Warm, cozy Homemade Chicken Pho made with chicken broth, ginger, cilantro, green onion, rice noodles, and tender chicken—ready in 40 minutes.
You know how there are certain foods that just… sneak up on you emotionally? Homemade Chicken Pho does that to me every single time. It’s funny because I didn’t grow up with pho in my house—we were more of a “whatever’s in the fridge becomes dinner” kind of family—but I remember the first time I tried it at this tiny Vietnamese place during a rainy Manila afternoon. The kind of rain where you can’t hear your own thoughts over the roof. I sat there hugging this big, steaming bowl like it was a long-lost friend returning from overseas.
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Years later, I was in my own kitchen trying to recreate that memory, and I’m not kidding when I say the first whiff of toasted coriander seeds made me a little emotional. Maybe it’s the nostalgia… or maybe it’s just the way ginger smells so alive when it hits a hot pot? I don’t know. I tend to overthink flavors, feelings, life choices—basically everything—but Homemade Chicken Pho keeps pulling me back to the present. Which is honestly rare these days.
And making it at home is wild because there’s this moment when your brain goes, “Wait… this is too easy, something must be wrong,” but nope. The broth simmers, the aromas dance around like they own the place, and suddenly you’re in this very specific headspace where time slows down just enough to be comforting. Ever have a dish do that to you?
Here’s a quick peek at what’s inside:
Table of content
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chicken Pho Recipe?
It’s not perfect. And maybe that’s why I love it. This pho is quick, yes, but it doesn’t taste quick. It’s the weeknight miracle we don’t talk about enough—like finding a parking spot right in front of a busy cafe or discovering five extra fries at the bottom of the bag. It has depth without fuss, warmth without the long-simmer guilt, and personality without pretending to be restaurant-level fancy.
I’ll be honest: I used to be low-key intimidated by pho recipes. All that talk about hours-long broths and “proper technique.” But then I started making this Homemade Chicken Pho version, and everything shifted. The toasty spices, the ginger, the cilantro stems—you mix these small rituals together and somehow end up with something that feels bigger than the sum of its parts.
It’s cozy. It’s forgiving. It’s there for you on rough days, good days, lazy days. And if a recipe can meet you where you are? That’s pretty special.
Ingredient Notes:
You ever look at a recipe and think, “Do I actually need all of this… or am I being scammed?” Same. So let’s break down what each ingredient in Homemade Chicken Pho is doing for you—light, messy, slightly opinionated.
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Ginger: The soul of the broth. When you smack it, you release oils and tension (yours, not the ginger’s, although maybe both).
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Green onions: They multitask. Whites for broth, greens for garnish, and someone somewhere has probably used the middle portion for something artistic.
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Cilantro sprigs: The stems have more flavor than the leaves. I didn’t know this for years and felt personally offended when I found out.
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Coriander seeds + clove: They’re like the quiet background singers that make the whole performance richer.
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Chicken broth + water: Go low-sodium here; trust me, I’ve over-salted enough soups in my life to have earned this opinion.
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Chicken breast or thighs: Thighs are juicier, but breasts behave better visually. Pick your drama.
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Rice noodles: Those thin flat ones you see everywhere. They soften fast and collapse in a comforting way.
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Fish sauce + sugar: They do that savory-sweet balancing act that Homemade Chicken Pho is known for.
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Optional toppings: Basil, bean sprouts, lime, chili—like building your own personality on top of the bowl.
How To Make Homemade Chicken Pho?
Let me walk you through it the way I wish someone walked me through it the first time—with warmth, honesty, and that “it’s fine, don’t panic” tone we all need sometimes.
Step 1. Prep the aromatics.
Slice the ginger, smack it, bruise the green onions—basically commit gentle violence in the name of flavor. Chop cilantro leaves, save the stems. Your cutting board will look chaotic; that’s normal.
Step 2. Toast your spices.
Throw coriander seeds and that tiny clove into a warm pot. When your kitchen starts smelling a little like you wandered into a quiet Asian grocery store aisle? Yep. That’s the time to move on.
Step 3. Add broth and start the simmer.
Slide the pot off the heat (this avoids flavor shock… or maybe that’s not a real thing, but it feels right). Pour in the broth, water, cilantro stems, chicken, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Breathe.
Step 4. Check the chicken.
After 5–10 minutes, poke it. If it gives a little but doesn’t resist like a stubborn toddler, it’s ready. Pull it out.
Step 5. Keep the broth going.
Let it simmer for another 15–20 minutes. This is where Homemade Chicken Pho becomes Homemade Chicken Pho. Your kitchen will smell like you tried harder than you actually did.
Step 6. Shred the chicken.
Cool it under water, shred, taste, eat a piece, regret nothing.
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Step 7. Soak the noodles.
Just hot water. No boiling. No chaos. No sticking your face over a steaming pot like a noodle sauna.
