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Sharing my favorite Spring soup!
Because as I type this there is way too much snow falling outside my window, and you know…I am totally over it! It’s almost April and all I want is sunshine, and lots of it! Ugh, Oh well, I guess the good news is that it’s still very much soup weather, which is why I decided to share this quick and easy spring pho style soup!
Is anyone else feeling the need for a little springtime comfort food or what?
It’s Thursday, so my thinking here is that it’s the end of the week and we all just need an easy recipe to warm up to tonight. This is totally that recipe…plus, I mean, there’s noodles involved, and when are noodles not a good idea?
Answer? They’re always a good idea!
OKok, so I am going to get right down to the recipe today because well, it’s Thursday and my brain is feeling a little all over the place!
This soup was inspired by Pho. It has all things fresh, cozy and delicious. Honey caramelized chicken, sweet and spicy broth, peas, spinach, rice noodles, and topped with an egg (which is not traditional, but it just seemed like a good idea…when it doubt put an egg on it), sprouts, cilantro, and edible garlic flowers, because I’m obsessed with edible flowers right now.
Traditionally, pho is a slow simmered soup using beef and or chicken bones to create a delicious and super flavorful broth. As much as I love that idea, sometimes using store-bought broth is just about all I can handle…especially towards the end of the week…and especially after a week like this one, which was spent filming four to five recipes a day!!
The soup comes together all in one pot. Start out by cooking up the chicken with a little honey to caramelize it just a bit. Then add everything else to the same pot and simmer. I used two of my favorite spring veggies, peas and spinach, but really, you can use any combo of veggies you love, and or have on hand. Carrots, mushrooms, bok choy, kale, and bell peppers would be awesome with this soup! Most important here is the broth, noodles and that honey caramelized chicken. <–so good.
This soup is very easy and simple, but still so flavorful and delish!
In other random news, it’s been a pretty great week over here! Lots of fun working away in the kitchen and actually having someone around to chat with while I work. Typically it’s just me, my camera, and a lot of food, but with my brother here filming this week, its been a nice change of pace, which I think was very much needed. I love when work doesn’t actually feel so much like work, it makes the day fly by.
Kai is flying out of today, he’s headed to Cleveland for his girlfriend Cait’s birthday, but he’s leaving behind plenty of new recipe videos…which I am very excited about!
But first! A little (cheaters style) pho soup for dinner!
Springtime Chicken Soup
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 606 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 star anise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 fresno pepper, seeded + chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- soft boiled eggs, optional, for serving
- fresh cilantro, basil, sprouts and limes, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken and honey.2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear until caramelized on both sides, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the broth. Add the star anise, garlic, ginger, fresno pepper, hoisin sauce, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Shred the chicken in the pot. Stir in the peas, and spinach. Heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. 3. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.4. Divide the noodles between bowls and ladle the soup over the noodles. Garnish as desired with eggs, herbs, limes, and sprouts. Enjoy!
But first! A little cheaters style pho soup for dinner tonight!
Hi! I made this for my husband last night. He loved it!! I’ve actually never had pho before so had nothing to base it on, but he said it was better than what he’s had. Great flavor. Had to make my own hoisin sauce, but it turned out pretty good. Used peas like you, but didn’t have any spinach so used kale. Yum! Thank you!!
WOW!! SO happy it was delicious! so so happy you made it Tracie, thank you!
Loved this…thank you!! One question on step #2 – you refer to oil, but there’s no oil listed in the ingredients.
HI Kristin! Thank you so much for pointing that out. You need 2 tablespoons olive oil. recipe is fixed! Thanks so much, so glad you loved this! 🙂
I made this soup yesterday. I gotta say, it’s amazing! Great flavors & great presentation. Quick & easy to do. Me & the kids loved it.
Thank you!
I am so glad you and your kids loved this Karen! Thank you so much!
Amazing!!! this looks fab. I love pics of all food on this site <3 Can anyone recommend any good recipes apps? I'm using Sidechef and found recently Handybooks handybookapp.com – I'm interested in being able to make recipes and share with friends
I have a great recommendation for a recipe app, it’s called Paprika, it was like 4.99 when i originally purchased it a few years ago & well worth the money. You can create your own recipes add in a photo. Or if you find a recipe on-line just hit save recipe & it automatically saves it. its muti adjustable , can itemize recipes/ create your own folders / categories. If a website is hard to save a recipe, just simply copy & paste to create (but that is very rare). There are many other tools too, like kitchen timer & grocery list, etc… highly recommend!
Happy Cooking!
Thanks nina! I actually do not use recipe apps so I can’t help there. Sorry!
Love your swag
Thanks Joe!
Love how easy and fresh this is!
Thanks so much Jennifer!
I love pho and this is so gorgeous for spring!
Thanks Laura! Its a fun spring recipe (: Hope you enjoy!
Can’t wait to try this! I love pho!
Me too! Hope you live it Alice!
Best springtime comfort food! All the colors and delicious!
Thank you so much! (:
I crave pho so often and there’s just no good places around here to get it so I have to resort to making my own. This bowl of goodness will definitely be happening!
Well hopefully this one will be everything you wanted!
Yummm! Home with a bad cold, this soup sounds like the perfect antidote! I may have to pick up a few groceries and make this tonight.
So happy you’re having it to help feel better! Hope you love it, thanks Jane!
That was an AMAZING soup, Tieghan! Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ve posted my pix on instagram under nevernuff. I have never gone wrong with a recipe of yours yet! I didn’t change a thing except for using one less skinless thighs because the grocer didn’t have tenders and snow peas because I still had some to use up. Everything else was yours and so very tasty!
SO happy you like it Jane!
Ah!! So awesome they have all been good!
Thank you!!
perhaps not pho, but flavorful and delicious all the same! all those aromatics in the broth plus the herbs on top sound so good.
This looks absolutely amazing and mouthwatering. I love that it’s simple with easy to find ingredients, so perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Thanks so much Andrea! I try to keep it this way, it can be hard!
Oh wow this looks incredible! I’ve been craving something like this for ages so I’m going to have to try it now!
Yay, hope you love it!
this is the essence of springtime alright!! I love this kind of food.
Ah its my favorite! Thanks Ruth!