Quick Chicken Pho

While all you nice northern friends of ours are still having such awful cold and some snow flurry weather in the first week of April, which is almost unheard of...we, in S. Florida are getting your 'cold front' with lower temperatures, and windy sometimes quite chilly weather. It is certainly a goo 'soup' day again, so I concocted an easy, yet interesting Vietnamese version of a Quick Chicken Pho!

There's a good reason why I call my blog 'Food and Thrift'...because I'm always looking to find ways of using everything up in my frig, and pantry, and of course looking for sales and 'thrift finds'. In this case I'm using up the breast part of my purchased rotisserie chicken, which is the breast! Instead of using the boneless chicken breast that the recipe calls for, I add the roasted chicken, cleaning it from the skin and bone and shredding it in small section to add at the end of the cooking process!

Just look at the beautiful golden color of this Asian version of chicken soup, with fresh herbs and spices...not to mention with my favorite little red hot chili pepper slices.

The recipe is so easy, you really want to try this which will take you no longer than 45 minutes!

Quick Chicken Pho
recipe adapted from: 
Cooking Light magazine, March 2017
my adaptation in blue

1 3/4 section ginger
2 med. large green onions
1 small bunch cilantro sprigs
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 whole clove
3 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 cups of water
1 8 oz. skinless boneless chicken breast
1 whole breast saved from leftover rotisserie purchased chicken
3 oz.dried flat rice noodles, such as Pad Thai
3 oz. dried thin spaghetti broken into 3rds
1 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp. organic sugar or maple syrup (opt.)
Fresh basil leaves, mint leaves, mung bean sprouts
sliced red Fresno chili, and lime wedges for garnish
(optional)

Directions:

Peel and slice the ginger crosswise into 4 or 5 coins, then smack with the flat side of a knife. Set aside. Cut the hollow green parts of the green onion into thin rounds to yield 2 to 3 tablespoons; set aside. Cut the leftover white sections into pinkie-

finger lengths, bruise, then add to the ginger.until fragrant. Add the ginger and green onion mixture; stir 30 seconds or until aromatic. Slide the pot off the heat and cool for about 15 seconds, then pour in the stock. Return the pot to the heat; add 2 cups water, cilantro sprigs, and chicken. Bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, and gently simmer for 30 minutes. While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in hot water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

After 5 to 10 minutes of simmering, add the skinned and boned rotisserie chicken pieces. and cook and additional 15 more minutes. the chicken should be firm and cooked through (it should yield slightly when pressed). Transfer the chicken to a bowl, flush with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain. Cool and cut or shred into bite-size pieces. Cover loosely to prevent drying.

Bring the strained broth to a boil over high. Put the noodles into the boiling broth and cook for an additional 10 minutes. in a noodle strainer or mesh sieve and dunk into the hot broth to heat and soften, 5 to 60 seconds. Lift the noodles from the pot and divide between 2 large bowls. Lower the heat to keep the broth hot.

When the broth is done, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer positioned over a 2-quart pot (line the strainer with muslin for a super-clear broth). Discard the solids. You should have about 4 cups broth. Add fish sauce and sugar or maple syrup, if needed, to create a strong savory-sweet note.

Lower the heat to keep the broth hot while you arrange the chicken on top of the noodles and garnish with the chopped green onion, cilantro, and a sprinkling of pepper. Return the broth to a boil before ladling into the bowls. Enjoy with basil, mint, sprouts, chili and lime if desired.

Serves 2.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday #374