A Recipe for Gut Health: Chicken Congee aka “Jook”
Fall is Spleen support season as much as it is Lung season. Digestion slows down this time of year whether you notice it or not, and congee is the easiest way to give your gut a break while still eating something that feels like food. This is the version I make for myself and for patients dealing with bloating, loose stool, low appetite, or general digestive fatigue.
Ingredients
1 cup jasmine white rice, rinsed
8 cups chicken bone broth
1 lb chicken thighs, or a leftover rotisserie carcass
1 thumb fresh ginger, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Toppings: Chili oil, sesame oil, coconut aminos (or soy), toasted sesame seeds, to taste
Optional additions that make it even better: shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, kimchi, and a soft boiled egg
Method Combine the rice, broth, chicken, ginger, garlic and mushrooms, scallion whites in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then drop it down to the lowest simmer you have. Partially cover. Cook for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't stick.
Pull the chicken out once it's cooked through, shred the meat then add back in. Keep simmering until the rice has broken down completely and the whole thing becomes thick and like porridge (another 30 minutes). Add water along the way if it gets too thick for your taste.
Season at the end with salt and white pepper. White pepper specifically, not black because it’s warming in a way that suits the digestive intent of the dish. Top each bowl with the scallion greens, chili oil, sesame oil, coconut aminos (or soy), toasted sesame seeds, and kimchi.
Why it works, in TCM terms Congee is one of the most Spleen-friendly foods in the whole system. The long cook time predigests the rice so your body spends less energy breaking it down and more energy absorbing it. Ginger warms and chicken builds Qi and blood without taxing digestion the way heavier meats do. If you're recovering from illness, dealing with a flare of digestive symptoms, or just feel run down, a bowl of this beats almost anything else you could reach for.
Make a big batch on a Sunday. It keeps for days and reheats fine with a splash of water.