Warming Chicken Pho Recipe

I am addicted to Chicken Pho!  Ever since I began eating more warming foods to help my Qi movement and rid my body of the cold dampness that has been plaguing me, soups, especially pho, have become an integral part of my diet.  This pho recipe makes a particularly warming soup with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, onion and greens that have warming properties.  I make it at least once a week.  In fact, I made it for lunch today.  As an added bonus, my 3-year-old loves it, too!  It also makes a great weeknight meal by being simple, fast and easy clean-up.

I make a couple of different versions...a super homemade one with bone broth and a more quick and easy one with store bought broth...depending on time and ingredients on hand.  I also switch out my green veggies based on what I have and what is in season.  This recipe is based off of one I found on allrecipes.com that I altered to fit my diet.  I love making this delicious soup with the leftovers of a whole roasted chicken.  I use the carcass to make bone broth and the remaining meat for the soup.

1 Box of Asian Brown Rice Noodles  (I like Annie Chun's Maifun Brown Rice Noodles)
6 Cups Chicken Stock (I prefer homemade bone broth but use low sodium organic free range chicken broth if I am out of bone broth.  I also add pink Himalayan salt to taste if I am using the boxed low sodium broth.)
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce or Gluten Free Soy Sauce
4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons of Fresh Ginger, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 Lime
5 Green Onions (white and green parts), chopped
1.5 Cups Cooked Chicken (more or less depending on taste)
1 Cup Bok Choy or Savoy Cabbage roughly chopped

For Garnish (optional):
Additional chopped green onions, sliced jalapeño, hot sauce, lime wedge, fresh basil and bean sprouts

Cook the noodles according to the package directions.  Note: These noodles cook really fast (2-4 minutes) so once they are done drain, rinse and set aside.  Bring the broth, fish sauce/soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime juice and onions to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add the chicken and greens then cook until heated through (about 10 minutes).  Divvy up the noodles into individual bowls, ladle the soup over the noodles, add garnish and enjoy!