Chicken Congee (aka: a hug in a bowl)
This chicken congee is adapted from my favorite recipe by Made with Lau, a family-run project dedicated to preserving traditional Chinese home cooking with generosity and care. Their version is the gold standard in my kitchen. Truly. If you want to learn congee properly and joyfully, I strongly encourage you to visit their website. Their work is a gift.
Congee, simply, is rice cooked slowly in plenty of water until it becomes soft, silky, and deeply comforting! In Chinese medicine, it is one of the most supportive ways to eat. Because the rice is fully broken down, congee (sometimes called juk or porridge) is gentle on digestion and easy for the body to absorb. This makes it especially helpful during illness, recovery, postpartum time, grief, overwhelm or burnout, seasonal transitions, or anytime the body is asking for something simple and steady.
This version includes chicken, which adds gentle warmth and protein, and helps the body rebuild without feeling heavy. Chicken is nourishing yet mild- well suited for times when strength is needed but so is simplicity. Fresh ginger brings warmth, supports circulation and helps the dish feel balanced and settling. From a Chinese medical lens, this meal supports and restores the body and organ systems, most especially the Spleen, Stomach, and pancreas.
Personally, I make this when I want to feel held. Cold days, long weeks, emotional winters, actual winters— it all qualifies.
Sometimes, I make a mushroom version (Erin’s personal fave), using shiitake or maitake mushrooms and a rich veggie broth. That said, for me, nothing beats the original chicken congee!
Eat it for breakfast! (Seriously). Eat it for dinner. Eat it straight form the pot. This snack is good at any time, wherever you are.
For the original recipe, technique, and lineage, please visit www.madewithlau.com.
—
Chicken Congee Recipe
(adapted from Made with Lau)
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
8-10 cups water or chicken broth
Chicken (thighs or breasts), thinly sliced
1-2 inches fresh ginger, very thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
Chicken Marinade:
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tbsp oil
Instructions:
Rinse rice several times until the water runs clear. This is a very important step to prevent sticky, gummy congee.
Boil water (or broth) in a large pot.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl- mix all marinade ingredients and gently coat the sliced chicken. Set aside.
Once boiling, add rice to the pot and reduce to low. Keep partially covered, and let rice simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
After 25-30 minutes, using a metal whisk- whisk rice continuously and aggressively for 2 minutes, until texture becomes soft, thick and porridge-like.
Add the chicken gradually, stirring continuously so it cooks evenly and stays tender.
Stir in the ginger and season with salt or additional bouillon if desired.
Simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. Add more hot water or broth as needed- congee is very forgiving.
Serve warm, topped simply or generously. Listen to your body! It tends to know.
