This Instant Pot chicken pho is like the Vietnamese version of chicken noodle soup, with a rich broth with a great depth of flavor. And while traditional pho takes hours to make, this version is ready in about an hour.
(Originally posted on March 26, 2019; Updated tips and FAQs on March 1, 2020)
Here's a shocker... I'm not Vietnamese. So why in the world am I posting a pressure cooker pho ga (aka chicken pho) recipe? Simple - pho, in all flavors, is my favorite food in the whole world. I've been a soup guy for as long as I can remember, and when I tried pho for the first time, it was an instant love affair. Whether it's beef, pork, or chicken... give it all to me!
Just last week, when my wife was sick, we tried making Instant Pot chicken pho for the first time. She asked for something made with chicken broth. So, I saw an opportunity to be creative and serve her the Vietnamese equivalent of chicken noodle soup. It worked.
Why This Recipe Works
- Traditional pho takes hours to make, but this version is ready in just about an hour. Cooking under pressure in the Instant Pot develops broth with a terrific depth of flavor in a fraction of the time!
- The optional, non-traditional step of serving with crispy chicken skin adds a delicious element of texture to the bowl.
More Recipes:
If you enjoy this Instant Pot Chicken Pho (Pho Ga), you may also enjoy our Pressure Cooker Beef Pho and our Pressure Cooker Chicken Ramen.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Pho
(or a colander lined with cheesecloth
...)
And this is the AMAZING result…
Expert Tips
- I recommend using fresh ginger in this recipe. Attempting to substitute with ground ginger will not yield the same flavor. You can purchase fresh ginger root in the produce section of many grocery stores. You can also find fresh ginger on Amazon
. - For a deeper depth of flavor, consider charring the onions and ginger on a baking sheet rather than sautéing. To do so, set the oven to 450 F (no need to preheat). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil and add onions and ginger into a single layer. Place sheet in oven and bake until slightly charred. Then, add to the pot, along with the remaining aromatics, and proceed with step 2 of the recipe.
- For garnish - use any combination of bean sprouts, limes, jalapeño, basil, mint, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha.
.FAQ:
What size Instant Pot did you use? This recipe was developed in a 6 Quart Instant Pot Duo
.
How long do leftovers keep? The broth can be stored for 3-4 days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I do not recommend trying to save previously cooked noodles, as rice noodles tend to change their texture and break down during the storage and reheating process.
Can I cook my rice noodles directly in the broth? I recommend cooking your noodles separately. Otherwise, the broth will become starchy, like rice water.
★ Did you make this Instant Pot Chicken Pho? Please give it a star rating below! ★
Instant Pot Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)
Equipment
- fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- 6 Quart, or larger, Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups yellow onions roughly chopped
- fresh ginger root 2-inch piece, sliced with skin on
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 star anise
- 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
- 6 chicken thighs
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 lb. rice noodles
- bean sprouts for garnish
- cilantro for garnish
- mint leaves for garnish
- fresh basil for garnish
- jalapenos for garnish
- limes for garnish
Instructions
- Using sauté setting – add oil and onions to pot. Let them begin cooking, not stirring too frequently because you want them to caramelize and get some color on them. After about 5 minutes, add the aromatics (ginger, cloves, star anise, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns). Continue cooking for 5 more minutes, so that the onions have cooked about a total of 10 minutes.
- Add chicken thighs to pot (skins removed and set aside) along with chicken broth, fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Lock lid and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure.
- Meanwhile – spread out chicken skins on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and cook under high broiler for 10-12 minutes, or until desired crispiness and char is achieved. Set aside on paper towels until ready to serve. (This is an optional and also non-traditional step. But it’s delicious and adds some great texture to your bowl.)
- You can also prepare all of your garnish toppings at this point.
- Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Then quick-release remaining pressure.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a bowl and remove meat from bones in bite-size pieces.
- Using a fine mesh strainer (or a colander lined with cheesecloth), pass broth though to strain then return to pot. Keep broth warm until ready to serve, but bring back up to a boil first. You can do this using the sauté setting.
- Prepare rice noodles according to directions on package.
- Place 1 serving of noodles in bowl. Then add chicken, sliced onions, and herbs to bowl. Finally, pour boiling broth over noodles and chicken. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips:
- I recommend using fresh ginger in this recipe. Attempting to substitute with ground ginger will not yield the same flavor. You can purchase fresh ginger root in the produce section of many grocery stores. You can also find fresh ginger on Amazon.
- For a deeper depth of flavor, consider charring the onions and ginger on a baking sheet rather than sautéing. To do so, set oven to 450 F (no need to preheat). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil and add onions and ginger, spread out into a single layer. Place sheet in oven and bake until slightly charred. Then, add to the pot, along with remaining aromatics, and proceed with step 2 of the recipe.
- For garnish - use any combination of bean sprouts, limes, jalapeño, basil, mint, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha.
FAQ:
What size Instant Pot did you use? This recipe was developed in a 6 Quart Instant Pot Duo.
How long do leftovers keep? The broth can be stored for 3-4 days in the fridge, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I do not recommend trying to save previously cooked noodles, as rice noodles tend to change texture and break down during the storage and reheating process.
Can I cook my rice noodles directly in the broth? I recommend cooking your noodles separately. Otherwise, the broth will become starchy, like rice water.
Nutrition
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Toya
This looks amazing and I can't wait to try it.
Jen
Made this tonight and it turned out wonderfully! Thanks for sharing!
Tracy
Excellent and so easy in the instant pot! Already shared it with all my friends and family!
L. Nguyen
Made this 4 times now. It’s a keeper. My husband loves it too!
Angela Hunter
We made this last night and it was incredibly delicious! The broth was so scrumptious, with so much flavor....and the house smelled divine. I have already shared the recipe with my team at work and can't stop talking about how wonderful it was!!
Marchelle
This is so good and such a simple recipe!
Barb
Made this for dinner tonight! It was so simple in the InstaPot. So authentic and delicious. Will definitely make this again! Thanks for sharing!
Shelley
We are making this recipe (no changes needed) for the second time........AMAZING!
Holly
The pho was amazing! I made it yesterday and am making it again today! Yesterday though, I tried to broil the chicken skin and ended with a call to 911 and 4 firetrucks! Everyone is safe! Looks like I get a new oven for Christmas though!
Shan
So Delicious! Thank you for sharing!
JILL GUNDERSON
Friends suggested we try this recipe, it is fantastic. It will be our go to weekly this winter. It is so full of flavor.
Jon
You did so good at adapting this fast way of preparing pho!!! It tasted EXACTLY like pho bought from a restaurant! I even used chicken breast instead of thighs and it still tasted awesome!
I never wanted to attempt making pho because the traditional way takes like 5 hours, but there’s really no need to do it that way anymore 🙂 NICE WORK!!
Gary White
Thank you for the kind words. And I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I must say... now I'm curious to try it with chicken breasts. I assumed that wouldn't be flavorful enough.
Djembe
This recipe is superb. I’ve made it multiple occasions and it’s a hit every time.
Candace
Hi, what chicken broth do you use? Home made or just store bought stock? Thank you.
Gary White
I really only ever use Swanson for store-bought broth.
E. Nguyen
I made this last night, I followed the recipe exactly, using all fresh ingredients. It was good soup, but for me, I believe it needs more aromatics for the true Pho taste.