Vietnamese Chicken Pho Congee (Pho Flavors in Rice Form!)

When I want pho but I don't have pho noodles on hand, Vietnamese chicken pho congee is the next best thing! Pho congee is what you get when you take everything that makes chicken pho (pho ga) so incredibly flavorful and simmer it into a cozy, thick, brothy rice porridge.

Charred ginger and onion, toasted pho spices, and a rich chicken bone broth are the essentials for making this Vietnamese chicken porridge (chao ga) so good.

This was inspired by my classic ginger chicken congee and my pho pastina which you might also love!

What is Congee (chao)?

Congee, jook in Mandarin or chao in Vietnamese, is a rice porridge eaten across all of Asia. From Vietnam and China to Thailand and the Philippines to Japan and Korea - every country has their own version of rice porridge. The rice is simmered in a savory broth until the grains break down into a thick, creamy, and almost velvety texture.

What's so great about Vietnamese Chicken Pho Congee (pho chao ga)?

This Vietnamese chicken pho congee is the best of two worlds - phở ga (chicken pho) and cháo ga (chicken porridge). Take the flavors and spices in pho and simmer it in pot of chicken broth and rice and you'll get the most slurpable bowl of comfort. Unlike a bowl of soup where everything stays separate, this congee absorbs all the flavors of the pho-spiced broth, so every spoonful tastes like the soup of a really good bowl of pho.

This recipe uses frozen sticky white rice as a shortcut to cut down on cooking time but there's also an option to use regular pantry rice! Just don't forget to top off your congee with traditional pho toppings, like hoisin sauce, sriracha, lime, scallions, cilantro, Thai basil, jalapenos and even fried shallots and garlic (you can also add bean sprouts if you're not a bean sprout hater like me). And if you haven't eaten your crispy chicken skin before your congee finished cooking, you can add that on top too!

Why you'll love this Vietnamese Chicken Pho Congee (Pho Chao Ga)

• One pot, easy cleanup - Everything gets made in a Dutch oven!
• Meal prep friendly - This reheats beautifully. Just add a splash of broth when warming it up to loosen it!
• Uses pantry staples - Use any rice you have on hand and store bought chicken broth.
• Easy to make for sick days - Congee has been the go-to sick day comfort food in Vietnamese households forever and this one is no different!

Ingredients

• Rice: Use frozen sticky white rice for a shortcut that reduces the cooking time by half! I used InnovAsian sticky white rice. Regular jasmine or sushi rice can also be used.
• Chicken thighs: Use bone in skin on chicken thighs to add depth to our broth. Alternatively, substitute with a rotisserie chicken and store bought chicken broth to cut down on time.
• Onion: Yellow onion or sweet onion are common in pho broths and add a subtle sweetness.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger is best for charring which releases all that aroma.
• Pho spices: I like to make my own pho spice bags but this pho spice packet is readily available on Amazon!
• Chicken bone broth: Adds flavor and protein for a high protein congee! Substitute with water or regular chicken broth.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Vietnamese Chicken Pho Congee (Pho chao ga)

• Step 1: In a pan over medium-low heat, toast the pho spices until fragrant. Remove them from the pan, add them to a spice or tea bag and tie it securely.

• Step 2: Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and set aside.

• Step 3: To a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chicken skin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders out and the skin becomes crispy. Remove and set aside.

• Step 4: Add the onion halves and ginger to the rendered chicken fat and cook until fragrant and slightly charred. 

• Step 5: Using a paper towel, carefully blot the excess fat from the pot and discard. Add the skinless chicken thighs and sear on each side until golden brown.

• Step 6: To the pot, pour in 2 cups of bone broth and add in the pho spice packet. Bring it to a boil and remove any impurities or foam that rise to the top of the broth. Reduce it to a simmer and cover on low heat for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

• Step 7: Remove the chicken thighs, onions, ginger, and spice packet from the pot. Shred the chicken and set aside. Discard the onions, ginger, and spice packet.
• Step 8: Add the frozen sticky white rice directly to the pot along with 4 more cups of broth. Whisk well to break up the rice. If using dry sushi rice, add an extra cup of broth and bring it to a gentle boil and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes.

• Step 9: Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and bring it to a gentle boil until it begins to thicken and the rice plumps up.
• Step 10: Stir in rock sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Season with more salt as needed and add more broth for a soupier congee. Remove from heat.

• Step 11: To serve, ladle the pho congee into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, fried shallots, chicken skin, sliced limes and a drizzle of hoisin sauce and sriracha!

Substitutions and Variations

• Rice - Swap regular jasmine or sushi rice in place of frozen rice. Leftover rice also works great.
• Protein - Shred a rotisserie chicken and add it in instead or substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast.
• Broth - Buy regular store bought chicken broth instead of making it to cut down on cooking time. Use vegetarian broth for a veggie pho.

FAQ

Other recipes to try:

• Vietnamese caramelized braised shrimp (tom rim)
• Mama's Vietnamese nuoc cham recipe
• Braised pork belly and eggs
• Easy pickled mustard greens

Print Recipe

Vietnamese Chicken Pho Congee (Pho Flavors in Rice Form!)

This Vietnamese chicken pho congee recipe delivers all the cozy, aromatic flavors of pho in silky rice porridge form. Made with pho spices, bone broth, and tender shredded chicken, it's a protein forward comfort food the whole family will love, and you don't have to be sick to enjoy this! It's nourishing, flavorful, comes together in one pot and is ready in under an hour!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the congee

• 1 box of frozen sticky white rice or ½ cup dry sushi rice
• 2 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 yellow onions halved
• 1 large knob of fresh ginger halved lengthwise
• 1 package pho spices
• 6-8 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste

For serving

• Fresh cilantro chopped
• Scallions thinly sliced
• Hoisin sauce
• Fried shallots
• Sriracha
• Lime

Instructions

• In a pan over medium-low heat, toast the pho spices until fragrant. Remove them from the pan, add them to a spice or tea bag and tie it securely.
• Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and set aside.
• To a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chicken skin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders out and the skin becomes crispy. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onion halves and ginger to the rendered chicken fat and cook until fragrant and slightly charred.
• Using a paper towel, carefully blot the excess fat from the pot and discard. Add the skinless chicken thighs and sear on each side until golden brown.
• To the pot, pour in 2 cups of bone broth and add in the pho spice packet. Bring it to a boil and remove any impurities or foam that rise to the top of the broth. Reduce it to a simmer and cover on low heat for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken thighs, onions, ginger, and spice packet from the pot. Shred the chicken and set aside. Discard the onions, ginger, and spice packet.
• Add the frozen sticky white rice directly to the pot along with 4 more cups of broth. Whisk well to break up the rice. If using dry sushi rice, add an extra cup of broth and bring it to a gentle boil and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add more broth as needed.
• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and bring it to a gentle boil until it begins to thicken and the rice plumps up.
• Stir in rock sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Season with more salt as needed and add more broth for a soupier congee. Remove from heat.
• To serve, ladle the pho congee into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, fried shallots, chicken skin, sliced limes and a drizzle of hoisin sauce and sriracha!

Video

Notes

Toast the spices for a deeper pho flavor. Get a good sear on the onion and ginger. This will release their sweetness and aroma. Use bone broth for additional protein. Whisk the rice vigorously to break up the grains. Add more broth for a looser congee.