Delicious experiment

Even though I like to spend a lot of time going around the Denver area eating out, cooking is still the most rewarding form of eating :)  Since I have an obsession with pho, I took it upon myself to create my latest nom: Pho Chicken (not to be confused with chicken pho cause that stuff is just wrong).

I realized I had all the major flavors that go into pho in my house...things were about to go bad and the simple purchase of some chicken breasts would allow me to clean out my entire pantry/fridge.  First, I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and brushed both sides with sriracha. In hindsight, I probably should have waited on the sriracha because if you don't you have to cook the chicken very slowly so that the sriracha won't burn. I advise just searing the chicken with the s/p and leaving the sriracha for later....although mine turned out really well and was the right amount of spice so idk...

Heat up some butter/oil in a pan with garlic and let sweat. sear the chicken in the pan- u have to cook the chicken almost all the way for this particular recipe to work. also throw some lime juice and a couple leaves of basil to infuse into the meat.

set the chicken aside in a plate and cover it to keep it warm/cooking internally. you will have some wonderful basil/lime and chicken flavor in your pan. cook some sprouts and jalepeno slices (staple toppings in pho) in this flavor. add a cup of chicken stock and make some instant couscous in the pan. you can use whatever flavor you like but I used chicken since i was making chicken. the lime, basil, jalepenos and chicken stock already give plain couscous a nice flavor. add a few more sprigs of basil to the boiling broth before pouring in the couscous to really bring out the flavors.  maybe another shot of sriracha?

once you pour in the couscous and stir, place the chicken back into the pan and put the lid on. while the couscous is cooking, the chicken can continue to steam through.  now, couscous says 5-7 minutes off the heat but from my experience tonight you can simply leave the pan on low if you need to continue cooking the chicken. add a little more lime juice too while this is happening for great flavor. i used lime slices to make it pretty but the rinds kind of made the dish bitter. i liked it. but i'm weird. go with lime juice. JUST A LITTLE. sheesh. that stuff goes a long way.

when you're done you will be able to taste all the flavors of the pho toppings....except the meat. i'm sure you can make this with rare steak though.  if you want the dish to taste even more like pho- you can sautee the common spices that are used to make the broth in the chicken drippings left in the pan after you sear it. you will have the spicy sriracha blending in with the sweet basil and tart lime. you can also add a LIGHT drizzle of hoisin when you're done for the full effect.  honey could be good too. who knows.  you could even make a honey/lime vinaigrette with honey, lime and extra virgin olive oil. THEN add it as a sauce at the end (honey burns).  NOM AWAY!