This Chicken Pho recipe takes the classic bowl and infuses it with more protein, more plant diversity, and collagen. It's high-protein, low-carb, and easy to make.
by Mia Rigden, board-certified nutritionist, classically trained chef
I love bulking up a favorite dish with the concepts I swear by in my practice: more protein, more veggies, fewer refined carbohydrates. When I made this chicken pho recipe on a moody, rainy day last week, I was thrilled by how easy it was to satisfy these three essentials while maintaining the exquisite flavors of my takeout favorite.
With five different vegetables, this bowl alone takes you halfway to the daily plant goal I set for all my clients. I swapped out half the standard rice noodles for spiralized zucchini to provide your mitochondria more micronutrients to metabolize the meal. The cinnamon sticks offer additional support for your metabolism, and who doesn’t want more anti-inflammatory ginger?
While the chicken breast provides substantial protein, my favorite part of this chicken pho recipe soup is the bone broth. With about 10 grams of protein per cup, bone broth is an excellent source of the collagen you need to bolster your body’s supply that dwindles with age. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the body, responsible for almost everything from resilient joints and strong ligaments to firm skin and a leak-proof gut lining.
Before savoring my first spoonful, I down a packet of Lypo-Spheric® Vitamin C to keep my cells supplied with the nutrients they need to make as much collagen as they can.
Ingredients
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise
- ½ tablespoon cloves
- ½ tablespoon cardamom pods
- 1 white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
- 6–8 cups chicken bone broth
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 2 zucchini, spiralized
- 4 ounces (½ package) rice noodles, cooked
- 1.5–2 cups mung bean sprouts
- 1-2 red chilies, Fresno chilies, or cherry peppers, sliced
- ½ cup green onions, sliced
- Cilantro
- Basil
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spices, stirring until fragrant. Add half of the onions and the ginger (without oil), and dry cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
- Next add the chicken broth, followed by the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and cover for at least 30 minutes to infuse flavor into the broth.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to package directions, rise with cold water and set aside.
- Strain the broth and return to the pan without the onions and spices. Add the chicken to warm through.
- Arrange the garnishes on a plate: mung bean sprouts, chilli, green onions, herbs and lime wedges on a plate.
- To serve, add the zucchini and rice noodles to a bowl and ladle the soup on top. Add garnishes of choice.
Mia Rigden is a Los Angeles-based board certified nutritionist, trained chef, and the author of The Well Journal (2020) and Foodwise (2023), a comprehensive, encouraging guide to healthy eating with 100 original, nutritionally-balanced and flavor-enriching recipes. Learn more about working with Mia on her website, check out an online course, and follow on Instagram @mia_rigden for science-backed, practical nutrition advice.
