This crockpot chicken pho is a delicious, comforting and warm dinner that’s easy to make! A fool proof recipe with minimal kitchen mess. It freezes beautifully so it’s great for busy families!
Chicken pho, or turkey pho, is an incredibly delicious and comforting meal! A classic Vietnamese dish, pho is a flavorful soup broth traditionally made with beef bone. Packed with flavors and warm notes, this dish is easier to make than you would think. In this easy recipe, we’re using chicken instead for a cleaner taste and because it’s easily accessible. I can’t tell you how many stores I needed to visit before I was able to find beef bones. Using chicken for pho soup just makes it so much easier and the broth comes out with clean sweet notes.
The secret to perfect pho every single time is in the broth. While it might look unassuming and simple, it’s jam packed with spices and complex notes so it’s a really comforting dish. The turkey or chicken drumsticks are cooked until they are so tender they almost fall off the bone. I love to start it in the mornings so at night we’ll have a delicious dinner!
How to Use Crockpot to Make Chicken Pho
Char onion and ginger in oven using broil setting. About 20-30 minutes. In a kettle, boil 15 cups of water. Pour the 15 cups of hot water into the Crockpot and set to high. In a separate pot, fill it with enough water to cover the drumsticks, bring to a boil. Add ginger slices. Add the drumsticks and cook for 5 minutes to remove impurities.
Meanwhile, pan fry the spices (without oil) until fragrant. Put the spices in a spice bag and transfer to the crockpot.
Transfer the drumsticks to the Crockpot. Add the charred onion and ginger to the crockpot, along with the salt, fish sauce and rock sugar. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
At the end of cooking time, skim off oil.
When serving, boil the rice noodles in a separate pot of hot water according to package instructions. Drain and place in serving bowl. Add in the meat by tearing it off the drumstick and roughly shredding it. Discard the bone. Add Pho soup and serve with lime wedges on the side and any of the other condiments.
Can You Freeze Crockpot Chicken Pho?
Yes! You can definitely freeze this Crockpot chicken pho. I love to make a large batch each time I make it and freeze half for later. That way I know I have a comforting dinner ready if I need it. If you are making it for freezing, just hold off adding the rice noodles. Freeze the meat in one Ziploc bag and the stock into another, you’re are all set.
How to Re-heat Frozen Pho Soup
Once you are ready to serve it, just take both packs from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight and transfer it to a large pot. Bring it to a quick simmer and add some cooked noodles (cooked in a separate pot with water). Trust me when I say it will taste just like if you just made it!
Alternatively, if you’re really strapped for time, you can re-heat this Crockpot chicken pho by placing the block of iced broth into a large pot and set it on medium heat, stir it occasionally as it melts. Once it has melted, add the frozen meat and bring to a boil, then add some freshly cooked rice noodles.
Here is another freezer-friendly meal idea for the whole family: Tomato Beef on Rice
What Can You Serve with Pho Soup?
For me the best combination is with rice noodles, fresh lime wedges and some bean sprouts. However you can also serve it with chili peppers, Jalapenos, Thai basil, cilantro, Siracha sauce, Hoisin sauce or any other condiment you like.
Crockpot Chicken Pho
A delicious and comforting Vietnamese Crockpot chicken pho soup that’s so easy to make! A great freezable meal for busy families.
Ingredients
- 1 Large onion, halved
- 2 ½ Inches ginger, halved
- Some ginger slices
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 4-6 Cloves
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 20 grams rock sugar (1 pc)
- 16 Cups water, hot
- 8 chicken drumsticks*
- 1 Package rice noodles
- Optional condiments: cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprout, Siracha sauce, Hoisin sauce, Jalapenos, chillis
Instructions
- Char onion and ginger in oven using broil setting. About 20-30 minutes.
- In a kettle, boil 15 cups of water.
- Pour the 15 cups of hot water into the Crockpot and set to high.
- In a separate pot, fill it with enough water to cover the drumsticks, bring to a boil. Add ginger slices.
- Add the drumsticks and cook for 5 minutes to remove impurities.
- Meanwhile, pan fry the spices (without oil) until fragrant.
- Put the spices in a spice bag and transfer to the crockpot.
- Transfer the drumsticks to the Crockpot. Add the charred onion and ginger to the crockpot, along with the salt, fish sauce and rock sugar.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- At the end of cooking time, skim off oil.
- When serving, boil the rice noodles in a separate pot of hot water according to package instructions. Drain and place in serving bowl.
- Add in the meat by tearing it off the drumstick and roughly shredding it. Discard the bone.
- Add Pho soup and serve with lime wedges and any of the other condiments.
Notes
*Can be substituted with 4 Turkey drumsticks
** Refer to post on how to freeze and defrost soup.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 459Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 231mgSodium: 2434mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 47g
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