Chicken Pho
Serves: 4
Time: approx 40 mins
This dish is one of my super quick cheat dinners. A really good pho always tastes the best when you make your stock from scratch. Normally in winter I go hardcore making chicken broth and storing it up in the freezer, but this year I haven’t been so big on it so instead I am going to poach my chicken in a packet chicken stock and add some spice. You don’t get that real deep goodness in flavour you get from real stock but you still have a pretty scrummy dish. If your feeling like you want to go all the way and make your own stock then check out my bone broth recipe, but don’t roast the bones start with them in the stockpot raw.
Leftovers
There is enough in this meal for four so you have plenty of leftovers for lunch when just the two.
What you'll need
250g rice noodle Pad Thai style
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger
2 litres of chicken stock
2 chicken breasts
2 bunches of Chinese broccoli
1 small packet of Thai basil
2 birds eye chillies
From the Pantry
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
2 star anaise
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Prepare
Soak Noodles
Empty your packet of noodles into a large bowl, completely cover with boiling water then leave to soften.
Make Broth
Peel and finely slice onion, garlic and ginger.
Heat a large pot with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and saute the onion, garlic and ginger till soft.
Add your chicken broth to the pot along with the star anaise and bring up to the boil.
Add your chicken breast place a lid on and turn down to a simmer.
After 10 minutes remove the chicken from the pot and check that it is cooked right through. Really large breasts will take longer.
Leave the cooked chicken on a board to cool.
Add the fish sauce to your pot and check the seasoning I like to add salt but the fish sauce can be salty enough.
Cook Chinese Broccoli
Place a pot of water on to boil with a pinch of salt and a splash of oil.
Cut the base off the Chinese broccoli and wash under cold water.
Once it boils drop your Chinese broccoli in to cook for 1 minute. remove from the water and place in the bottom of your serving bowls.
Plate it Pretty
Pick the basil leaves, and slice your chillies.
Strain noodles and separate into 4 serves. 2 for dinner and 2 into containers for lunch.
Once the chicken has lost some heat you can rip it up into bite sized pieces and place on top of the noodles.
Bring your broth back up to the boil and carefully pour your hot broth over the two meals which you are planning to eat for dinner. Avoid pouring it directly onto the tofu as it will break. Save some broth for tomorrow’s lunch.
Top with bean shoots, thai basil and sprinkle with freshly chopped chilli.
Enjoy!
Lunch tomorrow
I find it works best to keep the noodles and broth separate and then reheat your broth until it is boiling, either in a pot or in a microwave when you are ready to eat, then pour over your noodles.