Chicken Congee: One-pot Recipe

Kak’mbang used to make the best Chinese-style chicken congee. Typically, congee is simply plain rice porridge which we pile on with various toppings, but her version was a very flavorful one-pot meal full of meat and veggies. Mummy used to have this every day for breakfast, and Kak’mbang provided an endless supply of it. In fact, I used to pack this for my lunch at work, and after my colleagues tried it, they even asked me to bring extra for them too.

Then Kak’mbang retired, so it was up to me to make chicken congee for my mom. Kak’mbang did share with me the recipe, but as we know, it’s not just about the list of ingredients but also the technique. Unfortunately, I never watched Kak’mbang make her congee. For inspiration on the technique I found a good guide by Made With Lau, and I modified it with ingredients similar to Kak’mbang’s version.

Mummy liked my version even better. The one complaint she had with Kak’mbang’s chicken congee was that the chicken was a bit tough. According to Made With Lau, mixing with water then the cornstarch helps the chicken absorb all the flavors and keeps the meat moist. I guess that’s what made the chicken in my congee so tender. My brother also loves it because of the high chicken ratio haha… Nothing is more rewarding to a cook than to see people completely clean their bowls.

I usually make my chicken congee in a pressure cooker, but you can always make this on the stovetop. I’ve included instructions for both. Give it a try!

Step by Step

In your pressure cooker pot, add the washed rice and water.

Close and seal the lid and pressure cook, 20 minutes.

If cooking on the stovetop, bring the water to a boil, then add the washed rice. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, until the rice is very tender and can be easily mashed, about 1 hour.

While the rice is cooking, marinate the chicken. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicken, oyster sauce, cornstarch, chicken stock powder, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir until most of the water has been absorbed.

Add the cooking oil, and stir until completely coated.

Prepare the rest of the ingredients, and set aside until the rice is ready.

When the rice is done, release the pressure completely and open the lid. Turn on the Saute function over low heat, or equivalent.

Add the chopped celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes.

Next, add the chicken and all the marinade and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Then, add the ginger and stir to combine.

Season with the chicken stock powder, salt, sesame oil and white pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Garnish with fried shallots and chopped green onions, if desired. Serve warm.