Ginger chicken congee (rice porridge) with kimchi

Ginger chicken congee (rice porridge) with kimchi

Congee is a type of rice porridge enjoyed, often for breakfast, in many Asian countries. Here, Georgina Hayden has created a savoury version and topped it with chicken, kimchi, pickled ginger and greens. It’s a really nourishing dish that could be served as a starter or main at a dinner party.

Ginger chicken congee (rice porridge) with kimchi

  • Serves icon Serves 6-8
  • Time icon Hands-on time 25 min, simmering time 1 hour 45 min, plus up to 2 days pickling

Congee is a type of rice porridge enjoyed, often for breakfast, in many Asian countries. Here, Georgina Hayden has created a savoury version and topped it with chicken, kimchi, pickled ginger and greens. It’s a really nourishing dish that could be served as a starter or main at a dinner party.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
402kcals
Fat
6.8g (1.6g saturated)
Protein
30.8g
Carbohydrates
52.3g (15.1g sugars)
Fibre
4g
Salt
1.6g

For 8

Ingredients

  • 1.4kg free-range whole chicken
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • A few peppercorns
  • 350g long grain rice
  • 150g cavolo nero or kale, sliced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 80g kimchi (from Tesco, Ocado and online), chopped
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Chilli oil (optional)

For the pickled ginger

  • 125g fresh ginger
  • 120ml rice vinegar
  • 80g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt

You’ll also need…

  • Mandoline or vegetable peeler; small, clean glass jar
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. Get a 3cm piece of ginger aside for the chicken poaching stock. For the pickled ginger, peel and finely slice the rest lengthways with a mandoline or veg peeler. Pack the slices into the jar. Pour the vinegar into a small pan, then add the sugar, salt and 2 tbsp cold water. Bring to the boil, then immediately pour over the ginger. Seal, leave to cool, then chill (see Make Ahead).
  2. Put the chicken in a large pan or flameproof casserole with a lid. Finely slice the 3cm piece of ginger and add to the pan with the onions, carrots, celery and peppercorns, then add cold water to cover. Put on a high heat and bring to the boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for 1 hour, topping up the water if needed so the chicken is always covered.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pan, put on a tray and cover with foil. (Check it’s ready by pushing a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear it’s cooked, if not, return it to the pan until cooked.) Strain the stock, then put it back into the pan (discard the veg). You’ll need around 3 litres of stock, so top up with boiling water if need be.
  4. Rinse the rice in a sieve or colander until the water runs clear. Stir into the stock and bring to the boil over a high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce to a simmer and cook slowly for 45-60 minutes. Stir often until the rice is creamy, adding a splash more water if needed. It should be oozy. Put the cavolo nero/kale on top of the congee (don’t stir it in) for the final 10 minutes of the cooking time so it steams gently.
  5. While the congee is cooking, strip all the chicken meat from the carcass and shred.
  6. Transfer the steamed greens to a warm bowl. Season the congee with salt to taste, then stir in the 2 tbsp vinegar. Serve topped with the shredded chicken, kimchi, spring onions, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, steamed greens and a little chilli oil, if you like.

Nutrition

For 8

Calories
402kcals
Fat
6.8g (1.6g saturated)
Protein
30.8g
Carbohydrates
52.3g (15.1g sugars)
Fibre
4g
Salt
1.6g

delicious. tips

  1. If you’re in a hurry you can use ready-made pickled ginger.

  2. If you can make the pickled ginger 1-2 days ahead it’ll be great, otherwise a few hours is fine. It will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 months.

    If you have any leftover rice, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines (see delicious. Kitchen).

  3. A crisp, citrussy dry riesling suits this well – pick a modern New Zealand label.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By

Georgina Hayden

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Pearl barley recipes

Chicken with baked pearl barley risotto

Pearl barley replaces rice in this not-so-traditional risotto recipe. This...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Risotto recipes

Oven-baked chicken, bacon and barley risotto

We’ve used a mixture of rice and pearl barley in...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.