or fresh)
Condiments/Garnishes (optional but highly recommended):
- 2 fresh limes
- 2 sliced jalapenos
- pickled red onions *see below
- 1 cup fresh mint
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup fried garlic
- sriracha to taste
- hoisin sauce to taste
Pickled Red Onions:
- 3 slices red onion
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
Instructions
- Lightly salt the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt. Roast in a 400F degree oven for 20 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Heat the fat in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. Add the onions and ginger and let cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring. They should get charred.
- Add the cinnamon, coriander, star anise, cloves, peppercorns and green onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so the spices don't burn.
- Add the water, chicken, fish sauce and palm sugar. Switch the Instant Pot to the pressure setting and cook on high for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then use the manual release.
- Strain the broth with a mesh strainer or use cheesecloth and set the chicken aside.
- Add the remaining salt to the broth. Add more salt to taste if necessary. Place broth back in Instant Pot to keep hot if necessary.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package. While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into bite size pieces.
- Place noodles and chicken in a bowl and pour broth over. Garnish with limes, pickled onions (see below), bean sprouts, herbs, jalapenos, crispy garlic, sriracha and hoisin as desired. Serve hot.
Pickled Red Onions:
- Slice onions in ⅛" slices and cover with vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure onions are covered. Drain the excess vinegar off and serve.
Expert Tips:
- Roast the chicken thighs in advance for the best flavor. If you choose not to roast them, be sure to remove the skin before adding to the Instant Pot.
- You can also use a whole chicken to make this recipe. Use enough water so the chicken is submerged.
- This recipe can be made in an 8-quart instant pot as well. Just cover the chicken thighs with water.
- Don't stir the onions once you add them. Let them char as it adds flavor to the broth.
- Once you add the whole spices, stir regularly to prevent them burning (whole spices will burn quickly and ruin your broth).
- Make sure to use whole spices, not ground spices. Ground spices will make it difficult to get a nice clear broth and may affect the flavor.
- When servings, the soup is best served with lots of fresh herbs.
Nutrition
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