This Instant Pot chicken pho (pho ga) fills your kitchen with the smell of charred onion, ginger, and toasted whole spices — the same fragrant broth traditional pho is known for, but ready in under an hour instead of simmering overnight on the stove. It’s lighter than beef pho, which makes it the one to reach for on a weeknight, though it’s every bit as comforting. If you’re in the mood for something richer, Instant Pot Beef Pho uses the same pressure-cooker method with a heartier broth.
Watch the video, carefully follow the instructions below for your very own foodlicious scratch made chicken pho. Please feel free to browse my catalogue and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more recipes daily.
Flavorful clear chicken Pho soup.
Ingredients
Recommend using an organic chicken to achieve the best results.
Preferably fresh noodles but if you can’t get any; then dry noodles will be fine.
Place all seasonings in the pan and roast for 5-6 minutes or until very fragrant, then turn off the heat. Remove the seasonings, place them in a tea bag or ball infuser and set aside.
Place 2 onions and ginger in the pan; char each side for 4 minutes or until blackened.
Remove the ginger from the pan and transfer to a cuting board. Smash the ginger until it splits.
Place the charred onions and smashed ginger into the cooker.
Place the 2 halves of chicken atop of the vegetables. Add seasoning bag, rock sugar and salt.
Pour water in the cooker. Place the lid on. Pressure cook on high for 17 minutes and natural release for 30 minutes (exercise caution when releasing pressure from the cooker).
Remove the onions, ginger and seasoning bag. Remove chicken from the cooker and place in a bowl. Debone chicken and remove skin (optional). Shred or cut the chicken meat and set aside until ready to eat. Discard the bones.
Before filtering.
In a large bowl or pot: place in a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth.
Clear soup.
Arrange and Assemble.
Bring Pho to a boil prior to pouring over the noodles and meat.
Season with hoison sauce, sriracha sauce and lime (to taste). Optional: season with more fish sauce if you prefer. Add fresh herbs, mung beans, culantro, Thai basil leaves and sliced Jalapeño to the bowl.
ENJOY!
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Instant Pot Chicken Pho (Pho Ga)
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot (8 QT)
Ingredients
- 4-4.5 lbs organic whole chicken cut in half
- 12 cups filtered water
- 2 onion peeled
- 4" ginger peeled
- 2 tbsp rock sugar can be substituted with white sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp salt
Seasonings
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 star anise
- 1 whole saigon cinnamon
- 4 whole cloves
Noodles & Toppings
- 1-2 lbs fresh pho noodles can be substituted with dry noodles
- 1 lb mung beans
- green onion thinly sliced
- white onion thinly sliced
- Jalapeño thinly sliced
- lime cut into wedges
- hoisin sauce to taste
- sriracha sauce to taste
- culantro top half
- Thai basil leaves only
Instructions
Roast & Char
- Heat a pan to medium-high. Place all seasonings in the pan and roast for 5–6 minutes until very fragrant, then turn off the heat. Remove seasonings, place in a tea bag or ball infuser, and set aside.
- Heat the same pan to high. Place the 2 onions and ginger in the pan; char each side for 4 minutes until blackened. Turn off heat.
- Remove ginger, transfer to a cutting board, and smash until it splits.
Pressure Cook
- Place charred onions and smashed ginger into the cooker.
- Place the 2 chicken halves atop the vegetables.
- Add the seasoning bag, rock sugar, and salt.
- Pour 12 cups of boiling water into the cooker. Water should remain under the ⅔ max line (do not go over the max line).
- Place the lid on. Pressure cook on high for 17 minutes and natural release for 25 minutes. Press cancel.
- Remove and discard onions, ginger, and the seasoning bag.
- Remove chicken and place in a bowl. Debone, remove skin (optional), and shred or cut the meat. Set aside and discard bones.
- Strain the broth using a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove solids and reduce fat for a clear broth.
- Pour fish sauce into the broth and stir. Season with sugar and salt if needed.
- Press sauté and set to high for about 20 minutes (or bring the broth to a boil on the stovetop).
Cook Noodles
- Preferred method: Place fresh noodles in a bowl. Pour boiling water over and blanch for 10–12 seconds. Drain and return to the bowl. Stovetop alternative: Fill a pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Blanch fresh pho noodles for 5–7 seconds (or follow package instructions for dry noodles). Strain and transfer to serving bowls.
Arrange and Assemble
- Place cooked noodles in the center of a bowl. Add shredded/cut chicken to the bowl. Add chopped green onions and sliced white onions. Pour boiling broth over the noodles and meat. Season with hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, and lime to taste. Optional: season with more fish sauce if you prefer. Add fresh herbs, mung beans, culantro, Thai basil leaves, and sliced jalapeño to the bowl.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Storage & Reheating
Broth: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Chicken: Store shredded or cut chicken separately from the broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
Noodles: Cook fresh right before serving rather than storing pre-soaked — they turn soft and clump together if left sitting in broth or water.
Reheating: Bring the broth to a rolling boil on the stove before pouring over noodles and chicken so everything is served piping hot. Microwaving the broth alone works fine, but assemble the bowl fresh.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the difference between pho ga and pho bo? Pho ga uses chicken and produces a lighter, more delicate broth, while pho bo (beef pho) leans richer and heavier from the beef bones and cuts. Pho ga also cooks faster, which makes it the better weeknight option of the two.
Can I use bone-in chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken? Yes — thighs and drumsticks work well and add good flavor to the broth. You’ll want roughly the same total weight (4–4.5 lbs), and cooking time may need slight adjusting since pieces cook a bit faster than a whole bird.
Where do I find culantro and mung beans? Both are common at Asian grocery stores, usually near the fresh herbs and produce section. If culantro isn’t available, cilantro is the closest substitute, though the flavor is milder.
Can I make the broth ahead of time? Yes — the broth actually benefits from resting. Make it up to 2 days ahead, refrigerate, and skim off any solidified fat before reheating and assembling bowls.
Do I really need to char the onion and ginger? It’s what gives the broth its signature aroma and depth, so it’s worth the extra few minutes. Skipping it will result in a flatter, less complex broth.
Can I use chicken breast only for a leaner broth? You can, though a whole chicken (or a mix of dark and light meat) gives a richer, more flavorful broth. Breast meat alone will produce a lighter-bodied broth and can turn out drier once shredded.
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YUM!!!!