If you didn’t think it was possible to make chicken pho at home, then you’re in luck! This easy Instant Pot pho ga (chicken pho) is my quick and easy version of the popular Vietnamese chicken noodle soup. Pho ga is typically filled with delicious chicken broth, rice noodles, chicken meat, herbs and spices, and a topping of fresh vegetables.
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I’ve crafted this easy Instant Pot pho ga recipe to include easily accessible items from the seasoning to the vegetables and garnishes. You can find nearly all the ingredients at your local grocery store chain.
I wish I could tell you that this tastes like the real deal (i.e. restaurant quality), but if I’m honest, that would take a lot of work to reproduce at home. But, I promise that this is still just as good in such a short amount of time!
Pho ga traditionally uses dark meat from chicken (chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks) to help create its flavorful broth.
What is Pho Ga?
Pho ga is a noodle soup that includes chicken pieces and chicken broth. While most people think of pho with beef, this version uses chicken.
The History of Pho
Like many countries, food plays a crucial role in Vietnam’s culture, with pho being one of the primary foods. It’s so highly regarded in Vietnam that you may even hear people refer to it in romantic metaphors. It’s one of the Vietnamese recipes that are delicious and fun to eat, but it’s not something you typically eat daily.
While Vietnam has a 3500-year history, pho did not come into play until the 1900s in northern Vietnam. Its history is unclear, but most agree that this timeline is accurate. There are mentions of a pre-pho soup with similar ingredients. However, it was typically only made with a flavorful broth and rice noodles.
After the demand for a soup with beef from the French occupying Vietnam for a soup filled with beef, pho bo was born. It gained popularity quickly, prompting new flavors and proteins (like tofu).
Eventually, pho vendors began including chicken instead of soup as the main protein. At first, many people opposed pho ga since it was not a traditional beef recipe. But, eventually, people found it a worthy variation and quickly changed their opinion of chicken pho.
Is Pho Ga Healthy?
Yes, chicken pho is pretty healthy. It contains an excellent source of protein from chicken slices, which is necessary for a healthy diet.
The addition of herbs to the broth and as a topping also helps boost the nutrients of the dish. Using vegetables as a topping also adds to the healthiness of this dish. Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, so pho is typically suitable for those who have gluten sensitivities.
While pho ga offers many health benefits, it’s necessary to note the high sodium content and calorie count in each bowl. Even though pho ga is delicious, you shouldn’t eat it every day because of these notes.
Toppings for Pho Ga:
The toppings for pho ga typically include items like Thai basil, bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, and Sriracha.
However, you can alter these ingredients to match your taste preference. Other toppings you’ll see on pho ga include:
- Sawtooth herb
- Thin slices of onions
- Lime wedges (for a squirt of fresh lime juice)
- Jalapeño pepper slices
- Sliced green onions (scallions)
- Sprigs of cilantro
What Does Pho Ga Taste Like?
Typically, pho ga has a combination of salty, sweet, spicy, and citrusy flavors that dance together. As many spices and seasonings go into creating pho ga, the taste is quite complex, especially in the broth.
One of the most noticeable flavors is chicken, followed by Thai basil and ginger.
Then, the flavor of the other seasonings hits your taste buds. Since pho changes according to your taste preference, each bowl will have a slightly different flavor.
What is an Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is a programmable pressure cooker that speeds up cooking by 2 to 10 times while using up to 70% less energy.
In short, it’s a very multi-purpose cooking appliance and has been a kitchen appliance staple of mine for the last two years. As a result, it’s simply the perfect go-to appliance for busy weeknights!
If you’re unsure what size Instant Pot to get, here is my size recommendation:
- 1 to 2 people, get the Instant Pot Mini 3 Quart
- 2 to 4 people, get the Instant Pot 6 Quart
- More than 4 people, get the Instant Pot 8 Quart
I’m using the Instant Pot Mini 3 Quart for all my Instant Pot recipes.
Easy Instant Pot Pho Ga Recipe
Ingredients
Servings: 3
- 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
- 10 grams of cilantro
- 1 medium onion (halved)
- 3 star anise
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (washed and sliced)
- 4 cloves
- 1 pound of chicken drumsticks (for the broth)
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1 chicken breast (for the topping)
- 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cups of water (right before the fill line)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 10.5 oz of rice noodles
- 1 tbsp red boat fish sauce
- serve with a side of Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce
Garnish
- green onions (scallions)
- cilantro
- Thai basil
- mung bean sprouts
- jalapeno pepper
- lime
Cookware and Tools
Easy Instant Pot Pho Ga Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1. Clean the Chicken
Rub salt and rinse the chicken breast, then set aside.
Step 2. Char the Onion and Ginger
On saute mode, wait until the indicator says “HOT.” Then, add the refined coconut oil to the Instant Pot insert and ensure the bottom of the pot is fully coated. Next, place the onion flat side down and the ginger slices into the insert. Be patient and allow the onions and ginger to char for about 5 minutes without touching them.
Step 3. Add the Remaining Ingredients
Place your chicken drumstick and chicken breast into the Instant Pot insert. Then, followed by a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, coriander seeds, kosher salt, fish sauce, cilantro, and water (just enough to cover before the fill line). Set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure on Normal High for 25 minutes.
