Chicken Pho Soup

Vietnamese Pho (pronounced fur) is one of my all time favourite recipes.

 It is a bowl of ultimate goodness in my books - with a healthy broth and punchy kick!

 I love that you can wing it with the ingredients and can never get it wrong! Its my go to hangover cure, cold buster, and just so tasty every time.  To make it even healthier you can make it with courgetti (courgette noodles) instead of rice noodles (flat or vermicelli).  

Remember fresh herbs are a must, as is the fresh chilli, whether you make your own broth or use a pre made stock its always sure to be a recipe staple you will make again and again.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4-6 chicken tenderloins
• 1- 1.5 litres of water
• 1 clove of star anise
• 1 Knox chicken stock cube
• 1 tspn ginger, chopped
• 1 tspn (or small lug) of light soya sauce (you don't want the broth turning dark brown)
• 1/2 - 1 red chilli, sliced 
• 1/2-1 tbspn fish sauce (more to taste at the end)
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 handful of fresh mint and coriander
• 1 handful of fresh bean sprouts
• 1 segment of rice noodles or 1 courgette (spiralled) or both
• 1 lime, halved

METHOD

• Add the stock cube to the water and pour into a pot
• Add the star anise, 1/4 sliced spring onions, ginger, 1/2 the chilli, soya sauce, and squeeze in one half of the lime (leave this in the broth) 
• Feel free to taste the broth and add more water if it is not to your taste
• Place the chicken in the water and bring to the boil, then a simmer until the chicken is cooked through (they cook surprisingly fast - max five minutes once the water has boiled)
• Once the chicken is cooked, taste the broth again and even add some fresh herbs if you like! 
• Remove the cooked chicken and cut into small slithers (so it is easy to pick up with chopsticks)
• Add the rice noodles to the broth and cook for a further couple of minutes (if using courgetti add this last and only cook for a minute - if you over cook they will be mushy noodles!)
• Serve the broth and noodles into large bowls, top with the chicken, fresh herbs, spring onions, chilli, bean sprouts and extra lime and fish sauce to taste.

Seriously, seriously good!!!