Chicken Pho gets even better when the garden gets involved. For this fresh, flavorful bowl, I spiralized garden-grown daikon radish as noodles and added bok choy, Thai basil, mint, and cilantro straight from the garden. The result is a comforting, aromatic Chicken Pho packed with fresh flavor.

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Quick Recipe Facts

• ⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
• 🔥 Cook Time: 1 hour
• ⏰ Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 6
• 🥢 Cuisine: Vietnamese
• 🍜 Course: Main Course
• ⭐ Difficulty: Easy

The heart of this recipe is the broth. Slowly simmering chicken with onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom creates a deeply aromatic broth that’s warm, comforting, and full of flavor. Tender chicken and fresh herbs finish the bowl without overpowering that beautiful broth.

Fresh herbs and garnishes bring Chicken Pho to life. I love adding Thai basil, mint, cilantro, bok choy, lime, and a little sliced chile. When those ingredients come straight from the garden, they add incredible freshness and color to the warm, savory broth.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Chicken Pho is warm, aromatic, and packed with fresh flavor. The homemade broth gets its depth from ginger and fragrant spices, while tender chicken and plenty of fresh herbs keep every bowl bright and satisfying. Using spiralized daikon in place of traditional noodles adds a fresh garden twist and lets all those beautiful Pho flavors shine.

Ingredient Notes

• Daikon Radish: Spiralized daikon makes a fresh, light alternative to traditional rice noodles and is a great way to use daikon straight from the garden.
• Star Anise: This fragrant spice gives Pho its distinctive warm, slightly sweet aroma. A little goes a long way.
• Fish Sauce: Adds savory depth and umami to the broth without making it taste fishy.
• Thai Basil: Adds a fresh, slightly peppery flavor that’s especially good with the warm, aromatic broth.
• Bok Choy: Adds a tender-crisp texture and mild flavor, and it’s another easy way to bring something fresh from the garden into the bowl.

My tip: If you’re using spiralized daikon from the garden, don’t overcook it. Let the hot broth soften it just enough so it stays slightly crisp and fresh.

What to Serve With Chicken Pho

• Fresh spring rolls: Light and crisp, they pair beautifully with the warm, aromatic Pho.
• Crisp cucumber salad: Cool, crunchy, and refreshing alongside the rich, fragrant broth.
• Steamed edamame: Simple, lightly salted, and an easy side that won’t compete with the flavors of the Pho.
• Extra fresh herbs and lime: Set out Thai basil, mint, cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeño so everyone can customize their own bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rice noodles instead of spiralized daikon?

Absolutely. Traditional rice noodles work beautifully in Chicken Pho. The spiralized daikon is simply a fresh, garden-inspired alternative.

Can I make the broth ahead of time?

Yes. The broth can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat it until steaming hot, then assemble the bowls with the chicken, noodles or daikon, vegetables, and fresh garnishes.

Can I freeze Chicken Pho broth?

Yes. Let the broth cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Freeze the broth separately and add fresh noodles or daikon, chicken, vegetables, and herbs when serving.

What can I substitute for Thai basil?

If you can’t find Thai basil, regular sweet basil will work. The flavor is a little different but paired with fresh cilantro and mint it still gives the Pho plenty of fresh herbal flavor.

Recipe Tips

• Toast the spices: Briefly toasting the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom before adding them to the broth helps bring out their aroma and flavor.
• Keep the garnishes fresh: Add the Thai basil, mint, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeño at the table rather than cooking them in the broth. This keeps their flavors bright and fresh.
• Don’t overcook the daikon: If you’re using spiralized daikon instead of rice noodles, let the hot broth soften it just until tender so it keeps a little texture.
• Taste the broth before serving: Adjust with a little extra fish sauce or lime as needed. The broth should taste savory, aromatic, and balanced before you ladle it into the bowls.

From the Garden to the Bowl

One of my favorite things about having a garden is finding ways to use what I grow in the kitchen. For this Chicken Pho, I spiralized fresh daikon radish to use as noodles and added garden-grown bok choy, Thai basil, mint, and cilantro. Those just-picked ingredients brought so much freshness to the bowl and made this Chicken Pho especially delicious.

Chicken Pho

A warm and aromatic Chicken Pho with tender chicken, fragrant homemade broth, and plenty of fresh herbs. Spiralized daikon, bok choy, Thai basil, mint, and cilantro give this comforting soup a fresh garden-inspired twist.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

  

BROTH

• 1 Whole Chicken-or buy the chicken broken down
• 1 Onion-halved
• 1 3" Piece ginger-peeled and halved
• 2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1 CInnamon stick
• 1 Star anise pod
• 2 Whole Cloves
• 1/4 Cup Fish sauce

PHO

• 12 Oz Dried rice noodles or spiralized daikon radish
• Sliced Thin onion
• Bean sprouts for garnish
• Fresh cilantro for garnish
• Thai basil for garnish
• Lime wedges for garnish
• Serrano chile thinly sliced, for garnish
• Hoisin sauce for garnish
• Sriracha for garnish
• Bok choy chopped, optional
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

 

BROTH

• Cut up your chicken into pieces or use an already cut up chicken. If you prefer you can use a rotisserie chicken. See the video below on how to cut up a whole chicken. Set aside the chicken pieces, backbone, neck and giblets.
• Add all the chicken pieces, backbone, neck and giblets to a Dutch oven. Add 12 cups of water, onion, ginger, salt and sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer. If you leave the chicken boiling your broth week not be clear. Continue cooking, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface. Cook until the breast registers 165', about 20 minutes.
• Transfer breast to a plate when cooled shred. You will add the chicken the soup bowls.
• Add coriander, cinnamon, star anise and cloves to the broth. I used a coffee filter to hold the spices, tied with string for easy retrieval. Simmer gently for 1 hour.
• Remove the leg quarters to the plate with the chicken breast. Discard the rest of the chicken, seasoning bag and onion. Strain the broth through a find mesh strainer.
• Rinse pot well and return broth to pot. Add more water or broth to equal 12 cups. Stir in fish sauce, cover and simmer to keep warm.

PHO

• If using rice noodles, cook according to package directions. If using spiralized daikon, add it directly to the hot broth or briefly simmer until just tender. While the noodles or daikon are being prepared, shred the leg quarters. Prepare the bok choy and garnishes and set aside.
• Divide the cooked rice noodles or spiralized daikon among the bowls and top each with about 1/3 cup shredded chicken. Add chopped bok choy, then ladle the hot broth over everything.
• Serve with bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, Thai basil, mint, lime wedges, sliced jalapeño, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha so everyone can customize their bowl.

Notes

https://youtu.be/_UyyLRqah3E?si=q9ktEDzbh9WhA6DT

Keyword chicken, chicken pho, pho, soup, Vietnamese food

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