Congee Recipe
Rice porridge with chicken, ginger, and white pepper.
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Ingredients
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Congee base
Protein & aromatics
Condiments & garnish
Method
Congee base
- 1
Rinse rice
Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well (about 1–2 minutes).
- 2
Combine liquids and rice
In a large heavy-bottomed pot (at least 4-5 quart), combine the rinsed rice, 10 cups water and 2 cups chicken stock. Stir once to distribute rice.
- 3
Bring to a boil then simmer
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low so the surface is just simmering. Cover the pot partially (lid tilted) to allow some steam to escape.
- 4
Cook until creamy
Simmer for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes and scraping the bottom, until grains have broken down and the mixture is creamy and porridge-like. If congee becomes too thick, add up to 1–2 cups hot water or stock to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning near the end.
Protein & aromatics
- 5
Prepare chicken
While congee simmers, season the chicken lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. You can leave thighs whole or cut into 1–2 inch pieces for quicker cooking.
- 6
Shred or slice ginger
Peel the ginger and slice into thin matchsticks or julienne strips. Reserve half for cooking and half for garnish if you like a strong ginger finish.
- 7
Cook chicken in congee
About 15–20 minutes before the congee is done (when rice is soft and porridge nearly ready), add the seasoned chicken pieces and the reserved cooking ginger to the pot. Gently submerge them and continue simmering until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and easily shreds, about 12–20 minutes depending on piece size.
- 8
Shred chicken
Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks or chop finely. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine.
- 9
Add white pepper
Stir in 1 tsp white pepper into the congee, taste, and adjust — add more white pepper if you want a stronger pepper note.
Condiments & garnish
- 10
Finish seasoning
Stir in 2 tbs light soy sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil to the congee. Taste and add additional salt or soy sauce as needed. If you used low-sodium stock, you may need the listed 1.5 tsp salt or a bit more to taste.
- 11
Serve
Ladle congee into bowls. Top each bowl with sliced scallions, fried shallots or garlic (if using), cilantro leaves (if using), and a few extra matchsticks of fresh ginger if you reserved any for garnish. Add a grind or two of white pepper to each bowl to taste.
- 12
Optional condiments (at-table)
Offer extra soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped scallions, chili oil, or preserved mustard greens at the table so diners can customize their bowls.