Chao Ga is a savoury, silky, thick, comforting, and filling Vietnamese chicken and rice soup or porridge that is as easy to make as it is budget friendly! Whether you serve this chicken congee for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’re going to love the fresh, vibrant Vietnamese flavours in this fast, fabulous, delicious dish.For an aromatic dish that bursts with flavour, this recipe is shockingly easy to prepare. And while it will undoubtedly fill you up, it’ll do so for pennies and won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
Equipment
cutting board
chef's knife
Measuring cup
measuring spoons
Long Handled Spoon
4 quart capacity stock pot or soup pot
Ingredients
2quartschicken broth or stock
1cupshort or medium grain ricepreferably glutinous rice, rinsed well under cold running water
1bunch green onionswhites thinly sliced, greens thinly sliced and reserved separately for garnish
2-inchpiece of gingerfrozen and grated
3very large garlic clovesminced or grated
1teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
4bonelessskinless chicken breasts or 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3tablespoonsfish saucesee notes
For Serving
Lime wedgescilantro
Optional but tasty:
Soft or medium boiled chicken or duck eggs, tofu, chili crisp, sesame oil, soy sauce, more fish sauce, black garlic sauce, hot sauce, fried garlic and shallots, pork floss, bean sprouts, or whatever makes you happy.
Instructions
Add broth, rice, the whites of the green onions, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking.
Add the chicken pieces to the rice and stir well. Cover the pot, drop the heat to low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add the fish sauce and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the rice is basically exploded and no longer sinking and the chicken shreds easily with a fork or tongs.
Use the aforementioned tongs or spoon to break the chicken up into smaller pieces. It doesn’t have to be even or perfect, just mostly bite sized.
Scoop into bowls and serve with lime wedges and cilantro and whatever other garnish you love.
Notes
You can substitute an equal quantity of soy sauce or liquid aminos for the fish sauce if necessary.Leftover chao ga reheats beautifully in the microwave or in a small saucepan. If you reheat on the stovetop, just stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.