Low Effort Instant Pot Chicken Pho

If you ask me, Vietnamese pho is comfort food at its finest.

This cozy bowl of goodness brings all the traditional flavors of pho to your table in about half the time, thanks to the magic of the Instant Pot. Clear broth, tender chicken, and rice noodles come together with familiar aromatics like star anise, cinnamon, and ginger.

The pressure cooker helps extract deep flavors from the bones and spices in just a fraction of the time it takes to make pho the traditional way. Fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime add that authentic touch right before serving.

It’s a warming, satisfying meal that’s perfect for chilly evenings or whenever you’re craving something both simple and special.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For pho, chicken thighs are definitely the way to go over chicken breasts – they’re more flavorful and stay tender during the pressure cooking process. While this recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on thighs, you could also use boneless thighs if that’s what you have on hand. The bones and skin add extra richness to the broth, but they can be removed before serving if you prefer. Just make sure you’re using fresh, not frozen chicken, as this will give you the cleanest flavor in your broth. And if possible, try to get air-chilled chicken rather than water-chilled, since it tends to have better texture and doesn’t retain excess moisture.

Options for Substitutions

While some ingredients are essential for that classic pho flavor, there are several substitutions you can make in this recipe:

• Rice noodles: These are pretty important for authentic pho, but in a pinch, you could use thin wheat noodles or even zucchini noodles for a low-carb option. Just know it won’t have that classic pho texture.
• Chicken thighs: You can swap these with chicken breasts, though thighs give more flavor. If using breasts, reduce cooking time by 2-3 minutes to prevent them from getting too dry.
• Spices (star anise, cardamom, cinnamon): These spices are crucial for authentic pho flavor – I wouldn’t skip them. However, if you’re missing one, you can use Chinese five-spice powder (2 teaspoons) as it contains similar spices.
• Fish sauce: While it adds authentic flavor, you can substitute with soy sauce plus a splash of rice vinegar. Start with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and adjust to taste.
• Fuji apple: Any sweet apple works here – try Gala or Honeycrisp. You can even use a pear for similar natural sweetness.
• Toppings: The beauty of pho is that toppings are flexible. No bean sprouts? Try shredded cabbage. Swap jalapeños with any chili pepper, or use chili sauce. The herbs can be mixed and matched based on what you have.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making Instant Pot pho is rushing the natural release process – a quick release will make your broth cloudy and potentially cause hot liquid to sputter from the valve, so always allow at least 15-20 minutes for natural release. Another common mistake is overcrowding your Instant Pot with too many spices – make sure to use a spice sachet or mesh bag to contain your aromatics, making them easy to remove and preventing bits of spices floating in your final broth. To avoid mushy noodles, never cook them directly in the broth – instead, prepare them separately according to package directions and add them to individual serving bowls just before ladling the hot broth over them. For the most flavorful results, don’t skip toasting your spices before adding them to the pot, and remember to skim off any foam that forms on top of the broth during the first few minutes of cooking.

What to Serve With Chicken Pho?

The beauty of chicken pho is that it’s really a complete meal in itself, but there are some great sides that can make your pho experience even better! I love to serve Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (goi cuon) on the side – they’re light, refreshing, and perfect for dipping in peanut sauce. For something simple, a plate of pickled vegetables like carrots and daikon adds a nice tangy crunch that cuts through the rich broth. You might also want to put out a few extra condiments like hoisin sauce, chili oil, or extra fish sauce so everyone can customize their bowl to taste.

Storage Instructions

Keep Components Separate: For the best pho experience, store the broth and noodles separately. Keep the broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store cooked noodles in a separate container to prevent them from getting mushy – they’ll stay good for about 3 days.

Freeze: The pho broth freezes really well! Pour it into freezer-safe containers or bags and it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just remember not to freeze the noodles or toppings – those are best fresh. I like to freeze the broth in individual portions so I can have pho whenever the craving hits!

Serve Again: When you’re ready for another bowl, warm up the broth on the stovetop or in the microwave. Cook fresh noodles (they only take a few minutes) and add your toppings just before serving. This way, everything stays fresh and you get that authentic pho experience every time.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	35-40 minutes
Total Time	45-55 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 100-120 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-160 g

Ingredients

• 14 oz rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut in half
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces and gently smashed
• 3 cardamom pods, gently crushed
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 3 star anise pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges
• 2 jalapenos, sliced thinly
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
• Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and basil
• Bean sprouts
• Sriracha sauce
• Daikon radish sprouts (optional)

Step 1: Soak the Noodles

Place the noodles in a large bowl of warm water and let them soak for 30-45 minutes.

This will soften them as you prepare the pho broth.

Once done, set the bowl aside.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics and Spices

Using your Instant Pot, add oil and select the sauté option.

Once hot, place the onion cut-side down and add ginger.

Cook without stirring for about 4 minutes until slightly charred.

Then, add cardamom, a cinnamon stick, coriander, star anise, and cloves.

Cook for an additional minute until the mixture is fragrant.

Step 3: Prepare and Cook the Pho Broth

Into the Instant Pot, add water alongside apple, cilantro, chicken, fish sauce, and sugar.

Secure the lid, select the manual setting, and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Release Pressure and Strain Broth

After the cooking time, turn off the Instant Pot and allow the pressure to decrease naturally for 10 minutes.

If pressure remains after that time, carefully release it by turning the valve.

Remove the chicken and set aside.

Strain the broth, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Skim some fat from the broth for a cleaner taste.

Step 5: Prepare Chicken and Noodles

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones.

Divide the meat among 4 large soup bowls.

Keep the bones for future bone broth recipes.

Strain the soaked noodles and distribute them evenly among the bowls.

Step 6: Assemble and Serve

Pour the seasoned broth over the chicken and noodles in each bowl.

Add your desired toppings such as bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, jalapeños, or green onions, and serve hot.

Enjoy your homemade pho!