Chicken Porridge

It's the flu season again! I won't blame you if you haven't felt like cooking...in the recent month or two...hey! Here is a great simple recipe for some comfort food! Listen to this: chicken, rice, and lots of fluid...sounds like the right combo for a lazy night in, right? Or any night in, for that matter.

Ingredients:

• 1 LB chicken meat, thigh meat preferred, cut into bite size pieces

• 1 cup rice, short grain preferred, we used sushi rice

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

• 8 cups water

• Optional: 1 bunch green leafy vegetable such as kale

• Optional: 1 or 2 stalks of scallion, diced

Seasoning for the chicken:

• Ginger root, cut into pieces, strips, or minced (the finer you cut it, the stronger the flavor, so adjust accordingly; we used 5~6 pieces for 1 lb chicken). If no ginger root, simply replace it with 1 teaspoon ground ginger powder.

• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon corn starch

• 1 tablespoon rice wine

• Optional: 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Steps:

1. Place chicken pieces in a mixing bowl and add all the seasonings. Mix really well. Let stand at room temperature for about 10~20 minutes.

2. In a large Dutch oven, turn heat up, drizzle 3 tablespoons cooking oil and add chicken. Stir often and cook over medium high for about 5~7 minutes.

3. Add 8 cups water, bring to a boil, stir occasionally.

4. Stir in rice, cook over high for about 10 minutes uncovered, stirring often.

5. Turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes (or longer, the longer the creamier).

Watson's Notes: You can have the chicken porridge now, or add in some leafy veggie/scallion before serving. Stir them in and cook for about 3~5 minutes when the greens just become wilted. This way you have a more balanced meal! We used baby kale and it turned out aweeeeesomely yummy!