Make a knockout Vietnamese noodle soup in a fraction of the time and using your leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken, for the perfect weeknight pick-me-up. Saves on time, saves on food waste… but it sure does deliver on the flavour. You won’t believe it until you try it.
Leftover Chicken Pho
1 x rotisserie chicken carcass along with 2 leg pieces or wing tips
2 litres (2.1 qt) water
1 onion, sliced in half
2 slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole star anise
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp sugar
sea salt, to taste
To serve:
Cooked pho rice noodles
shredded rotisserie chicken
finely sliced spring onion (scallions)
bean shoots
Thai basil leaves
finely sliced red chilli
lemon wedges
hoisin sauce
sriracha
- Place the chicken carcass, legs and wings in a medium-large saucepan, as well as the halved onion (no need to peel it), sliced ginger, cinnamon and star anise.
- Pop the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, skimming off any foam from the surface if necessary, for 20–25 minutes (use this time to cook your noodles and prepare the other ingredients you’ll serve your leftover chicken pho with).
- Add the soy, fish sauce and sugar. Taste the broth, and add more salt or fish sauce to your liking.
- Place a fine sieve over a large bowl and carefully strain the pho broth, discarding the aromatics.
- Add cooked rice noodles to serving bowls, and top with shredded chicken and spring onion. Ladle over the hot soup. Serve with bean shoots, lime wedges, Thai basil and red chilli on the side, plus hoisin and sriracha sauces.
