Simple Slow Cooker Pho is super easy. This cheater recipe saves you money, no need for takeout.
Vietnamese pho is such a great meal for any night of the week. Who wouldn’t welcome a bowl of noodle soup?
A savoury broth with the flavours of star anise, cloves, and cinnamon, with a touch of fish sauce.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this homemade pho are at the bottom of this post.
I love Asian takeout. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, all so full of flavour. Since I love cooking at home, making some of these wonderful dishes is a fun way to travel the world without leaving the kitchen.
This chicken pho recipe packs a flavour punch. If you love chicken noodle soup, this is the Asian version.
Looking for a little more soup fun, Cambodian Pineapple Soup is fun to make too.
Are YOU a noodle lover? We sure are. Authentic Ukrainian Egg Noodle Casserole and fun Chinese Spaghetti and Meatballs are a few of the dishes we enjoy. This easy pho recipe is another family favourite.
Can You Cook Pho In The Slow Cooker?
YES! This really is a simple soup to make, and the perfect crockpot dinner recipe.
The broth, chicken and shrimp are all prepared in the slow cooker. The noodles and bean sprouts are the only things you need to make on the side.
Slow Cooker Pho Ingredients
- chicken breasts
- chicken stock
- brown sugar
- *(affiliate) fish sauce
- tamari sauce
- cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves
- cooked shrimp
- bok choy
- fresh basil
- lime
- jalapeno
- *(affiliate) Sriracha sauce
- *(affiliate) rice noodles
- bean sprouts
How To Make Chicken Pho In The Slow Cooker
- Just like all slow cooker recipes, this pho soup is no exception.
- Lightly coat the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
- Combine the stock, fish sauce and seasonings, and pour over chicken breasts.
- Cook on low for 9 hours.
- Prepare shrimp and bok choy (see instructions in recipe card), and add to the pot.
- Continue to cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken, shred and return to pot.
- Prepare rice noodles according to directions on the package.
- Place cooked noodles in a serving bowl, ladle on broth, garnish and ENJOY!
Recipe Tips
- I love chicken and shrimp so I decided to use both in this pho soup. You can make this a chicken only version if you like. You can also use chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Thai basil is not always easy to find, so you can use whatever fresh basil you can find at the grocery store (or your garden).
- For the rice noodles, I chose the kind you would find in Pad Thai. I cooked them ahead of time and placed them in the fridge.
- I blanched my bean sprouts (some people prefer to eat them raw).
- For pho toppings, I used jalapenos and Thai basil. Nuts like cashews or peanuts would be a great option too. Also, you might consider sliced snap peas or bell peppers.
Is Pho Healthy?
I guess it depends on what YOU class as healthy. For some people, it may be high on sodium because of the fish sauce, but you could adjust the amount you use.
It contains rice noodles (that are gluten-free). Protein from the chicken and shrimp. You get some veggies from the bok choy and bean sprouts.
Vietnamese noodle soup is a tasty dish that acts as a main course. Just like noodle bowls.
Pho in the crockpot is easy and totally delicious. Perfect for any night of the week. Better than takeout. Hope you give it a try soon.
Since I know you will LOVE this recipe, Slow Cooker Creamy Fish Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Easy, hearty and so delicious.
Slow Cooker Spicy Kale Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Hearty and delicious. The heat comes from the dry-cured sausage.
This recipe was inspired by Served From Scratch Crockpot Chicken Pho.
What is YOUR favorite flavour of pho soup?
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Vietnamese Slow Cooker Pho
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (skinless/boneless)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons tamari sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 star anise
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and sliced)
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 pound frozen cooked shrimp (thawed/tail on)
- 4 cups baby bok choy (chopped)
- ½ cup Thai basil (roughly chopped)
- 2 jalapenos (sliced)
- 1 lime (quartered)
- Sriracha sauce (as needed)
- 12 ounces Pad Thai noodles (pre cooked)
- 12 ounces Fresh bean sprouts (raw or blanched)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.
- Combine stock, fish sauce, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, cloves, tamari, and brown sugar.
