Instant Pot Pho

Vietnamese Chicken pho with rice noodles in a bowl

4.80 from 5 reviews

This easy Instant Pot Pho (pressure cooker pho) is made with tender chicken, rice noodles and fresh herbs in a rich and flavorful savory broth. This warming Vietnamese noodle soup is made in a fraction of the time thanks to the Instant Pot.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Instant Pot Pho, Pho Ga

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 388kcal

Author Chef Kathy McDaniel

Ingredients

Broth

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 large onion, quartered
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small bunch of cilantro
3 whole cloves
2 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander (or 1 teaspoon coriander seeds)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin off
5 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Noodles and Toppings

8 ounces dried rice noodles
1 cup bean sprouts
2 cups mixed fresh herbs (fresh Thai basil leaves, fresh torn mint leaves, cilantro)
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1-2 Thai bird chili pepper, thinly sliced
1-2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Heat the canola oil; add the onion, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro, whole cloves, star anise pods, cinnamon, fennel seeds, coriander and peppercorns. Press cancel to turn the saute option off.
Add the chicken thighs, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of water into the pot. Select the manual setting and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. When finished cooking, do a quick-release to release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Open the pressure cooker and transfer the chicken to a plate. You can slice the chicken or using two forks, shred the chicken and discard the bones. Set the shredded chicken aside.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth; discard the solids. Skim any remaining fat from the surface and discard; season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also season with additional fish sauce, if desired. Return the broth to the instant pot and keep warm.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
To serve, divide the noodles and shredded chicken into serving bowls. Pour the hot broth over and serve immediately, garnished with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, scallions, chili peppers and lime wedges.

Notes

We use skinless, bone-in chicken thighs to make this recipe. Chicken legs or drumsticks can also be used.
Bone-in chicken breast can be used in combination with dark meat. Dark meat is definitely more flavorful than chicken breast and will add more flavor to the broth.
If you purchase skin-on chicken, remove the skin and remove any excess fat to keep the soup lean.
Cook the noodles as close to serving time as possible.
Bringing Vietnamese flavors to the entire world: We have the most respect for the people of Vietnam, their culture and cuisine. It’s with best intentions and a full heart that we developed this pressure cooker Pho recipe. We made some adjustments so this soup can be made by cooks of all skill levels, at home, in less time.
This recipe can be made in a 6 Qt pressure cooker or larger.

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