Chicken Congee: A Comforting Rice Porridge

This comforting chicken congee simmers thinly sliced, marinated chicken right into the silky rice porridge. It’s a warm, nourishing bowl that’s perfect for chilly days or anytime you need a simple, hearty meal.

To switch things up, try my turkey jook, or start with the basic congee recipe and customize it to your liking.

Chicken congee in a white bowl that's garnished with sliced green onions and cilantro.

Jessica’s Recipe Science

Soaking medium-grain Calrose rice jump-starts hydration, helping the grains break down faster into a silky, creamy porridge.
Maintaining a simmer around 200ºF gradually releases starch, creating congee’s signature velvety texture.
Marinating the chicken with oyster sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch “velvets” the meat, keeping it tender and juicy as it cooks directly in the hot porridge.

Why It Works

For me, congee (also called jook) has always meant comfort, an essential part of our Cantonese family table. Growing up, my mom, Janet, would make a big pot on quiet weekends, and I can still remember the smell of simmering ginger and chicken filling the kitchen as we lingered around the table longer than usual. When I make chicken congee for my own family now, those memories come right back.

Chicken congee is one of those dishes where a little culinary science turns simple ingredients into something deeply comforting. Medium-grain Calrose rice is the star, naturally higher in amylopectin, the starch that gives congee its silky, spoon-coating texture. To make it hearty and satisfying, I finish the pot with thinly sliced chicken marinated in a savory sauce, which gently cooks in the porridge and infuses every bite with rich flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need

List of ingredients to make this chicken congee recipe at home.

Rice: Medium-grain Calrose rice works well for congee because its higher amylopectin creates a naturally creamy, silky texture. At the same time, its moderate amylose content helps the grains remain soft yet retain some shape as they break down.
Liquid: Chicken stock or chicken broth enhances the rich, savory poultry flavor of the Chinese dish. Water can be used for a more delicate taste.
Chicken: I use 1 pound of lean, quick-cooking, boneless, skinless chicken breast.
Marinade: The chicken is marinated in an umami-rich mixture of oyster sauce, sesame oil, water, and cornstarch.
Spice: Thinly sliced ginger is mixed into the congee right before serving to infuse the porridge with pungent, spicy aromatics.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

This chicken congee recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:

Stock Flavoring: Boost the broth with dried shiitake mushrooms, chicken bouillon, soy sauce, salted preserved turnip (chung choi), dried shrimp, fish sauce, garlic cloves, or a sachet d’épices.
Rice Swaps: Use long-grain rice like Jasmine, which adds a fragrant aroma but makes a thinner porridge. Avoid short-grain rice, which breaks down too quickly and becomes pasty. Skip basmati, which tends to stay too firm and separate to achieve the right texture.
Chicken Swaps: Add chicken thighs, sliced turkey, leftover shredded chicken, roasted duck, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
Mix-Ins: Add black-eyed peas, peas, carrots, spinach, or salted century egg (pidan).
Toppings: Try fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, scallions, green onions, Chinese donuts, chili crisp, peanuts, cilantro, chopped hard-boiled eggs, fried shallots, sriracha, or meat floss.

How to Make Chicken Congee

White Calrose rice soaking in a metal mixing bowl.

Step 1: Wash and Soak the Rice

Washing the rice removes excess surface starch that can make congee slimy and muddy in flavor. I usually rinse three times, gently scrubbing the grains by hand. Soaking the rice for just 20 minutes evenly hydrates the grains, so that they swell and soften at the same rate. This simple step helps the porridge cook faster and thicken more evenly.

Pro Tip: If you skip the soak, plan for a longer simmer and expect to add a bit more liquid as the grains take longer to soften fully.

Thin strips of raw chicken in a bowl with cornstarch and oyster sauce.

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken

Slice the chicken into skinny ⅛-inch strips so it cooks quickly and evenly. Marinating the pieces in oyster sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch “velvets” the meat, creating a light protective coating. This prevents dryness and allows the chicken to set gently into the hot porridge, staying tender, silky, and flavorful.

Step 3: Cook the Congee

Simmering the rice in hot stock (between 200 and 205°F) allows the grains to hydrate and release starch at a controlled rate, creating a creamy base. Keeping the lid slightly ajar lets excess steam escape, concentrating the flavors as the porridge naturally thickens.

Avoid stirring during the first 25 minutes to prevent breaking the grains and releasing too much starch too quickly. Once the rice softens, occasional stirring helps the released starch emulsify into the broth, creating a glossy, velvety texture. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes of additional simmering.

Tips for Perfect Execution: It’s essential to stop cooking when the congee is just beginning to thicken but still loose, because the cornstarch-coated chicken added later will further thicken the porridge as it cooks.

Raw chicken added to a pot with rice porridge.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken

Adding the marinated chicken gradually at a low boil prevents the pot temperature from dropping too quickly. Stirring the pieces until they turn opaque cooks them in minutes, keeping the lean chicken breast juicy. Meanwhile, the starch-thickened marinade naturally enriches the porridge.

Sliced ginger added to a stockpot with rice porridge and cooked pieces of chicken.

Finishing with fresh ginger adds volatile aromatic compounds that bloom quickly in the hot congee, enhancing flavor without becoming bitter.

Asian themed soup spoon lifting a scoop of chicken congee from a white bowl.

Step 5: To Serve

It’s hard to resist a steaming bowl of chicken congee! My family likes to build their own customized bowl with toppings like green onions, cilantro, chili oil, and thin slices of ginger. And of course, pieces of crispy Chinese donuts.

My grandfather, Bing, would get the donuts fresh from Oakland, Chinatown. My brother’s and I would devour them! It’s the kind of simple comfort that instantly brings me back to my childhood and the cozy weekends when my mom would make a big pot just for us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make chicken congee in the Instant Pot?

To make chicken congee in the Instant Pot, add 1 cup of washed rice, 8 cups of stock, and sliced ginger to the pot, then cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Switch to Sauté (Low), gradually stir in the chicken to thicken the porridge in 3 to 5 minutes, then adjust with water or stock as needed.

How long can you store the congee?

You can store congee in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to reheat it gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen it back to a silky consistency since the rice naturally thickens as it chills.

Can congee be frozen?

Yes, congee freezes well. Let it cool completely, portion it into airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. When reheating, add a splash of water or stock and stir as it warms. The starches firm up in the freezer, so a little extra liquid brings back its creamy consistency. It will have a mushier texture after freezing, so don’t overcook when reheating.