Dairy-Free Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Ingredients

• 8 cups Chicken broth
• 1.5 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 8 oz Rice noodles
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 2 inch Ginger
• 3 whole Star anise
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons Fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
• 2 stalks Green onions
• 0.25 cup Cilantro
• 2 cups Bean sprouts
• 4 wedges Lime wedges
• 0.25 cup Thai basil

Instructions

1. 1Peel and halve the 1 medium yellow onion, and peel and halve lengthwise the 2 inch ginger. In a large pot, combine the 8 cups of chicken broth, the halved 1 medium yellow onion, the halved 2 inch ginger, the 3 whole star anise, and the 1 piece cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat (212°F / 100°C), then reduce the heat to low (just enough to maintain a gentle simmer), cover, and simmer for 30 minutes; the broth will become fragrant as the aromatics infuse.
2. 2Add the 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the simmering broth. Cover the large pot and continue to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when measured with a meat thermometer, and appears opaque throughout. Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the pot and place them on a clean cutting board to cool for 5 minutes, making them easier to handle.
3. 3Using two forks, shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1-inch (2.5 cm) long. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or another large pot, discarding the cooked onion, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Return the strained broth to the original large pot.
4. 4Add the shredded chicken back into the strained broth in the large pot. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, the 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and the 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat (around 190-200°F / 88-93°C) and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the broth to become hot and steaming.
5. 5While the broth simmers, bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat (212°F / 100°C). Add the 8 oz of rice noodles to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but still have a slight chew. Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander, then rinse them under cool running water for 30 seconds to prevent sticking, and set aside.
6. 6Prepare the 2 stalks of green onions by thinly slicing them. Divide the cooked 8 oz of rice noodles evenly among 4 individual serving bowls, then top the noodles in each bowl with the shredded chicken. Evenly sprinkle the sliced 2 stalks of green onions, the 0.25 cup of cilantro, and the 2 cups of bean sprouts over the chicken, and gently place the 0.25 cup of Thai basil leaves on top.
7. 7Carefully ladle the hot, simmering broth from the large pot over the noodles, chicken, and herbs in each of the 4 serving bowls, ensuring each bowl receives plenty of hot broth. Serve immediately with the 4 wedges of lime on the side of each bowl for squeezing into the pho.

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