Delicious gluten free chicken pho is a show stopper recipe that I think you are going to love! I can’t wait to share this recipe because it is my spin on the classic Vietnamese soup. This chicken pho soup is comfort food that even my picky eater loves.
The best way to cook homemade chicken pho is by simmering it for at least 3 hours. Preparing it low and slow will really allow the deep flavors from the chicken to blend with the spices and trust me, it is entirely worth it!
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I am sure you have figured out that I love to cook! I can’t it that I just feel at home in the kitchen. Besides, Mr. Fearless Dining and my kids never complain. When I decided to make this gluten free chicken pho recipe I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. Let me just say, it exceeded all of our expectations!
Typically, pho is naturally gluten free because chicken pho broth is gluten free. Be careful though when you are eating out because sometimes it isn’t gluten free and you don’t realize it until after you ate it.
When you are cooking gluten free food at home, you know exactly what is going in it and that takes away a lot of worries. I put together this guide for gluten free living to give you lots of tips.
If you have never made homemade chicken pho, I am sure you will have some questions. I will do my best to answer them so you can get started making this recipe asap :-).
What is pho?
If you have never heard of chicken pho before you may not know exactly what it is. It is a Vietnamese soup that has chicken, noodles and it’s seasoned with cinnamon, star anise, and ginger.
Real chicken pho is made with chicken on the bone, and slowly simmered for hours so the nutrients come out of the chicken bones into the soup. It lends to a delicious flavor profile.
Is pho gluten free?
This is a big question I am often asked. It really depends. If you are making homemade pho at home, you can control this easily by checking the ingredients of the spices you use.
If you are having pho in a restaurant, here are questions to ask to make sure your pho is gluten free:
- Does the pho contain MSG?
- Do they cook the rice noodles in clean water or do they cook rice and wheat noodles in the same boiling water?
- Is there soy sauce in the broth?
- Are the rice noodles made with just rice and water? Most are but some do add in flour so it is always good to ask.
- Check the ingredients on all sauces and condiments for hidden gluten.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: sauté the onions and garlic in a pan. I cooked them in avocado oil as it can be used at high heat. Do not use olive oil or a low heat tolerance oil or you may get a slight rancid taste.
Step 2: To make the chicken pho broth, add in chicken pieces and spices including star anise and cinnamon stick. Next, add the water.
Do you need to use chicken with the bone? I highly recommend using a whole chicken or chicken with the bone because it adds nutrients to your soup, not to mention a lot more flavors!
Step 3: Cover and bring the soup to a boil, then turn the temperature to low and simmer for 3 hours. Check the soup every hour and add more liquid if needed.
Looking for some scrumptious toppings for this chicken pho recipe?
Pho topping ideas:
- Jalapenos - Slice or dice up a jalapeno and sprinkle on top of the soup. Adds a fun little kick to the dish!
- Fresh Basil Leaves - You will be glad you tried it when you add fresh basil leaves because they are sweet and savory and just is so good.
- Sprouts - They enhance the flavor and texture of the soup. Plus, they are healthy so eat up!
- Lime - I think a lot of food is better when you give it a sprinkle of lime. The tanginess is incredible and pairs nicely with this dish.
- Sriracha
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Typically, you can store leftover chicken pho soup for 5 days in the fridge. If you notice an odd odor or it just smells sour, then you will want to toss it out. You don’t want to eat old chicken pho broth because it could make you ill, plus it just won’t taste good.
Yes, you can freeze the chicken pho. The rice noodles don’t freeze that well, so I recommend saving the broth and chicken. Place the leftover chicken pho soup in freezer bags. Lay the bag flat, then you can move it once it is frozen to save space.
The broth can be frozen for approximately 3 months. To thaw pho out, place in the refrigerator overnight or defrost on the counter. Heat it up in a saucepan with new rice noodles until it is heated properly.
Yes, you can cook chicken pho in the slow cooker. Follow the directions for cooking except add everything to the slow cooker instead of a saucepan. All to cook on low for 4-5 hours. The longer and slower it cooks the stronger the flavors and juices will be.
Technically, you can use chicken breasts for this chicken pho recipe, but I don’t recommend it. Part of what makes this chicken pho soup so amazing is the depth of flavors because of the meld together and taste so delicious.
The bone is an important part of the cooking process, so whenever possible use either a whole chicken or parts of the chicken with bones.
The typical noodle for pho is a rice vermicelli noodle that you can find in most grocery stores. You can also use these gluten free ramen noodles for something different :-).
More Homemade Chicken Soup Recipes:
- This Chicken and Vegetable Soup makes a great lunch to pack in a thermos.
- You are going to love my Grandma's Homemade Chicken Soup recipe. It is so easy to make.
- If you need something quicker, this Instant Pot Version of Grandma's Chicken Soup has the same flavor and is ready in a fraction of the time.
- Another popular recipe, this Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken helps avoid food waste as you use the veggies that are going to go bad.
And if you love easy chicken dinners, you will also want to check out all of my Gluten Free Chicken Recipes!
Recipe
Easy Homemade Chicken Pho
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken with the bone
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8-9 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- rice noodles
Instructions
- In a soup pot, add the oil and heat over medium heat one minute.
- Add the onion and garlic, sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add chicken, spices and water to the pot. (the rest of the ingredients)
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 3 hours. Add more water as needed.
- Prepare rice noodles per package instructions.
- Add some cooked noodles to your bowl, add soup and chicken. Top with sprouts, basil, lime, and jalapeño.
Notes
- I used a bit more salt, but salt is a personal preference. I recommend testing the soup after an hour and adding a little more salt then if you like.
- The typical noodle for pho is a rice vermicelli noodle that you can find in most grocery stores. You can also use these gluten free ramen noodles for something different :-).
- You can use any cuts of bone in chicken. The bones add more nutrition and flavor to the broth.
- This soup will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Beth
So, do you use skin on chicken? And, do you leave the chicken on the bone? It seems strange to me to have whole pieces of chicken in a soup.
Also, where does one buy star anise?
These combo of flavors sound intriguing.
Sandi Gaertner
You can use chicken with or without the skin. My local grocery store carries star anise in the spice section. (I shop at Safeway, which is part of the Albertson's chain.)
Jenni
Oh, man, Sandi! I am digging all these layers of flavor! Such great instructions, too. I know mine will turn out perfectly when I follow your recipe!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you like this Pho recipe, Jenni. Thank you!
Laura
We are blessed to live near some amazing Vietnamese restaurants, but markets as well. I've make homemade ramen, but not pho. Your broth sounds delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
We live next to the best Pho place too. Glad you can enjoy Pho 🙂