Chicken Muiltigrain Congee with Celery and Sweet Potatoes
Nov 13, 2024, Updated Mar 01, 2025
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Chicken Muiltigrain Congee with Celery and Sweet Potatoes is my meal prep for this week and it’s so flavorful, hearty, and nutritious.
I used 2 bone-in skin on chicken legs (drumstick + thighs) since I was using up a whole chicken this week, but you can substitute this by using chicken stock instead of water and 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken thighs.
The last trick I use it to immersion blender (you can also take a few cups of and blend it in a blender if you don’t have an immersion blender) to get the perfect texture. Taste for the salt and pepper, and enjoy all week long!
Chef Tips:
Flavorful Base: When sautéing the celery, sweet potato, and onions, let them cook long enough to develop a little caramelization—about 5-6 minutes. This step builds a richer flavor base that infuses the broth as it simmers.
Wash the Rice: Rinsing the rice before adding it to the pot removes excess starch, resulting in a cleaner broth and a more distinct rice texture. It’s an easy step that prevents the soup from becoming overly thick.
Use Bone-In Chicken for Depth: Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs adds deeper flavor to the broth.
Control Thickness with the Immersion Blender: For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender briefly, just enough to break down some of the rice and veggies. This technique thickens the soup slightly without making it too dense, leaving a rustic, hearty feel.
Season Gradually: Since the rice will absorb salt, taste the broth halfway through cooking and adjust the seasoning as needed. This approach ensures a balanced flavor without over-salting.
Recipe:
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Chicken Muiltigrain Congee with Celery and Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 min
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Chicken noodle soup but like congee – it’s the perfect comfort food!
Ingredients
- 6 stalks celery, diced
- 1 sweet potato, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion (or 3 shallots), diced
- 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 8 cups water (or chicken stock if using boneless chicken)
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice, plus 1/2 cup multigrain rice
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Instructions
- Prep the veggies by dicing the shallot or onion, celery, and sweet potato.
- In a large pot, add a tablespoon of neutral oil. On medium-high heat, add the diced veggies and a large pinch of salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Wash the rice and add it to the pot with the veggies. Add the water (or stock), chicken, and another big pinch of salt, then bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat, partially cover, and cook for 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. If using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, remove them after 25 minutes.
- Shred the chicken and season with kosher salt to taste. Using an immersion blender, blend the congee for 20-30 seconds, leaving whole pieces of veggies and rice for texture. Stir everything, taste, adjust salt as needed, and top with cilantro and scallions before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: comfort
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: asian
