A few weeks ago my partner was feeling under the weather and was having a hard time regaining his appetite. I wanted to make something comforting, nourishing, and most of all easy to make. This Chicken and Leek Congee was exactly what he needed to feel revitalized.
When I was living in Japan, I was introduced to okayu, which is essentially a bland rice porridge that is topped with a variety of savory items like salmon, pickled plum, and dried seaweed. Many people know this dish by its Chinese name however, congee.
What is congee?
Congee is the Chinese equivalent of okayu, but in my humble opinion, is superior when it comes to the toppings. It’s popular for both breakfast and dinner and includes toppings like chicken, jammy eggs, scallions, and chili oil. Anything can be a topping and that’s the beauty of the humble rice porridge.
When rice is simmered for a long time, the grains actually burst (kind of like how popcorn pops in the microwave) and the grain releases starch into the cooking liquid. What you end up getting are tender, bloomed grains that make the perfect canvas for literally anything you have on hand!
Chicken and Leek Congee was created by accident when I simmered my soup too long.
As Bob Ross would say, forgetting about my soup on the stove was a “happy little accident” and my disappointment turned to delight with the first spoonful. Savory, umami, and full of immune-boosting ingredients like turmeric and garlic, this congee is the warm hug you need when you’re not feeling well!
Bone broth made 40 minutes taste like 4 hours.
Whenever I’m in a rush or under the weather, the last thing on my mind is making broth from scratch. I was grateful to have quality bone broth on hand to whip up this congee in record time! The entire soup was done in less than 40 minutes from start to finish but tasted as if it had simmered for hours. With a rich nutrition profile, using bone broth was a no-brainer for this recipe!
You can easily freeze the congee for future meals!
To freeze, cool the congee and ladle it into quart-sized zip bags. Zip up the bags and lay them flat in the freezer. Once they freeze, you can stack them or line them up to save space! To reheat, simply thaw a bag and empty the contents into a pot or microwave-safe bowl.
INGREDIENTS
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- leek
- carrots
- celery
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- turmeric
- chicken broth
- bay leaf
- whole peppercorns or ground black pepper
- long-grain white rice
Topping Suggestions
- Soft boiled egg, bacon, sliced red chilies, Thai basil leaves, chopped ginger, chili oil, parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the olive oil in a large, pot over high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, leek, carrots, and celery. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add the turmeric, chicken broth, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the rice. Stir the “soup” constantly for 2 minutes so the rice does not sink to the bottom.
- Cover the pot halfway with the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes. The rice at this point should have burst and thickened the soup. If the soup seems too thick, add some more broth or water and season to taste.
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Chicken and Leek Congee
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 16 oz chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns or 1/2 tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup long-grain white rice
Topping Suggestions
- Soft boiled egg, sliced red chilies, Thai basil leaves, chopped ginger, chili oil, parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, pot over high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, leek, carrots, and celery. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add the turmeric, chicken broth, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the rice. Stir the "soup" constantly for 2 minutes so the rice does not sink to the bottom.
- Cover the pot halfway with the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes. The rice at this point should have burst and thickened the soup. If the soup seems too thick, add some more broth or water and season to taste.
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