Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice, rinsed
- 8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth (or water)
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2-inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled (half sliced, half grated)
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 large eggs
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 tsp soy sauce (or tamari), plus more to taste
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
- Optional: chili crisp or chili oil, white pepper, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro
Do This
- 1) Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear; drain well.
- 2) In a pot, combine rice + broth + sliced ginger + garlic + salt; bring to a boil.
- 3) Reduce to a low simmer; cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until creamy.
- 4) Add chicken; simmer 12–15 minutes until 165°F (74°C). Shred.
- 5) Soft-boil eggs 6 1/2 minutes; ice-bath 2 minutes; peel and halve.
- 6) Stir grated ginger into congee; adjust thickness with hot broth/water and season with soy.
- 7) Serve hot with shredded chicken, scallions, soy, sesame oil, vinegar, and a soft egg.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Deeply comforting: the rice cooks down into a creamy, soothing porridge.
- Big flavor from simple ingredients: ginger, scallions, soy, and sesame do the heavy lifting.
- High-protein and satisfying: tender shredded chicken plus a soft egg in every bowl.
- Flexible: make it thicker or soupier, mild or spicy, depending on your mood.
Grocery List
- Produce: fresh ginger (1 large piece), scallions (1 bunch), garlic (1 head), optional cilantro, optional lime
- Dairy: none
- Pantry: jasmine rice, low-sodium chicken broth (or water), soy sauce (or tamari), toasted sesame oil, kosher salt, rice vinegar, optional chili crisp/chili oil, optional white pepper, optional toasted sesame seeds
Full Ingredients
For the congee base
- 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice, rinsed well and drained
- 8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth (or water, plus 1 tsp chicken bouillon if desired)
- 2-inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
For the chicken
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
For the soft eggs
- 4 large eggs
For topping and finishing (per bowl style)
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 2 tsp)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 4 tsp soy sauce (or tamari), plus more to taste
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or 2 tsp lime juice)
- Optional: 2–4 tsp chili crisp or chili oil
- Optional: 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (or black pepper), to taste
- Optional: 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- Optional: 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Rinse the rice for a creamier congee
Place 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cool running water, stirring the rice with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 30–60 seconds). Drain well. Rinsing removes excess surface starch so the congee becomes creamy and smooth rather than gluey.
Step 2: Start the congee base
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the drained rice, 8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth, sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once or twice so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.
As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil).
Step 3: Simmer until the rice breaks down and turns creamy
Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring every 8–10 minutes (more often toward the end). The rice grains will swell, split, and dissolve into a thick, porridge-like texture.
If the congee starts to look too thick before the 45 minutes are up, stir in 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water or broth at a time until it’s moving easily. (Congee thickens as it sits, so keeping it slightly looser than you want is a good idea.)
Step 4: Poach the chicken in the congee and shred
Nestle 1 lb (454 g) chicken thighs directly into the gently simmering congee. Keep the heat on low so the chicken cooks tenderly.
Simmer for 12–15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Shred with two forks (or slice thinly). If you like extra-savory chicken, toss it with 1–2 tsp soy sauce while it’s still warm.
Step 5: Make the soft eggs (jammy, spoonable yolks)
Bring a small saucepan of water to a full boil over high heat. Lower in 4 large eggs (a spoon helps prevent cracking). Boil for 6 1/2 minutes for soft, jammy yolks.
Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath (or very cold running water) for 2 minutes. Peel carefully. Slice in half right before serving for the prettiest centers.
Step 6: Finish and season the congee
Turn off the heat. Fish out and discard the larger slices of ginger and the smashed garlic if you’d like a cleaner texture (optional, but nice).
Stir in the finely grated ginger (about 2 tsp) for fresh, bright ginger flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce and salt as needed.
Adjust the texture: for thicker congee, simmer 3–5 minutes more; for soupier congee, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup (120–240 ml) hot broth or water.
Step 7: Build bowls with scallions, soy, sesame, and a soft egg
Ladle hot congee into 4 bowls. Top each with a generous mound of shredded chicken, sliced scallions, and one soft egg (two halves).
Finish each bowl with:
1 tsp soy sauce, a few drops to 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and a small splash of rice vinegar (about 3/4 tsp per bowl, or to taste). Add chili crisp if you want heat, plus white pepper and sesame seeds if using.
Serve immediately while steaming hot.
Pro Tips
- Stir strategically: Stir more often during the last 15 minutes. That’s when rice is most likely to stick and when the texture turns silky.
- Control thickness at the end: Congee thickens fast as it cools. Keep a kettle of hot water nearby and loosen each bowl as needed.
- Use low-sodium broth: You’ll add soy sauce at the end, so starting with low-sodium broth prevents oversalting.
- Fresh ginger in two stages: Sliced ginger perfumes the simmer; grated ginger at the end tastes brighter and more aromatic.
- Egg doneness guide: 6 minutes = runnier yolk; 7 minutes = firmer jammy yolk. Keep the ice bath step to stop carryover cooking.
Variations
- Mushroom-ginger congee: Skip chicken and simmer 8 oz (225 g) sliced shiitake or cremini mushrooms in the congee for the last 15 minutes. Finish with soy, sesame, and scallions.
- Extra-green version: Stir in 3 packed cups (90 g) baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking until wilted.
- Five-spice chicken twist: Add 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice to the broth and finish bowls with a little extra vinegar for balance.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Cool congee to room temperature within 1 hour, then refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Congee will thicken noticeably in the fridge; reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding 1/2 to 1 cup (120–240 ml) water or broth per batch until creamy again. Store eggs separately (unpeeled is best) for up to 4 days; for the nicest yolks, make soft eggs fresh, or rewarm peeled eggs briefly in hot (not boiling) water for 1 minute.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, based on 4 servings (including 1 soft egg, chicken thigh, soy, and sesame oil): 430 calories, 26 g protein, 48 g carbs, 14 g fat, 2 g fiber, 980 mg sodium.
