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
Kacie Morgan
Pho is so good, especially during the winter; it really is the ideal comfort food for these cold months. I like a spicy pho personally.
Homemade & Yummy
Yes it is good all year long, but especially in the winter. Who doesn’t love a bowl full of noodles to warm up with?
Kris
Oh my goodness does this look delicious. My husband and I are crazy about Pho (chicken and/or beef) and this looks perfect. I’ve never made Pho in my slow cooker, and now I’m wondering, why not?? And I love that you have shrimp in this Pho, too. The aromatics and seasoning looks absolutely spot on. And you’re right, what could better than just placing everything in the slow cooker, and then return later to an amazing meal. Thanks for the fantastic pho recipe! Excited to make this!
Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope you totally enjoy this delicious recipe. The noodles and bean sprouts can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge till ready to use. This is such a great recipe to enjoy PHO all the time.
Stine Mari
Yum! I love pho, I tried it for the first time in Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and I fell in love with it! I haven’t made it at home yet, so I will definitely have to try out your recipe soon. It’s perfect now that it’s so cold outside.
Homemade & Yummy
Yes this is the perfect bowl of noodles. Comfort food at its best!!
Tara
Ooh I’ve never made pho in my slow cooker. I’m always looking for new recipes for my instant pot, so I can’t wait to try this!
Homemade & Yummy
This is such an easy way to enjoy a bowl of noodles…and so delicious too.
Veena Azmanov
Oh, this looks so good. WE love soup now that winter is here. I’ve been making something almost every day. I can’t wait to try this one. I have never made PHO in a slow cooker. Love how simple this is.
Homemade & Yummy
This is the only way I make PHO…and it is so delicious too.
Jolina
This is just perfect Gloria! It’s supposed to be terribly cold this weekend, and we’ll want some soup for sure but nobody would want to drive out and get some lol. Homemade pho is awesome. Better get all the ingredients before the dreaded polar vortex hits!
Homemade & Yummy
I KNOW….too cold for my liking. Hope we don’t get all the snow they are talking about. I know you are supposed to get more than us. This is perfect to warm up with…after shoveling.
Denise
I can’t wait to make this! I don’t have tamari do you think I can substitute something else? I want to make this this weekend because we are supposed to get a big snowfall and it’s such a warming soup and it looks like it has so much flavor. Plus my hubby loves it too. Great post!
Homemade & Yummy
You could leave it out, or sub in soy sauce if you like. I am making soup this weekend too. It is going to be FREEZING and SNOWING…YUK!!!
Tracy
Oooh I LOVE the addition of the shrimp!! Genius!! 😀
Homemade & Yummy
Well thanks, your recipe is delicious and a winner here.
Dana
I have been craving pho like mad lately. We used to live close enough to a decent pho place, but since we moved to our new small town, we’re pho-deprived. The closest spot is almost 30 minutes away. Not too bad if you plan on eating there, but sometimes I just want to grab it as take out and enjoy it the comfort of my own home! Having a recipe like this in my arsenal is a great way to be able to do just that. And simmering away in the slow cook, mmmm. Makes the house smell amazing!
Homemade & Yummy
I think once you give this a try, no need for takeout. You can have pho anytime you like. ENJOY!
Valentina
Pho is one of my favorite dishes ever, and this one looks and sounds particularly delicious. I don’t have a slow cooker, but think my soup pot will work. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
For sure it will work in ANY pot…homemade soup it the BEST!
Erica Schwarz
I am going to have to try this. My daughter has been begging for Pho and I would rather make it at home!
Homemade & Yummy
Well I’m sure she will love this recipe. We sure do.
Cathy
This Pho soup looks absolutely delicious and comforting for sure! Can’t wait to make this! Thank you for this recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome. Enjoy this delicious recipe.
Danielle Wolter
I love pho and I am all about making it at home. Love how easy this recipe is in the slow cooker. Great flavors!
Homemade & Yummy
Nothing beats homemade soup, especially this time of year. ENJOY!
Jacque Hastert
I am making this tomorrow! A friend recently introduced me to pho and I loved it. Didn’t know how simple it could be made at home. Love, love, love this!
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…you are going to LOVE this super easy and delicious recipe.
krissy
Theres nothing better this time of year than hot soup for dinner. my family loves shrimp as well so this is a huge win, they all eat it as fast as i can make it!
Homemade & Yummy
We are in for some COLD weather this weekend. I am going to make this too.