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Chicken Zoodle Pho made super simple in the crockpot and topped with spiralized zucchini noodles for a healthy version of a restaurant favorite. Make takeout easy at home with a comforting bowl of this gluten free and low calorie soup! Gluten Free + Low Calorie + Paleo
My poor crockpot. I love it, but I think it's on its last leg. Both the button and handle falls off, the outer covering overheats and now the temperature only works on high.
This is not good because I use my crockpot for everything when it's triple digits and too hot to turn on the oven. That's basically nine months out of the year that I use my crockpot.
Have I ever told you the story of how I got this crockpot? Oh, no? It's really a great story. I was just out college, living in an apartment in a teeny-tiny town called Del Rio, Texas. Del Rio is on the border of Mexico (I worked in Mexico and crossed the border every day) and let's just say there's not a whole lot going on there other than a lot of good Mexican food and beer.
So anyway, Mom came to visit over Thanksgiving and one day while I was away working in Mexico, boredom struck and she decided to walk to Walmart. It was about a mile or so from my house.
I'm not exactly sure what her plan was for going to Walmart without a car, but the story goes like this. She went to Walmart and came out with a shopping cart overflowing with a lot of stuff. When realized she had no way of getting all this stuff home (short of robbing Walmart's shopping cart), she called a cab.
Amongst her Walmart shopping spree stuff, was this crockpot. I have no idea why she bought it. I had no idea what to do with a crockpot back then. This story still cracks me up to this day! What was she thinking?
So yes, while I'd be happy to own a newer, bigger and better crockpot, this crockpot holds a special place in my heart. Every time I take it out, I laugh thinking about Mom and her Walmart shopping spree and something delicious always seems to come out of it too. It's magic! Like this Healthy Chicken Pho with zucchini noodles.
Just like my crockpot, pho holds a special place in my heart. It's one of my favorite foods and one that I haven't been able to enjoy because one, I haven't found a Vietnamese restaurant I like and two, I've had to avoid certain foods for awhile due to my food allergies, and grains particularly for my auto-immune disease.
So I made my own Chicken Zoodle Pho to satisfy my pho tooth! Thanks to the good ole crockpot, it could not have been simpler either. This will be one recipe I'll be making all summer long. Fingers crossed the crockpot holds up, I don't think I could bear parting with it!
P.S. Need a spiralizer? I use this one all the time. It's very inexpensive!
Chicken Zoodle Pho
Ingredients
- 3-4 zucchini spiralized
- 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 chicken breasts
- 6 cups bok choy cabbage chopped loosely
- 1 1/2 cups white onion sliced in rings
- 9 cups bean sprouts omit for Paleo
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 10 cups organic vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar
Instructions
- To a crockpot, add chicken breasts, onion, oyster sauce, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, cloves, star anise, minced ginger and coconut sugar and turn crockpot on high.
- Cook pho 90 minutes until chicken becomes tender and you can pull it apart with a fork.
- Once chicken is loosely pulled apart, add bok choy and bean sprouts to the crockpot and cook another 60 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
- Divide soup into 6 bowls, add spiralized zucchini and top with additional toppings as desired.
Notes
- Makes 6 large bowls ~ 1 1/2 cups, divide them evenly prior to eating.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
Sharon H says
Hi Megan, This looks and sounds really good, but I have two problems. First, my crockpots (yes I have several, long story) are smaller ones so I have to be careful what recipes I use. Second, I can't use the oyster sauce. What else could I sub for it?
Thanks, I just found your site and I'm intrigued with your recipes!
Megan says
Hi Sharon, what is your question about the crockpots? For the oyster sauce, you could probably sub fish sauce.
Becca @ Fork in the Kitchen says
Awesome photos! Looks delicious!
Megan says
Thank you!
Taylor says
LOVE crockpot meals!!! so simple!
Megan says
I love mine for when it's too hot to cook.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
OMG - your sweet mamma sounds SO much like mine. Anytime she visits I end up with a pile of random stuff she thinks I need. It's the best... even if I never use half of it. LOL!
This looks amazing - just pinned it to try!
Megan says
Yep! They definitely are alike.
michele @ paleorunningmomma says
My spiralizer hasn't gotten enough attention recently and I'm not sure why! This looks like a fab combo!
Megan says
I can't wait to see what you come up with!
lindsay says
ohhh genius move friend! i gotta try in slow cooker!
Megan says
I think it's better because the star anise has more time in the soup.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
In the slow cooker! Well I need to get my Pho game on!
Megan says
Yes! Make sure to use a big one.
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
You literally just made my life. Zoodles and pho are one of my favorite combos. I am about to blow your mind though (even more so than you mom going sans car to Walmart): I have a gorgeou crock pot (that we got for our wedding) and I have never used it. Not once. I could sell it to you...
Megan says
Say what?!? Girl! You will be wanting that crockpot for when you have a baby.
Blair says
Such pretty photos, and I bet this healthy pho tastes amazing!!! I bet your mom hasn't gone to a Walmart without a car since that shopping episode! 🙂
Megan says
Haha, no! I think she learned her lesson after that.
Julie says
Megan was there an error in how long to cook vegetables for. it says 60 minutes? Can you clarify.
Thanks so much this sounds wonderful.
Megan says
Nope. Bok choy & sprouts do not take longer than 60 minutes to cook.
Julie says
Thank you, so much for responding. I was surprised, I actually thought they would cook in less time. I can't wait to try it.It is cooking as write.