Aromatic Chicken Pho with Rice Noodles

Pho is one of those dishes that feels like it should take all afternoon, and yet this version comes together in about the time it takes to boil a kettle and tidy the worktop. The trick is the first ten minutes. Letting the onion brown properly in the rapeseed oil gives the broth a sweetness that you can't fake later, and the ginger and garlic going in afterwards fill the pan with a smell that tells you the rest will be good.

Pho has roots in northern Vietnam, where cooks built broths from whatever bones and spices they had, and the sweet warmth of star anise and cinnamon is a big part of its character. Here the spices do their work in a single pot of stock, so the flavour is layered without any fuss. Once the spices are fished out, the broth tastes clean and gentle, which is exactly what you want when a bowl is meant to be a light supper.

A few small habits make a real difference. Slice the chicken breast as thinly as you can across the grain, and let it rest for a couple of minutes before it goes into the bowls so the juices stay where they belong. Cut the carrot into ribbons with a peeler, because they cook in two minutes and keep a bit of bite. Add the noodles and beansprouts right at the end, and keep the lime wedge on the side so everyone can judge their own sourness. Adding lime to a pot that's still bubbling can dull its brightness.

If you have leftovers, pull the chicken and the broth apart before storing them in the fridge. The broth keeps well for a couple of days and makes a good base for a quick weekday soup, while noodles left sitting in liquid go soft and swollen, so cook a fresh portion when you want to eat again. The chicken shreds nicely into a salad the next day with cucumber and a sharp dressing.

For something on the side, a crisp salad or a plate of cold cucumber works well, since the hot broth and cool crunch balance each other. If you want a meal that leans further into the same warm spices, have a look at Fiery Grilled Chicken with Cool Cucumber Salad for its contrast of heat and cool crunch. A bowl of Blended Spinach and Brown Rice Soup is a gentler companion if you're serving a bigger table, and Grilled Chicken Satay Salad with Peanut Dressing makes a good lunch the day after.