- Pour over chicken breasts.
- Cook on low for 9 hours.
- Roughly chop bok choy.
- Rinse and dry shrimp.
- Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker along with the cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise.
- Add bok choy and shrimp to the slow cooker.
- Replace lid, turn slow cooker to high and cook for 30 minutes.
- At this point, you can blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water. If you are eating them raw, be sure to RINSE thoroughly.
- Shred the cooked chicken breasts.
- Return shredded chicken to pot and heat for a few minutes.
- Place noodles in bowls, ladle broth, garnish with jalapenos, basil, Sriracha and bean sprouts.
- ENJOY!
Nutrition Information
Christine
I love using my slow cooker and finding new recipes for it. I will definitely be trying this out. Thank you so much.
Chef G
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!
Elaine
Oh My this looks amazing!! Found you on facebook!! Pinned!
Chef G
Thanks so much….please make it an ENJOY!!
swayam
this is so yum!! I love Pho and slow cookers really add to the flavor thousand times!
Chef G
I love slow cookers too….enjoy!!
Dini @ The Flavor Bender
I am seriously drooling! I love Pho and homemade tastes even better!! Definitely have to give your version a try – it’s perfect for winter! 🙂
Chef G
And so EASY….Enjoy!!
Germaine
I LOVE the look of this recipe. Clean, wholesome and fresh….perfect!
Chef G
Thanks so much. It really was easy and tasty.
Ange
I love Pho – it always mkes me feel so healthy! Making it in the slow cooker is a great idea.
Great tip about the bean shoots too!
Chef G
I know….got to love slow cookers.
Kathrina
Mmmm, PHO! I adore pho and I can’t wait to try this slow cooker version. There’s nothing like a warm bowl of this yummy goodness this time of year!
Chef G
So true…and I love the fact dinner cooks while I am busy doing other things!!
Richa
Never made pho at home, but I love ordering it outside. This recipe looks simple enough to try!
Chef G
This was my first time too…it was easy and yummy!!
Melissa
I am a pho-aholic. I can’t go a week in winter without at least having it once and I have been meaning for ages to see if I could find an easy slow cooker recipe for it (I love my slow cooker too!). This is perfect! I will have to try it so I don’t have to walk 4 blocks in the rain when I want it for dinner!
Chef G
Well hello Melissa….so happy you stopped by. This was actually the first time I made it…and we loved it. I decorated and trimmed the tree…and dinner cooked. Totally awesome. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Happy Holidays!!
Louisa [Living Lou]
Pho is one of my favourite things! I bet it is equally as flavourful when made in the slow cooker, great idea.
Chef G
Love slow cookers….everything always turns out…and it doesn’t even feel like you were cooking at all!!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula
Do you know I’ve never had Pho! How can that be? Love that you used shrimp and chicken! I think i can do this!
Chef G
I have never made it before either…but will be making it more now!!
Jesse
Oh my gosh, it’s been way to long since I’ve had pho. Definitely bookmarking this one to come back to later.
Chef G
This was my first time…and we LOVED it!! An awesome way to cook dinner while I was busy decorating for Christmas!!
Claudia | Gourmet Project
I love Pho, but nerver had it with shrimps. Can’t wait to try and see!
Chef G
I love the chicken and shrimp combo in this soup….hope you enjoy it too!!
Carly
Can I use frozen chicken?
Chef G
I would thaw the chicken first.
lisa @ garlicandzest.com
So I’ve been wanting to try Pho for a long time – and this looks like an easy way to do it. I’m dusting off my crock pot… Thanks!
Chef G
Yeah I love slow cookers….and it is really a simple and tasty dish. My first time making Pho!!
Liz Mays
First time? You did such an amazing job with it!
Chef G
Thanks it was so easy!!
Julia (@Imagelicious)
Gloria – I just recently got a slow cooker and I love it. Your recipe is definitely on my list to make in the future! Thanks for sharing.
Chef G
Thanks Julia….aren’t slow cookers amazing….totally love using it!!