Fill a large 15L stock pot with 10L water and bring to a rolling boil on high-heat with the lid on.
Rinse, pat dry chicken, and add to boiling water. Add salt to the pot and reduce heat to medium-high. Leave the pot uncovered to maintain a clear broth thorughout the cooking process. Skim the water surface with a ladle or skimmer spoon to remove foam/impurities that float the surface while the chicken is cooking. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer chicken.
In the meantine, roast star anise in a large skillet or nonstick pan on high heat until lightly charred. Set aside.
Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the skillet while it is still on high heat and place onion halves, cut side down. Roast for a few minutes until charred. Flip onions and roast until charred. Set aside.
Roast ginger halves on each side for a few minutes until lightly charred. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Flatten each ginger half with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to release its juices.
Add star anise, roasted onions, and ginger to the broth. Then add fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, and rock sugar. Stir to combine and continue to simmer chicken, uncovered. After 1 hour, the chicken should be fully cooked. You will know it is cooked when it floats to the surface in the pot. At this point, you can remove all of the roasted vegetables and star anise or you can leave them in. Very carefully remove the chicken and place it into a cold water bath to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Debone and shred the entire chicken. Set it aside and cover it with plastic wrap.
To soak and cook noodles
Immerse dry pho noodles in a large bowl filled with lukewarm water. Soak noodles for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, fill 3/4 of a large sauce pan with water and bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Portion and fill a large mesh strainer with soaked noodles.
Dunk strainer into boiling water for 3 to 5seconds while stirring noodles with chopsticks or a fork. Shake off excess water and transfer noodles to a large soup bowl. Repeat step 1 & 2 until each bowl is layered with cooked noodles.
To assemble and garnish
In order, layer on top of the cooked noodles, a sprinkle of sliced white onion, shredded chicken (with desired amount), 2 to 3 quail eggs, 1/2 cup bean sprouts, 4 to 5 Thai basil leaves, a sprinkle of chopped green onions and cilantro. Alternatively, serve bean sprouts, Thai basil, Jalapeno or Thai chili peppers and lime wedges as a side plate. Set a bottle of Hoisin and Sriracha sauce at the table for additional seasoning options. Each person can customize their own bowl this way.
When ready to serve, pour hot chicken pho broth into each bowl and enjoy immediately. You can use a mesh strainer to filter the broth while you pour it into each bowl.
What type of chicken do I need?Traditionally, a free-range, stewing chicken (or a hen) is used. You can find this type of poultry at any Asian supermarket. The cooked meat tends to have more of a chew than regular chicken and is smaller in size. Alternatively, you can use any regular whole chicken or a combination of chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts.*How do I cook Pho rice noodles?Most pho noodle packages provide instructions on how to soak & cook the noodles. What I find though is that the method varies. Some instruct you to soak noodles in boiling water. Others instruct you to boil dry noodles in a pot of water (yikes!). To get a perfect chewy noodle bite every time, you can read my how-to instructions here.What can I do with leftover broth?If you have leftover broth, you can store broth in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze broth to extend its shelf life up to 3 months in an airtight container. You can even freeze broth in an ice cube tray and use individual broth pods for stir-fries or other recipes.**Where can I find quail eggs?Most Asian grocery stores sell fresh and canned quail eggs. For convenience, I like to buy quail eggs in a can because they are peeled and already boiled. All I need to do is drain and rinse them. Then I can use them in any recipe. Fresh quail eggs need to be boiled then peeled before they are added to the soup bowl. These eggs are smaller than regular chicken eggs. If you cannot find them, you can garnish each bowl with half of a boiled & peeled chicken egg.