Step 8. Strain and season.
Strain the broth through whatever fine-mesh situation you have. Add fish sauce and sugar/maple syrup. Taste it. Adjust. Feel a tiny bit like a soup wizard.
Step 9. Assemble your bowl.
Noodles → chicken → herbs → hot broth → toppings → your mood goes from “meh” to “mmm.”
Storage Options:
Pho broth keeps really well. Like, suspiciously well. Store it for 3–4 days in the fridge and it somehow tastes deeper, like it had time to think about its purpose. Keep chicken separate so it doesn’t turn into sad leftovers. And please—please—never refrigerate already soaked noodles unless you want a single fused noodle brick staring at you in judgment.
Variations and Substitutions:
Homemade Chicken Pho is flexible. Like, yoga flexible. Like how we all wish our backs still were.
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Tofu + veggie broth for a plant-based bowl.
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More chilies if you want drama.
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Mushrooms if you want depth.
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Maple syrup instead of sugar if you want “wholesome woodland sweetness.”
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Mix herbs however your heart tells you.
There’s no pho police here.
What to Serve with Homemade Chicken Pho?
If you’re extra like me and like a side with your soup:
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Fresh spring rolls
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Vietnamese iced coffee (warning: you may instantly become productive)
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Pickled veggies
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Crispy tofu
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Steamed greens
Honestly, pho is already pretty perfect alone, but who am I to stop you?
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I make the broth ahead?
Yes. And you should. It tastes wiser the next day—like it learned life lessons overnight.
Do I have to use fish sauce?
Not really, but the broth loses a chunk of its personality. Kind of like when you forget your earrings and your outfit suddenly feels unfinished.
Why are my noodles clumping??
Because rice noodles cling to each other like they’re in a soap opera. Rinse them well and keep things moving.
If you make this Homemade Chicken Pho, I hope it hits you with that same warm, unexpected wave of comfort it gave me the first time. And seriously—tell me if your kitchen ends up smelling nostalgic too, or if that’s just my thing.
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Remember it later!
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Keep the Flavor Coming – Try These:
Homemade Chicken Pho
Ingredients
- 1 piece ginger ¾-inch (2 cm), sliced into 4–5 coins
- 2 medium–large green onions
- 1 small bunch cilantro sprigs approximately 15 g
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 whole clove
- 3 ½ –4 cups 840 ml–1 L low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups 480 ml water
- 6 –8 ounces 180–225 g boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 ounces 150 g dried narrow flat rice noodles
- 2 –3 teaspoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon organic sugar or 1 teaspoon maple syrup optional
- Ground pepper optional
- Optional garnishes: Bean sprouts, mint sprigs, Thai basil, cilantro leaves, lime wedges, thinly sliced chili peppers
Instructions
Prepare the Aromatic Ingredients
- Peel the ginger and slice it into coins. Lightly crush the slices using the flat side of a knife or a meat mallet. Thinly slice the green onion tops to obtain 2–3 tablespoons for garnish. Cut the remaining portions into short lengths, bruise them, and combine with the ginger. Coarsely chop the leafy cilantro tops to yield 2 tablespoons, reserving them for garnish. Set aside the remaining cilantro sprigs.
Toast the Spices
- In a 3–4 quart (3–4 L) pot, toast the coriander seeds and clove over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the ginger slices and green onion sections, stirring briefly until aromatic, approximately 30 seconds.
Add the Broth and Begin Simmering
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly for 15 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth. Return the pot to the burner and add the water, cilantro sprigs, chicken, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Remove and Cool the Chicken
- After 5–10 minutes of simmering, remove the chicken once it is firm and fully cooked. Transfer it to a bowl and rinse with cold water to halt further cooking. Drain and allow it to cool. Once cooled, shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and cover lightly to prevent drying.
Continue Simmering the Broth
- Allow the remaining broth to continue simmering for an additional 15–20 minutes, ensuring a total simmering time of approximately 30 minutes.
Soak the Rice Noodles
- Soak the dried rice noodles in hot water until they become pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Strain and Season the Broth
- Once the broth has finished simmering, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer positioned over a 2-quart (2-L) pot. For a clearer broth, line the strainer with muslin. Discard the solids. You should obtain approximately 4 cups of broth. Season the broth with fish sauce and sugar or maple syrup, adjusting to achieve a balanced savory-sweet flavor.
Assemble and Serve
- Bring the strained broth to a boil. Place the softened rice noodles in a noodle strainer or mesh sieve and briefly immerse in the boiling broth for 5–60 seconds to heat and soften. Divide the noodles between two bowls. Reduce the heat to maintain the broth at a hot temperature while arranging the shredded chicken on top of the noodles. Garnish with the chopped green onion, cilantro, and pepper, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Return the broth to a boil and ladle it into the bowls. Serve immediately with optional garnishes.
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
