Revitalizing Breakfast with Classic Vietnamese Chicken Porridge
A Nourishing Start to the Day
Imagine a warm, comforting bowl of goodness to kick-start your morning. Look no further than this traditional Vietnamese chicken porridge, adapted from Charles Phan’s Vietnamese Home Cooking. This recipe is a staple of the Summer of Clean Eating channel, yielding 4 servings with an ease of preparation that’s hard to resist.
The Perfect Blend of Flavors
To create this culinary delight, we’ll begin by poaching a small whole chicken, accompanied by fragrant scalions, crushed ginger, and a hint of kosher salt. The result is a tender, juicy chicken that’s simply irresistible.
Poaching Perfection
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then carefully add the chicken, green onions, smashed ginger, and measured salt. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Next, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Afterward, plunge the chicken into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Reserve 2 cups of the poaching liquid, straining it through a fine sieve, and discard the rest.
Shredding the Chicken
Once the chicken has cooled, break it down using your hands, removing and discarding the skin. Take the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Finally, shred the poached chicken into medium-sized pieces, yielding approximately 4 cups of tender meat.
Creating the Porridge
While the chicken is poaching and cooling, cook the jasmine rice. In a large, heavy pot, combine the rice, chicken broth, sliced ginger, and the reserved chicken cooking water over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer until the rice is broken and resembles porridge, taking about 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.
Serving with Flair
Ladle the warm porridge into serving bowls and top with the shredded chicken and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Offer garnishes such as sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, chopped roasted peanuts, and crispy fried shallots in separate bowls, allowing guests to customize their own bowls.
This classic Vietnamese breakfast dish is sure to become a staple in your household, providing a nourishing and flavorful start to your day.
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