Next-Day Lemon-Chicken Pho

Last night's Lemon Chicken drippings & a leftover thigh, reborn as a bright chicken pho

Serves 2–4 · 20 min

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The broth
the reserved Lemon Chicken drippings (+ all the pan juices/fond)
1 leftover chicken thigh (+ any bones or skin you saved)
8 cups water (or water + chicken stock)
1 onion, halved · a 3″ knob ginger — both charred
3 star anise · 1 cinnamon stick · 3 cloves · 1 tsp coriander seed · 1 cardamom pod (optional)
2–3 Tbsp fish sauce · 1 tsp sugar (or a nub of rock sugar) · salt
To serve
rice noodles (bánh phở) · the shredded thigh
thin-sliced onion & scallion · cilantro
herb plate: Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime, sliced jalapeño · hoisin + sriracha

Char the ginger & onion. Blacken the halved onion and the ginger over a gas flame or under the broiler until charred in spots, then rinse off the ash. This char is the smoky-sweet backbone of pho — the one step you can't skip.
Toast the spices. In a dry pan, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cardamom ~1–2 min until fragrant. (Bundle them in a tea ball or cheesecloth to fish out easily.)
Simmer the broth. Combine the drippings, the leftover thigh (and bones), the water, the charred onion & ginger, and the spices. Bring to a gentle simmer 45 min–1 hr, skimming the foam off the top. In the last 15 min add the fish sauce, sugar, and salt; taste — it should read savory-sweet-salty.
Strain & shred. Strain out all the solids for a clear broth; pull and shred the thigh meat for the bowls.
Build the bowls. Cooked rice noodles in each bowl, ladle the hot broth over, top with the shredded chicken and raw onion & scallion. Herbs, lime, and hoisin/sriracha go on at the table.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Char the ginger & onion. Blacken the halved onion and the ginger over a gas flame or under the broiler until charred in spots, then rinse off the ash. This char is the smoky-sweet backbone of pho — the one step you can't skip.

2. Toast the spices. In a dry pan, toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cardamom ~1–2 min until fragrant. (Bundle them in a tea ball or cheesecloth to fish out easily.)

3. Simmer the broth. Combine the drippings, the leftover thigh (and bones), the water, the charred onion & ginger, and the spices. Bring to a gentle simmer 45 min–1 hr, skimming the foam off the top. In the last 15 min add the fish sauce, sugar, and salt; taste — it should read savory-sweet-salty.

4. Strain & shred. Strain out all the solids for a clear broth; pull and shred the thigh meat for the bowls.

5. Build the bowls. Cooked rice noodles in each bowl, ladle the hot broth over, top with the shredded chicken and raw onion & scallion. Herbs, lime, and hoisin/sriracha go on at the table.

No alcohol? swap the wine or beer for the same amount of stock, with a splash of vinegar or lemon for the brightness. Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.