Active Time

　　40 min

　　Total Time

　　5 1/2 hr

　　Also known as jook, congee turns up in Chinese households morning, noon, and night. This thick rendition is made heartier with the addition of chicken.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　3 1/2 to 4-lb chicken, cut into serving pieces, including back and giblets (exclude liver)

　　10 cups water

　　3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry

　　3 (1/4-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger

　　3 scallions, halved crosswise and smashed with flat side of a heavy knife

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 cup long-grain rice

　　Accompaniment: fine julliene of fresh ginger, thinly sliced scallions, and Asian sesame oil

　　N/A scallions

　　N/A Asian sesame oil

　　

Step 1

Bring chicken and water to a boil in a 5-quart heavy pot, skimming froth. Add wine, ginger, scallions, and salt and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until breast meat is just cooked through. Trasfer 1 breast half with tongs to a bowl and continue to cook stock at a bare simmer, skimming froth as neccessary, 2 hours and 40 minutes. Meanwhile, cool chicken breast long enough to remove skin and bones, returning skin and bones to stock.

　　

Step 2

Cool breast meat completely and tear into shreds. Chill shreds, covered, and bring to room temperature before serving.

　　

Step 3

Pour stock through a large seive into a large bowl and discard solids. (you should have about 8 cups: if less, add water; if more, cook longer after adding rice.) Return stock to cleaned pot and add rice. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until consistency of oatmeal, about 1 3/4 hours, stirring frequently during last 1/2 hour of cooking. (Congee will continue to thicken as it stands. thin with water if necessary.)

　　

Step 4

Season congee with salt. Serve topped with chicken and accompaniments.

　　Cooks' note:

　　• Stock can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. uncovered, before chilling, covered. Discard solidified fat.