This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho is light, fragrant, and totally delicious! Made from scratch and in a fraction of the time, this Vietnamese soup recipe takes 30 minutes to make, thanks to the pressure cooker’s magic.
My Quick & Easy Version of Chicken Pho
There’s nothing quite like homemade noodle soup to get you through the winter. So, I wanted to share my family’s new favorite soup: Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho.
I have a confession to make: I am a pho beginner. I was introduced to this delicious and flavorful Vietnamese soup by my older daughter, who absolutely loves it, not long ago.
Of course, after trying different restaurants, I loved it too, so I knew I needed to come up with a quick and easy version to make at home to satisfy those cravings when going out is not an option.
Pho normally takes hours to prepare, but this Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho recipe takes 30 minutes to make, thanks to the Instant Pot magic.
This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho recipe is quick and easy to make and packed full of flavor without a lot of time or fuss.
Easy Way To Make Chicken Pho Soup at Home
The secret to a good pho soup lies in the quality of the stock, which is made with aromatics, bones, and flavorful spices.
- Saute Veggies and Spices
Heat the Instant Pot in sauté mode, and adjust to “more”. Heat oil; add onion, garlic, and ginger. Toast for several minutes, frequently stirring, until fragrant and browned. Stir cinnamon, star anise pods, cloves, coriander, and peppercorns; keep toasting until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Chicken
Add chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, sugar, and fish sauce to the pot; mix to combine.
- Pressure Cook
Cover and lock the lid. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and adjust the time to 15 minutes. When the time is over, let the pressure release on its own for 5 minutes. Then, carefully turn the valve to “Venting,” to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Press “Cancel”.
- Shred The Chicken
Remove chicken from the Instant Pot and shred, using two forks; set aside.
- Strain the Broth
Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth; discard solids. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Cook the Noodles
Cook the noodles in a separate large pot of boiling water according to package instructions and then drain well.
- Assemble & Server
Place the cooked noodles and chicken in 4 bowls. Pour over the broth. Top with Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chiles, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes, Tips & Variations
Chicken: This time, I use skinned bone-in chicken breast but feel free to use chicken thighs or legs, if you prefer.
Noodles: to save time, some people cook the noodles in the broth in the instant pot, but I prefer to cook the noodle in a separate large pot to avoid overcooking them. However, if you decide to cook the noodles in the instant pot, after straining the broth, return the broth to the pot, turn on the sauté mode and bring the broth to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Serve immediately.
Vegetarian: for a vegetarian version, substitute chicken breasts for 8 oz fresh shitake mushroom and chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Char the Veggies & Spices: Make sure to toast very well the veggies and spices. They must almost look slightly burned. That simple step will add lots of flavor to your pho.
Pho Common Spices
The most common species included in the pho soup are cinnamon, anise stars, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
Serve Chicken Pho
Place the cooked noodles and chicken in 4 bowls. Pour over the broth. Top with Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chiles, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store: The broth can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Make the broth and let it cool completely. Then place it in a freezer container and freeze for 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat until piping hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two sauces that pho is top it with are Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce.
Technically you can. However, the bone-in chicken will make your broth tastier, so I recommend sticking to the bone-in chicken.
Place the cooked rice noodles and chicken in the bowl. Pour over the pho broth. Top with Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chiles, bean sprouts, and green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
The most common species included in the pho soup are cinnamon, anise stars, whole cloves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Instant Pot Detox Soup
- Pressure Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup [Video]
- Instant Pot Smoky Cheese and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Beet and Leek Soup
- Three Cheese Shrimp Beer Soup
- Classic Onion Soup
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Recipe Card 📖
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion , quartered
- 4 garlic cloves , sliced
- 3- inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 anise stars
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- 3 bone-in chicken breasts , skinned (see notes)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 5 – 6 oz rice noodles (see notes)
To serve:
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh red chile peppers , thinly sliced
- Bean sprouts
- Green onions , sliced
- Lime wedges
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
- Heat the Instant Pot in sauté mode, and adjust to “more”. Add oil, onion, garlic, and ginger. Toast for several minutes, frequently stirring, until fragrant and browned. Stir in cinnamon, star anise pods, cloves, coriander, and peppercorns; keep toasting until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, sugar, and fish sauce to the pot; mix to combine.
Cook Broth
- Pressure Cook: Cover and lock the lid. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and adjust the time to 15 minutes. When the time is over, let the pressure release on its own for 5 minutes. Then, carefully turn the valve to "Venting," to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Press "cancel".or Slow Cook: Secure the lid to the pot and select "Slow Cook”. Cook for 7 – 8 hours. Make sure the valve is set to “venting”. When the time is over, press “cancel”.
- Remove chicken from the Instant Pot and shred, using two forks; set aside.
- Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth; discard solids. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
Noodles
- Cook the noodle in a separate large pot of boiling water according to package instructions. When ready drain well. See notes.
Serve:
- Divide the cooked noodles and chicken into 4 bowls. Pour over the broth. Top with Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, basil, mint, red chiles, bean sprouts, and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was originally published in January 2019. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in December 2022 to make it as helpful as possible!
I love these bowls! Where did you get them from or what’s the brand of them??
Hello Susy! I bought them at aliexpress.com