Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I decided to make a Shortcut Pho Ga. And now, I’m sure you’re wondering, “What on this side of heaven does Pho Ga have to do with the Great American Turkey Day?” Ahem. Thanksgiving, that is.
Because Pho Ga, like so many soups made with Chicken, can just as easily be made with Turkey. In this case, it’s made with Leftover Turkey and doctored up store-bought broth, so there’s your shortcut.
About Shortcut Pho Ga Vietnamese Chicken Soup:
See how I just keep capitalizing Turkey! Turkey, I love thee – but I love thine leftovers more. (Here’s my page on Leftover Turkey.) And guess what?
I usually do the whole works for Thanksgiving, including making stock/broth with the bones. This year, I’m making a rolled/stuffed Turkey roast, so making a good bone broth or stock is out. Plus, I know a lot you don’t go through that process, so a shortcut is in order.
If you’re interested, I do have a great, long-simmered, totally from-scratch Pho Ga on this site already, but I love this down and dirty shortcut version, and I guarantee it will hit my table (and maybe yours?) more often.
We’re going to take some stock/broth, store-bought (or homemade if you have it), and doctor it up with all the exotic spices and herbs from far-flung lands. You’ll add the slices of turkey to heat through. And as you sit at the table, dropping the herbs of choice in, the heady aroma will waft through the house.
And for just a bit, you’ll be transported to another place, a place where you’re not in the bleak of winter. A place that’s not windy and cold. A place that’s maybe a little hot and humid, maybe bustling with street noises and throngs of people.
And as you sup and sssslurp through the Pho (and yes, it’s acceptable to slurp), you’re going to be amazed. Amazed at how good it is, but even more amazed by how easy, and if you’re like me, a little amazed that you even made it!
Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup – Pho Ga or Chicken Pho, shortcut version
Making Shortcut Pho Ga Tay:
Making this soup is really pretty easy, but there are a few steps to follow. And those steps pretty much happen quickly. They’re all easy but there is a bit of a flurry of activity to get it all done. But that’s not too big of deal because as the broth simmers away on the stovetop or cooks in the Instant Pot, you’re going to have some time.
That’s when you’re going to want to prepare your noodles and garnishes for the Pho Ga. For the noodles, bring a big pot of water to a boil (a big pot because you’ll want to use it for the bean sprouts as well; they’ll need to be quickly blanched in the water for about a minute, then pour some of that water over the noodles. They’ll soak away as everything else is prepared.
Then just ready your garnishes. Use them all or pick and choose your faves. The garnishes that need a little attention are the red onion, which needs to soak for a bit, just to take away some of that raw bite, and the bean sprouts (mentioned above) that need to be blanched. That’s assuming, of course, that you will be using fresh bean sprouts. If using canned, just rinse and drain.
Saving Money on Shortcut Pho Ga Tay:
Of course, any time you are utilizing leftovers, you’re basically saving money that could have potentially been wasted (if we weren’t too smart for that, lol!) And when you’re using leftovers that were bought at a great price during a pre-holiday sale, even better.
Of course, look for some of these other items on sale before the holiday, too. The broth is a great item to pick up in quantity; it’s likely it will never be less expensive than before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and/or Easter. Herbs may very well be at a low, too.
So I hope you’ll have a Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you’ll look over this recipe or maybe choose a recipe or two from my 12 Days of Turkey post (or the companion 12 Days of Ham) so you can pick up a few ingredients while you do your holiday shop. Then you’ll be all set & won’t have to grocery shop for a while. Do your Black Friday thing or “whatev.”
Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup – Pho Ga or Chicken Pho, shortcut version
Instant Pot Pho Ga or Pho Ga Tay
Prepare noodles first:
- 16 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and turn off. Immediately add the noodles, pressing down to submerge. Soak for 30 minutes until softened. If not softened to desired consistency when broth is ready, turn the heat on and warm the water until cooked through.
For the broth:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, peeled & halved
- 2-inch section ginger, peeled, cut into thick slices, and bruised
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
- 8 cups good chicken or turkey broth, low sodium
- 2 star anise
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2″ chunk rock sugar or 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- stems from a small bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped, leaves reserved for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Heat Instant Pot on Saute function with 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion, cut side down and ginger slices and cook without moving until slightly charred on bottom. Ginger will need to be turned.
When onion is ready, toss in the coriander and continue to cook for one minute. Immediately add broth, then star anise, cloves, sugar, and cilantro stems. Add lid to Instant Pot and set on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
When the 10 minutes is up, release pressure manually (quick release) add strain the broth, discarding solids. Add fish sauce, then salt to taste. Broth should be highly seasoned.
The garnishes:
- 1/2 to 1 pound cooked chicken or turkey meat, thinly sliced or torn into bite-size pieces (see note)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced against the grain and soaked in water for 10 minutes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, green parts only
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops only
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup bean sprouts, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water if fresh (may blanch in water for noodles)
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 or 2 jalapeno or other chilis, thinly sliced
- Sriracha and/or hoisin sauce
Add garnishes as desired. It’s helpful to add to a platter from which everyone can serve themselves.
Note: if no cooked chicken or turkey is available, add a large chicken breast to the Instant Pot but increase cooking time to 15 minutes. Remove immediately and set aside to rest, then slice or shred.
Pho Ga or Pho Ga Tay Stove Top
For the broth:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, peeled & halved
- 2-inch section ginger, peeled, cut into thick slices, and bruised
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
- 8 cups chicken or turkey broth, low sodium
- 2 star anise
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2″ chunk rock sugar or 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- stems from a small bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped, leaves reserved for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Heat Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion, cut side down, and ginger slices, and cook without moving until slightly charred onthe bottom. Ginger will need to be turned.
When the onion is ready, toss in the coriander and continue to cook for one minute. Immediately add broth, then star anise, cloves, sugar, and cilantro stems. Bring to a boil, cover with lid ajar and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain, then add fish sauce, then salt to taste. Broth should be highly seasoned.
Prepare noodles after the broth has simmered for about 15 minutes:
- 16 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and turn off. Immediately add the noodles, pressing down to submerge. Soak for 30 minutes until softened. If not softened to desired consistency when broth is ready, turn the heat on and warm the water until cooked through.
The garnishes:
- 1/2 to 1 pound cooked chicken or turkey meat, thinly sliced or torn into bite-size pieces (see note)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced against the grain and soaked in water for 10 minutes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, green parts only
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops only
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup bean sprouts, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water if fresh (may blanch in water for noodles)
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 or 2 jalapeno or other chilis, thinly sliced
- Sriracha and/or hoisin sauce
Add garnishes as desired. It’s helpful to add to a platter from which everyone can serve themselves.
Notes: If no cooked chicken or turkey is available, add a large chicken breast to the broth; cook until easily pierced with a knife, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to rest for a few minutes then slice or shred.
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I’ll be bringing this to Fiesta Friday #198, hosted this week by two women of great taste; both well seasoned bloggers: Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju.com and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas and Spoons.This is going to be a fun party with all kinds of Holiday foods!
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