Instant Pot Chicken Pho—a shortcut recipe for a flavorful chicken and rice noodle soup.
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe below
Instant Pot Chicken Pho
Pho sho you should make this for dinner tonight! (dad joke…more specifically a Greg joke) Ever had pho at a restaurant? It’s good right? Try making my shortcut, easier version at home.
If you’re looking to mix it up and make something new try making Instant Pot chicken pho. It’s a Vietnamese brothy chicken soup with skinny rice noodles. The broth is definitely the star of the soup as it is infused with all sorts of flavors. I couldn’t get enough! And the chicken! It becomes so tender you can cut it with a fork.
My kids both came to the table with skeptical looks on their faces. They were wondering what this soup was all about. But they both finished their bowls by drinking down the broth. I will be making this soup again soon.
There are a few ingredients that you’ll probably have to go to the store for. I suggest a Harmon’s or Smith’s grocery store for these items over a Walmart or Winco. They’ll be more likely to have the items. Check the Asian section of the store. And if you’re wondering what to do with leftovers of some of the ingredients scroll past the recipe card below.
More Chicken Soup for the Soul…
There’s just something about brothy chicken soup. It makes you feel so homey and good. Not to mention if you’re feeling a bit under the weather it will perk you right up. Here are some of my favorite chicken soup recipes that you can make in your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Amish Chicken Corn Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Lentil Lemon Chicken Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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Instant Pot Chicken Pho
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
A shortcut recipe for a flavorful chicken and rice noodle soup.
Ingredients
Equipment needed: Instant Pot or slow cooker, cheesecloth* and fine meshed sieve*
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 6 cups water + 2 Tbsp better than bouillon chicken base
- 1 (2 inch) piece of ginger
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (or 2 star anise pods or 1/2 tsp crushed anise)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 4 ounces thin rice noodles (or more to your preference)
- Topping ideas: lime wedges, bean sprouts, fresh basil, fresh mint, sliced thai bird chili pepper
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to the sauté setting. When the display says HOT add in the oil and onion. Toss the onion in the oil and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the water and better than bouillon. Scrape the bottom of the pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add in the ginger, cloves, Chinese five spice powder, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, peppercorns, chicken, fish sauce and brown sugar.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 10 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the Instant Pot lid.
- Remove chicken from Instant Pot and place on a plate and shred. Scoop equal portions of chicken into 4 or 5 soup bowls.
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Scoop equal portions of rice noodles into the soup bowls.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to strain the broth. Discard the solids. Salt and pepper the broth to taste (mine was perfect already). Ladle the broth into the soup bowls.
- Serve the soup topped with desired toppings. (A squeeze of lime and crunch of bean sprouts was so good!)
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add onion, garlic, ginger, cloves, Chinese five spice powder, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, peppercorns, chicken, fish sauce and brown sugar into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker and place on a plate and shred. Scoop equal portions of chicken into 5 soup bowls.
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Scoop equal portions of rice noodles into 5 soup bowls.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to strain the broth. Discard the solids. Salt and pepper the broth to taste (mine was perfect already). Ladle the broth into the 5 bowls.
- Serve the soup topped with desired toppings. (A squeeze of lime and crunch of bean sprouts was so good!)
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. Make in the 8 quart pot with no changes or halve the recipe in the 3 quart pot.
Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Use up those ingredients!
Other recipes that use cardamom: Cardamom Chicken, Cardamom Honey Chicken, Carrot Cake with Cardamom
Other recipes that use coriander: Slow Cooker Yellow Chicken Curry, Creamy Coriander Chicken, Crispy Coriander Potatoes
Other recipes that use whole cloves: Instant Pot Apple Cider, Steve’s Bodacious Barbecue Ribs, Indian Style Basmati Rice, Whole Wheat Ginger Snaps, Authentic Cincinnati Chili
Other recipes that use fish sauce: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, Glazed Chicken Thighs, Spicy Pork Lettuce Cups
Other recipes that use Chinese five spice powder: Instant Pot Pepper Noodles, 5-Spice Chicken With Vegetable Stir-Fry, Pumpkin Apple Cake
Other recipes that use fresh ginger: Instant Pot Mushroom Chicken With Green Beans, Turkey Ginger Noodle Soup, Grilled Pork Tenderloins
Other recipes that use peppercorns: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo, Peppercorn Steak, Five-Peppercorn Fish Fillets
Order Your Copy Of The 365 Days Of Pressure Cooking Cookbook
The 365 Days of Pressure Cooking Cookbook is a recipe book with over 365 different easy and approachable electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) dinner recipes. There’s also a chapter with breakfasts, appetizers and side dishes. The recipes in this book are generally fast, easy and approachable. Oh, and don’t forget DELICIOUS!
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I’ve tried making pho at home before and had a bad experience— not this time! My pregnant-lady cravings had me yearning for pho the last couple of weeks, but I’ve been resisting takeout due to the bean sprout issue.
I was really happy to find a recipe that uses five-spice I stead of star anise (an expensive ingredient I would never use for anything else). I make a couple of tweaks: I subbed a pinch of ground cloves for the whole because that’s what I had, and I added a couple of tablespoons of lemongrass paste to really get that southeast Asian flavor. Delicious, and it really hit the spot! Thank you!
★★★★★
So glad you found the recipe and loved it! Thank you Kelsey!
How spicy is this? Looks great and my husband has always wanted to try this.
not spicy at all!
I do not eat pork or shellfish so oyster sauce will not work. I will look for a vegetarian option.
Any substitutions for fish sauce?
I was wondering the same thing.
I believe there is a vegan or vegetarian version of fish sauce. I was just thinking I would get some and try this recipe. The spousal unit is allergic to fish.
★★★★★
Oyster sauce perhaps???
Oh yum, I’ll make this, not that I’ve heard of Smiths, Harmons or Winco. But google to the rescue, Smiths is in about six western states. Winco again western only, and Harmons is for just Utahns! BTW, Pho is pronounced fuh, sort of, if anyone ever goes to a pho restaurant. And Penzey’s (on line and retail stores) carries wonderful and hard to find spices. No affiliation.
thanks, beth, for letting people know the pronounciation. it’s been one of my pet peeves since i learned how to say it correctly, along with “ji-roes” instead of “yer-rose” for gyros!
I have heard that penzey’s is good! I’ll look into it.
Penzeys is super, both the stores and on line, and knowledgeable employees. In the store once they had three or four types of cinnamon alone, as one example, and the spices are set up so you can smell them. Really nice company.
★★★★★