Rinse the chicken with a little cooking wine, then boil it with the pho spices and half of the onion. When the water boils, skim off any foam, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30–40 minutes depending on the chicken (my small chicken was tender after 30 minutes).

When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot. Strain the broth into a bowl, then pour it back into the pot. Season to taste with chicken bouillon powder (add MSG if you like), salt, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam again, then keep it at a low simmer.

Place the pho noodles in a bowl, top with chicken, green onions, and onion slices, then ladle the hot broth over everything.

Sprinkle with black pepper and serve hot with Thai basil, bean sprouts, sawtooth herb, and hoisin and sriracha sauces. Add lime and fresh chili if desired.