Vietnamese Chicken and Long-Grain Rice Congee

4.5
(24)

Congee is a much overlooked soup and a comfort food of a lot of Asian peoples. This recipe is flavorful, light, and goes down real easy when you are feeling a little out of the weather. It looks harder than it actually is. I usually just throw things together, go away, and wander into the kitchen later to see if it's done.

close up view of Vietnamese Chicken and Long-Grain Rice Congee garnished with fresh herbs in a pot with a spoon
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Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
2 hrs
Total Time:
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings

Ingredients

  • cup uncooked jasmine rice

  • 1 (2.5 pound) whole chicken

  • 3 (2 inch) pieces fresh ginger root

  • 1 stalk lemon grass, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

  • cup chopped fresh chives

  • ground black pepper to taste

  • 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

  1. 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.

  2. Strain broth, and return broth to stock pot. Let chicken cool, then remove bones and skin, and tear into bite-size pieces; set aside.

  3. 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.

  4. Ladle congee into bowls, and top with chicken, cilantro, chives, and pepper. Squeeze lime juice to taste.

Cook's Note:

The best cooking method for the broth is to have enough heat to cook the chicken, without having any sort of bubbling whatsoever. This takes about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours for a small stewing chicken but it produces a clear broth with a much better flavor, without having lots of chicken bits and foam. If you are in somewhat of a hurry, just boil the chicken, reduce to medium heat and cover the pot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

643 Calories
42g Fat
10g Carbs
53g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 643
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 12g 61%
Cholesterol 210mg 70%
Sodium 1943mg 84%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 53g 106%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 644mg 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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