Light Chicken Pho Noodle Soup
Nutrition per serving
Protein per 100 kcal: 9.9g · Energy from macros: 40% protein / 44% carbs / 16% fat
Ingredients
- 300g chicken breast fillets (2 pieces)
- 1.2 litres low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 onion, halved
- 3cm piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to taste
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 140g flat rice noodles
- 1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp honey (optional)
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh coriander leaves
- 1 handful fresh mint leaves
- 100g bean sprouts
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
Toast the onion and ginger in a dry pot over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the edges colour a little.
Add the chicken stock, garlic, star anise and cinnamon stick, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the broth smells fragrant.
Add the chicken breasts, lower the heat and poach gently for 12-14 minutes until cooked through, then lift out and rest for 5 minutes.
Strain the broth, return it to the pot, and season with the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and honey if using.
Cook the rice noodles to the packet directions, drain, divide between two bowls, slice the chicken thinly and lay it over the noodles.
Ladle the hot broth over each bowl, top with spring onions, coriander, mint, bean sprouts and chilli, and serve with lime wedges.
This is the soup I make when I want something warm that still stays light. A clear broth scented with ginger and star anise, chicken gently poached in it, slippery rice noodles, and fresh herbs, chilli and a squeeze of lime over every bowl — proper comfort food that never sits heavy. Log it after lunch at nutricounter.net/tools/tracker and you'll see it fits a healthy weight-gain day with room to spare.
