Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Chicken Pho

I love pho. Now, pronounce it correctly, fuh. Seems weird to say at first, but whenever I order it in a Thai restaurant and use the correct pronunciation, the waiter/ waitress will give me a huge smile.


Pho is a wonderful soup, full of delicious flavors and textures that mingle perfectly. Soft rice noodles, crisp bibb lettuce and bean sprouts, salty fish sauce, spicy ginger and cinnamon, and so on. Really a bright and refreshing soup, but you have to use the cilantro and mint and absolutely remember to squeeze fresh lime on before eating. These garnishes truly make pho, well, pho!


Two notes: I added some red bell pepper strips for color (and extra veggie-ness) and more bean sprouts because I was trying to make a dent in a huge bag I had bought last week.





* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Pho


Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home
Servings: 4


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------

40 ounces low-salt chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast -- sliced into thin strips
4 ounces rice vermicelli
1/2 cup red onion -- thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup scallions -- green part only, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12 small bibb lettuce leaves
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves -- chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves -- chopped
1/4 cup jalapeno chili -- thinly sliced
1 small lime -- cut into wedges


Bring a pot of water to a boil for the vermicelli.


Mix the chicken broth, cinnamon, and gingerroot in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes.


While the chicken is cooking, stir the vermicelli into the hot water and remove from the heat, stir a few times until the noodles are softened.


Add the red onion and carrot to the chicken broth and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and scallions.


Drain the noodles and divide between 4 large, shallow bowls. Arrange the Bibb lettuce leaves on top of the noodles. Divide the chicken broth, chicken, and vegetables between the 4 bowls. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, and chili
slices. Serve with wedges of lime to squeeze over.



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Per serving: 209 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (21% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 52mg Cholesterol; 117mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates