It would be inaccurate to call this nourishing soup an authentic Vietnamese pho. The essence of pho is a daylong-simmered broth, typically made from beef or chicken bones. A handful of whole spices, such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander, mingle with the stock, infusing the soup with layers of flavor and fragrance.
The broth is then ladled into deep, wide bowls filled with rice noodles and strips of beef, chicken or perhaps tofu. A slew of fresh garnishes and bowls of spicy condiments accompany the soup, ready for dipping and scattering over the steamy bowl. It's understandable that a piping hot bowl of pho is a crave-able meal, especially on a cold winter evening.
It's also predictable that cravings can strike unannounced and without mercy, inconsiderate of convenience and when you are least prepared. In these urgent moments, the solution is to improvise. This simple soup is an easy weeknight dish that mimics a pho without the loving labor of time that would make it truly authentic.
It relies on a prepared or store-bought stock simmered with a few toasted aromatics to build flavor in a quickly assembled soup. You might call it a faux pho. For this soup, use a good-quality prepared chicken stock or bone broth.
For the meat, you can cook and shred chicken meat or rely on leftovers. Don't skimp on the fresh garnishes, which are an important component of the soup: crisp bean sprouts, leafy herbs and fresh chiles, along with squirts of lime, Sriracha and hoisin provid.