Step 4. Prepare the Garnishes
While the chicken pho broth is cooking, prepare the garnishes.
Step 5. Remove the Chicken and Strain the Broth
After the Instant Pot beeps, turn the valve to release the pressure. Remove the chicken drumsticks and chicken breasts. Set aside for a few minutes to cool.
Then, strain the broth using a fine-mesh strainer. Once the chicken has cooled, slice the chicken breast for the topping. You may also use the chicken drumstick meat for the topping.
Step 6. Plate the Chicken Pho
Cook the rice noodles according to the manufacturer’s packaging. Place the noodles into a bowl, followed by the cut chicken.
Pour the chicken pho broth over the noodles and chicken, then add the desired garnishes. Serve with a side of Hoisin and Sriracha sauce.
Easy Instant Pot Pho Ga Tips:
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you create the best bowl of easy Instant Pot pho ga.
1. Don’t skip charring the onion and ginger.
You might think this step in the Instant Pot chicken pho recipe is unnecessary. However, it’s one of the steps that help produce a super flavorful broth!
It also adds a lovely brown color to the broth, helping to create a more traditional dish.
While some cooks note that you can skip this step when making pho in an Instant Pot, I like to stress this tip as it will make your pho ga that much better.
Plus, it only takes a few minutes and minimal cooking effort to do this step.
2. Keep the skin on the chicken drumsticks for this easy Instant Pot pho ga.
Cooking this easy Instant Pot pho ga with the chicken skin helps create the deliciously rich pho broth. For the best flavor, leave the chicken skin on for this recipe.
3. (Optional) Toast the spices before adding them to the Instant Pot.
You can toast the spices like the cloves and star anise for extra oomph. Toasting the spices adds a delicious warm flavor to the broth. While this is not a necessary step, it will provide an even more delicious bowl of pho.
4. Tie the spices in a small cheesecloth pouch before adding them to the Instant Pot.
If you have any cheesecloth pouches lying around, adding star anise, cloves, cardamom, coriander seeds, and the cinnamon stick to a cloth bundle makes straining exponentially easier.
Sometimes, these spices can soften and fall apart during the cooking process, like the cinnamon stick.
This occurrence leaves smaller bits that may be challenging to strain in the broth.
5. Add the noodles into each serving bowl first.
By adding the noodles, you’re making it easier to serve. However, if you choose to put the noodles in later, you may have the hot broth splash outside the bowl.
Avoid this occurrence by always starting with the noodles, then protein, broth, and finally, toppings.
Taking an extra moment to place these spices in a bundle before putting them in with the other ingredients will save you time in the long run.
Related:
Now that you know all about what makes an excellent pho ga, it’s time to cook! Use the above tips and tricks for the perfect bowl of Vietnamese soup.
By following this easy Instant Pot pho ga recipe, you’ll be able to recreate a complex broth with a rich chicken flavor. Add as much of the toppings as you like to each bowl of easy Instant Pot pho ga!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below! I’d love to hear from you.
Easy Instant Pot Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
- 10 grams cilantro
- 1 medium onion (halved)
- 3 pieces star anise
- 1 ginger (thumb-sized; washed and sliced)
- 4 pieces cloves
- 1 pound chicken drumsticks (for broth and protein)
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1 chicken breast (for topping; optional if you don't want to include it)
- 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cups water (right before the fill line)
- 1 tsp salt
- 10.5 ounces rice noodles
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- serve with a side of Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce (if desired)
Garnish
- green onions (chopped)
- cilantro
- Thai basil
- mung bean sprouts
- jalapeno pepper
- lime
Instructions
- Rub salt and rinse the chicken breast, then set aside.
- On saute mode, wait until the indicator says “HOT.” Then, add the refined coconut oil to the Instant Pot insert and ensure the bottom of the pot is fully coated. Next, place the onion flat side down and the ginger slices into the insert. Be patient and allow the onions and ginger to char for about 5 minutes without touching them.
- Place your chicken drumstick and chicken breast into the Instant Pot insert. Then, followed by a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, coriander seeds, kosher salt, fish sauce, cilantro, and water (just enough to cover before the fill line). Set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure on Normal High for 25 minutes.
- While the chicken pho broth is cooking, prepare the garnishes.
- After the Instant Pot beeps, turn the valve to release the pressure. Remove the chicken drumsticks and chicken breasts. Set aside for a few minutes to cool.
- Then, strain the broth using a fine-mesh strainer. Once the chicken has cooled, slice the chicken breast for the topping. You may also use the chicken drumstick meat for the topping.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the manufacturer’s packaging. Place the noodles into a bowl, followed by the cut chicken.
- Pour the chicken pho broth over the noodles and chicken, then add the desired garnishes. Serve with a side of Hoisin and Sriracha sauce.
Notes
- Don’t skip charring the onion and ginger.
- Keep the skin on the chicken drumsticks for this easy Instant Pot pho ga.
- (Optional Step) Toast the spices before adding them to the Instant Pot.
- Tie the spices in a small cheesecloth pouch before adding them to the Instant Pot.
- Add the noodles into each serving bowl first.
