Chicken Congee

Name: Chicken Congee
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1L chicken stock (white); 2 x thumb-size piece fresh ginger; 2 spring onions; 1 garlic clove; 2 tsp light soy sauce; 180g Jasmine rice; 600g chicken thighs; pinch of sea salt and white pepper; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; pinch of MSG; maggi seasoning; 4 eggs; 1 tsp sesame oil; coriander leaves, to serve

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Chicken Congee

Ingredients

1L chicken stock (white)
2 x thumb-size piece fresh ginger
2 spring onions
1 garlic clove
2 tsp light soy sauce
180g Jasmine rice
600g chicken thighs
pinch of sea salt and white pepper
1 tbsp oyster sauce
pinch of MSG
maggi seasoning
4 eggs
1 tsp sesame oil
coriander leaves, to serve

Equipment

Large saucepan (for the congee)
Medium saucepan (for the eggs)
Large mixing bowl (for marinating the chicken)
Grater or microplane (for the ginger)
Measuring jug and spoons
Chef’s knife, chopping board, slotted spoon, and wooden spoon or ladle

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Directions

PREP THE SOUP BASE

Put chicken stock in a large saucepan and place over medium high heat.
Slice 1 of the pieces of ginger and add to the saucepan, along with 1 smashed garlic clove, the white part of the spring onions and half of the soy sauce.
Bring to a boil, then pour in the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

COOK THE CHICKEN

Dice the chicken thigh into cubes. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and white pepper. Add the oyster sauce and MSG and stir well to combine. Set aside to marinate.
Once the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, add the chicken to the pan.
Stir to combine, then continue cooking for a further 15 minutes. Stir the congee quite often and vigorously as it gets closer to being cooked.

COOK THE EGGS

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and leave the eggs to sit in the hot water for 3 minutes (or 5 minutes for hard boiled).
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and plunge into a large bowl of iced water.
Peel the eggs and set aside until serving.

FINISH AND SERVE

Slice the remaining spring onions thinly on the bias. Reserve the darker green ends for garnish.
Peel the remaining ginger and slice into a fine julienne.
Remove the ginger and whites of spring onion from the congee and discard.
Stir through half of the julienne ginger, then the light green spring onions. Season with the sesame oil and remaining light soy and turn the heat off.
To serve spoon into bowls and garnish with remaining ginger and onion, top with a halved egg and season with a dash of Maggi seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves if you like.

Notes

Cook support

Add a little extra water to the congee if it starts to get too thick towards the end of cooking time. And the more you stir towards the end the creamier the end result can be.

Sourcing

White chicken stock uses raw bones and vegetables for a lighter and more delicate flavour, which is ideal for soups and congee, whereas dark (brown) stock roasts uses roasted bones and aromatics for a deeper colour and richer flavour. Both varieties can be purchased from major supermarkets and quality green grocers.

Substitutions

You can use any leftover cooked meat you have on hand in this recipe, such as turkey, pork, beef steak. Simply add it right at the end just to bring it to temperature.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Serving ideas

For some extra kick in your congee you can add some finely sliced red chilli or chilli crisp to serve.

Chef Tips

Rinse the rice before cooking. It helps the grains break down more evenly and gives you a smoother texture.
Keep the heat gentle once it starts simmering. A rolling boil will make it gluey instead of silky.
Stir more as it gets closer to being done. That agitation is what gives congee its creamy finish.
Cut the chicken into small, even pieces so it cooks gently and stays tender.
Season the chicken before it goes in. That way the flavour builds into the congee rather than sitting on top.
If it gets too thick, just add a splash of hot water or stock to loosen it. Congee should feel comforting and spoonable, not stodgy.
Add the sesame oil and Maggi right at the end. Heat dulls their aroma, so finishing with them keeps everything vibrant.
Check your seasoning before serving.