Chicken Ginger Congee

Ingredients

• 250g Jasmine rice, uncooked
• 600g Chicken breast, whole, skin on for stock flavour
• 1.5L Water, for stock
• 40g Fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce, traditional Thai seasoning
• 2 whole Lime, for juice and zest
• 3 large Shallots, thinly sliced for frying
• 20g Fresh coriander, leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 medium Red chilli, thinly sliced, or dried chilli flakes to taste
• 3 tbsp Coconut oil, for frying shallots
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper

Method

1. Place the 600g chicken breast in a large pot with 1.5 litres cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add all 40g of sliced ginger. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 75 °C / 165 °F or no pink remaining).
2. Remove the chicken breast with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, fish out and discard all ginger slices from the stock. Then ladle the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or second pot to remove any remaining solids, returning the clarified stock to the pot. Keep at a gentle simmer.
3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat finely using two forks, discarding the skin. Return all the shredded chicken to the simmering clarified stock. Add the 250g uncooked jasmine rice and stir well. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the rice grains have broken down and the congee is creamy and porridge-like. If it thickens too much, add a splash of water to loosen.
4. While the congee cooks, heat all 3 tbsp coconut oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and fry, stirring regularly, for 5–7 minutes until deep golden and crispy. Transfer to a small bowl lined with paper towel to drain and season lightly with salt.
5. Zest and juice both limes. Season the finished congee with 2 tbsp fish sauce, the juice of both limes, the zest of both limes, and black pepper to taste. Adjust salt if needed. The flavour should be savoury, bright, and lightly salty.
6. Divide the congee evenly among five bowls. Top each portion with an equal share of the crispy shallots, 20g fresh coriander leaves, and sliced red chilli. Serve immediately.

Batch cooking tip

• Make the full batch of stock and shredded chicken, then portion the finished congee into five airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fry the shallots fresh on the day of serving to keep them crisp, or store them separately in an airtight jar and reheat briefly in a dry pan before serving. The congee will thicken slightly as it cools; thin it with a splash of water or extra stock when reheating.