Congee With Whole Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN CONGEE

Steps:

• Rinse and drain the rice.
• Put the rice in a pot with the chicken stock and bring to boil. Give the rice a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, then lower the heat and half-cover the pan. Simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until the grains have burst open and you have a thick congee. Keep an eye on the pot to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom. Toward the end of cooking, when the stock has become integrated with the rice and is the consistency of oatmeal, season lightly with salt to taste.
• Serve the congee with a sprinkling of soy sauce, spring onion and ginger and a few drops of sesame oil to taste.

CHICKEN-AND-MUSHROOM CONGEE

Steps:

• In a pot, bring chicken, broth, rice, half of ginger, scallion white and light-green parts, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover and simmer, stirring a few times, until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
• Increase heat to medium and stir in mushrooms; boil, uncovered, until rice breaks down and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken; shred meat into bite-size pieces. Remove ginger and scallions from congee; discard.
• Thinly slice scallion tops; thinly slice remaining half of ginger into matchstick-size pieces. Stir chicken meat and any accumulated juices into congee and serve topped with scallion tops, ginger, sesame oil, and chili sauce.

CHICKEN CONGEE WITH TURMERIC AND CUMIN

Steps:

• Prepare the rice: In a small skillet, sauté the garlic in oil over medium-high heat, until deep golden brown all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a large lidded pot, and discard the oil. Add the rice, onion, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 10 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium-high, partially cover the pot with a lid (two-thirds of the pot should be covered) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice breaks down and the soup is thick and creamy, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and discard onion and garlic, if desired. Season congee to taste with salt, remove from heat and cover. (Makes about 7 cups.)
• Meanwhile, prepare the yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise and za'atar. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a squeeze bottle or a spouted measuring cup, and refrigerate.
• Prepare the spicy sauce: Add the roasted bell pepper, hot sauce and Champagne vinegar to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Season with salt to taste, transfer to a squeeze bottle or a spouted measuring cup, and refrigerate.
• Prepare the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons olive oil with the turmeric, cumin, cardamom and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast-iron pan. Working in batches, cook the chicken thighs over medium until a golden crust forms on each side, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then thinly slice the chicken crosswise.
• Divide the congee among wide, shallow bowls. Top with the chicken, lettuce and tomato, then drizzle with yogurt and spicy sauce. Pass additional sauces at the table so guests can adjust creaminess or heat level according to preference.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN CONGEE

Steps:

• Place chicken, stock, rice, chiles, ginger, garlic, and salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
• Remove chiles and ginger. Stir, breaking up chicken into bite-size pieces. Divide congee among bowls. Serve with an assortment of toppings alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Congee can be made 3 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill. Reheat in a large pot over medium, stirring in water as needed to loosen.

RICE CONGEE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock to a boil, add the rice and the garlic, reduce the heat and simmer for approx 2 hours until the grains break down but not completely disintegrate, stir occasionally.
• Add the chicken, shiitake and ginger, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add your chosen vegetables cook for another 3-5 minutes.
• Taste the soup and add soy, oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve in bowls, drizzled with some sesame oil, and any or all of the above garnishes in separate bowls/dishes for people to help themselves.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN AND LONG-GRAIN RICE CONGEE

Steps:

• Place chicken in a stock pot. Pour in enough water to cover chicken. Add ginger, lemon grass, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and gently simmer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.
• Strain broth, and return broth to stock pot. Let chicken cool, then remove bones and skin, and tear into bite-size pieces; set aside.
• Stir rice into broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, adjust with water or additional salt. The congee is done, but can be left to cook an additional 45 minutes for better consistency.
• Ladle congee into bowls, and top with chicken, cilantro, chives, and pepper. Squeeze lime juice to taste.

CONGEE WITH WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Place a chicken, ginger root and stalks in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Add sherry and salt and simmer, covered, 45 minutes more. Remove the chicken and let cool slightly. 2. Wash rice (see HOW-TO, _Rice: To wash). Place in the same chicken pot with the chicken broth (6 cups). (Since congee boils over easily, always cook it in a deep pot.) 3. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice thickens and becomes porridge-like (about 2 hours). Stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.4. Bone and slice or chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections. Add chicken to congee and reheat. Season to taste with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Serve either in a large tureen or in individual bowls. Garnish with minced scallions minced smoked ham or chopped Chinese parsley. Serve with salty or spiced accompaniments (see *Rice Dishes). NOTE: Depending on the proportion of water to rice, congee can be made thick or thin. If it becomes too thick during cooking, just add more water. Its texture can also be made creamier by beating the cooked congee with a wire whisk or rotary beater.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.