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Easy Congee Recipe with Leftover Rice
This easy congee recipe turns yesterday’s leftover rice into a warm, silky bowl of chicken and mushroom porridge in about 20 minutes. If you’ve ever had congee at a Chinese restaurant and wished you could make it at home, this is the recipe you need!
This easy congee recipe is something I wish more Indian kitchens knew about. We have khichdi for when we’re feeling low or under the weather, and congee is the Chinese equivalent for that same home-like comfort. It’s warm, gentle on your stomach, and makes you feel taken care of. The chicken and mushrooms add enough flavour and substance that it works as a full meal, not just something you eat when you’re sick.
The whole dish is cooked fully in a pressure cooker and gets ready in about two whistles, which is roughly the same time as making khichdi. If you’ve been enjoying our wonton soup or claypot mushroom rice, this congee has that same cosy, Asian comfort food quality. And if you’ve got leftover rice sitting in the fridge with no plan, this is a really good reason to use it up.
Table of contents
Ingredients for Congee
Leftover Rice: Day-old or cold rice works perfectly here. The pressure cooker breaks it down into that silky, porridge-like consistency that congee is known for.
Chicken Breast: Boneless, thigh or breast pieces cut into small cubes. Washed with milk before cooking to remove any raw odour, which is a common technique in Chinese cooking.
Mushrooms: Dried shiitake for deep umami and shimeji for a lighter, nuttier flavour.
Carrot: Cut into semi-roundels for some sweetness and colour.
Ginger: Slice it instead of grating to infuse flavour gently.
Chicken Broth Powder: Adds a savoury base to the congee. If you don’t have it, a stock cube dissolved in water works too.
Seasoning: Salt and white pepper.
Toasted Sesame Oil: Drizzled on top right before serving for a nutty fragrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you’re not making congee in a pressure cooker, then use a regular pot on the stove at low heat for about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pot method takes longer because the rice needs more time to break down without the pressure, but the result is the same silky, porridge-like congee. You may need to add an extra cup of water since more evaporates without a sealed lid. You can even make this rice congee in an instant pot.
You can, but you’ll need to adjust the water quantity and cooking time. Use about ½ cup of raw rice with 4-5 cups of water, and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles instead of 2. Leftover rice is recommended because it breaks down faster and gives you that smooth consistency with less cooking time.
Skip the chicken and chicken broth powder. Use vegetable stock or a vegetable bouillon cube instead. Double up on the mushrooms and add some tofu cubes for protein. The shiitake mushrooms bring enough umami on their own to keep the congee flavourful without any meat.
Absolutely. Congee is very customisable. A soft boiled egg, fried garlic chips, sliced spring onions, crispy shallots, or a drizzle of homemade chilli oil all work really well on top.
Just stir in some hot water until you reach the consistency you like. Rice congee thickens as it sits and cools, so it’s completely normal to adjust with water before serving or when reheating.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Wash the chicken with milk before cooking. This removes the raw odour that chicken sometimes has, especially when it’s going into a delicate, lightly seasoned dish like congee. Just rub the milk on, discard it, rinse with water, and the chicken will taste much cleaner.
- Hydrate the shiitake mushrooms properly. Soak them in hot water for at least 15-20 minutes until they’re soft and pliable. Under-soaked shiitake will be tough and chewy in the finished congee.
- Let the pressure cooker de-pressurise on its own. Don’t force open the lid. The natural release allows the rice to continue breaking down and the flavours to meld together. Forcing it open means a thinner, less developed congee.
- Use sliced ginger, not grated. Sliced ginger infuses the congee gently as it cooks and can be easily removed or eaten around. Grated ginger would dissolve completely and make the congee too sharp and gingery.
- Add the sesame oil right before serving, never during cooking. Toasted sesame oil loses its fragrance when heated for too long. A drizzle at the very end keeps that nutty aroma fresh and vibrant in every spoonful.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Congee thickens a lot as it cools, which is completely normal. When reheating, add hot water or stock and stir until it loosens back up.
- Freezing: Congee freezes surprisingly well for up to two weeks. Freeze in individual portions so you can thaw only what you need. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove with some water.
- Reheating tip: Always reheat on the stove, not the microwave. Stir frequently, and add water or stock gradually until you reach your preferred consistency. Finish with a fresh drizzle of sesame oil before serving.
Serving Ideas
Congee is traditionally eaten on its own, but here are a few ways to make it more of a meal:
- With Chilli Oil Fried Eggs: A crispy, spicy fried egg on top of warm congee adds texture and heat that makes the bowl feel really complete.
- With Homemade Chilli Oil: A generous drizzle of chilli oil on top along with the sesame oil takes the congee from gentle to exciting in one spoonful.
- With Vegetarian Gyoza Potstickers: Crispy dumplings on the side with a warm bowl of congee is a classic Asian comfort meal.
- With crispy fried garlic and spring onions: Fry some sliced garlic until golden, scatter it over the congee with spring onion greens, and the crunch against the silky porridge is lovely.
Customisation Ideas
- Try it with prawns: Swap the chicken for prawns and add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking so they don’t overcook. They cook quickly in the hot congee and stay tender.
- Add a soft boiled egg: Halve a jammy soft boiled egg and place it on top of the congee just before serving. The runny yolk melts into the hot porridge and makes it even richer.
- Try different mushrooms: Enoki, king oyster, or even regular button mushrooms all work well in congee. Each one brings a slightly different texture, so use whatever you can find.
Did You Know?
Almost every Asian country has its own version of rice porridge, and none of them taste the same. In Japan, it’s called okayu and is typically very plain with just rice, salt, and an umeboshi plum on top. Thailand has jok and is loaded with ginger, garlic, and pork meatballs. Arroz Caldo from the Philippines uses turmeric and fish sauce. In Korea it’s called juk and comes in dozens of varieties including pumpkin, abalone, and black sesame. India has its own version too, kanji, which is fermented rice porridge eaten across Kerala and parts of South India. The concept is the same everywhere: rice cooked slowly in liquid until it breaks down into something soft, warm, and nourishing. This recipe draws from the Chinese tradition, where congee is typically savoury and loaded with toppings.
If you’ve never made this Chinese rice porridge at home before, let this be the recipe that introduces you to it. It’s warm, it’s simple, and I promise it’ll make you feel good from the inside. When you try it, come tell me about it on Instagram @my_foodstory.
Watch Easy Rice Congee Recipe Video
Rice Congee with Leftover Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 75 gms boneless chicken breast cut into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 dry shiitake mushrooms hydrated
- ½ cup shimeji mushrooms
- 1 carrot cut into semi-roundels
- 3 slices of ginger
- 1 teaspoon chicken broth powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper powder
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 cups cooked rice
- ½ teaspoon cornflour mixed in 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Add chicken cubes to a bowl, add milk and rub the chicken gently with milk to remove the odor. Discard the milk, rinse with water, drain the water and set aside the chicken cubes.
- Slice the shiitake mushrooms into thin slices.
- Heat a pressure cooker, add chicken, shiitake & shimeji mushrooms, carrots, ginger, broth powder, salt, pepper, water, rice, mix well, close the lid and pressure cook until 2 whistles, approx. 7 minutes.
- Let the cooker de-pressurise by itself, open the lid and set the cooker to heat on medium. Add cornflour slurry, mix continuously till it boils and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Top with toasted sesame oil and serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
The post Easy Congee Recipe with Leftover Rice appeared first on My Food Story.
