Cháo Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Rice Porridge / Congee)

Method8 steps · about 3 hr 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose raw poultry OR an already-cooked leftover bird. For the leftover route only, remove about 75 percent of the meat and reserve it in the refrigerator for serving; the bones and remaining meat make the stock. Skip this separation for raw poultry.

   Uses Already-cooked bird ONLY for the leftover route; reserve about 75% of its meat

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Put the raw bird OR the leftover bones and remaining meat from step 1 into a large stockpot. Add 85 percent of the 28 cups water, about 23.8 cups, with 87 g sliced ginger, the halved onion, 2 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low-medium simmer 90–120 minutes until tender. Skim as needed and add extra water only to replace evaporation so the bones stay covered. Meanwhile choose ONE rice method: 4 or 5.

   Simmer chicken broth · 120 minUses Raw 3 lb bird ONLY for raw-poultry route; leftover route uses bones and remaining meat · 23.8 cups water, 85% of the 28-cup batch · 87 g fresh ginger root (peeled, sliced into 1/4" pieces) · 1 yellow onion · 2 tbsp salt · 2 tbsp fish sauce · extra water only to replace evaporation during broth simmer · ONLY for the already-cooked route: bones and meat left after serving meat reserved

   
3. 3

   Step 3: When the poultry is tender and raw poultry has reached 165°F (74°C), remove it and cool about 10 minutes until safe to handle. Strip remaining meat from the bones and return it to the broth. Discard bones, onion and sliced broth ginger.

   Cool chicken · 10 minUses Chosen poultry simmered 90–120 minutes until tender; raw poultry checked at 165°F

4. 4

   Step 4: Rice method A: while the stock simmers, cook both 334 g rice portions together in a rice cooker, with an equal volume of rice-cooker water. Once the stock is ready, add this cooked rice to it and simmer 10–20 minutes until very soft. This replaces the raw-rice method in step 5.

   Simmer rice in broth · 20 minUses 334 g long-grain rice ONLY for rice-cooker method A · 334 g short-grain rice ONLY for rice-cooker method A · Rice-cooker water equal in volume to the rice, only for method A. · Bones, onion and broth ginger discarded; cooked meat returned to the broth

5. 5

   Step 5: Rice method B: instead of using the rice cooker, add both 334 g raw rice portions to the finished stock. Bring to a boil, lower to a low-medium simmer and cook 45–60 minutes until very soft. Skip this step if you used method A.

   Simmer raw rice · 60 minUses 334 g long-grain rice ONLY for raw-rice method B · 334 g short-grain rice ONLY for raw-rice method B · Bones, onion and broth ginger discarded; cooked meat returned to the broth

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Once the rice from your chosen route is very soft, thin the congee to your preferred consistency with some or all of the reserved 15 percent water, up to 4.2 cups. Do not add the full 28 cups again.

   Uses Up to 4.2 cups reserved water for final consistency · Use ONLY if route A was chosen: congee from step 4 · Use ONLY if route B was chosen: congee from step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: Taste after setting the consistency and adjust only with extra salt, fish sauce (to taste) or both as needed. The initial seasoning is deliberately light.

   Uses extra salt only to taste after final consistency is set · extra fish sauce only to taste after final consistency is set · Cooked rice porridge thinned to taste with reserved water

8. 8

   Step 8: Serve in twelve bowls with fresh julienned garnish ginger (2–3 tbsp), sliced green onion (3 stalk), cilantro (1 bunch) and optional sambal and ready-cooked youtiao. For the leftover route, reheat the reserved cooked poultry thoroughly to 165°F (74°C) before adding it. Offer optional cooked salted duck egg and ready-fried shallots OR garlic; account for the egg’s saltiness when seasoning.

   Uses 2–3 tbsp ginger · 3 stalk green onions · 1 bunch cilantro · sambal chile paste · youtiao / dau chao quay / chinese donut · optional cooked salted duck egg for serving · optional ready-fried shallots for serving, OR fried garlic · optional ready-fried garlic for serving, OR fried shallots