How to Make Chicken Congee (鸡粥)

Step 1

Thinly slice the chicken so it cooks quickly (¼ inch or less) and place it in a bowl. If you are using ground chicken or pork then place that in a bowl.

Step 2

Add in the soy sauce, water and oil, and corn starch to the chicken and mix well. Set it aside for later.

Step 3

Set the stove to high heat and add water and ginger slices to the pot and wait for it to boil.

Step 4

Once the water has started to boil, add in the rice and stir it for a few minutes. We don't want the rice to settle at the bottom and stick to the pot.

Step 5

Once the congee has boiled for about 5 minutes, turn down the heat to medium low heat and let it simmer with no lid on. Please do not use a lid while it is simmering. It will cause the starchy congee to overflow out of the pot.

Step 6

It will take about 30 minutes to cook. Stir it every 10-15 minutes so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. (If you used basmati rice, you will need to add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time)

Step 7

Once the congee is done, turn off the heat and put a lid on it and let it 'steam' for 20 minutes. This will thicken the congee a bit more.

Step 8

After 20 minutes, whisk the congee with a whisk or chopsticks quickly for 3-4 minutes to break up the rice grains so that the congee will be more creamy, and silky. At this point, adjust the congee to the texture you like. If you like it thinner, add more water/chicken stock to it, 2 tablespoons at a time until you get the right consistency. If you like it thick and creamy, leave it as is.

Step 9

Turn the heat back to medium heat and keep stirring until the congee is hot and starts to bubble.

Step 10

Once the congee starts to bubble, add in the chicken slices or ground meat and stir well so that the hot congee fully covers the meat.

Step 11

Cook the meat for about 2-3 minutes or until it is cooked.

Step 12

Salt is very important for congee to taste good. Don't be shy with it. Add salt to taste.

Step 13

Garnish with finely chopped green onions or additional toppings and enjoy!