Chicken congee with ginger and goji berries
Marinated chicken thigh poached in silky congee with ginger shreds — just the thing to chase away the chill of an air-conditioned office.
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Yang-deficient people feel the cold and have chilly hands and feet. Even at the Summer Solstice, long hours in air conditioning and iced drinks injure yang further. Chicken warms the middle and boosts qi, and ginger warms the stomach and dispels cold, so a hot bowl keeps you warm until lunch — the classic idea of protecting yang in summer.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 55 min- 1Rinse the rice, toss with a pinch of salt and the oil and leave for 30 minutes. Bring the water to the boil, add the rice, return to the boil, then simmer half-covered for 45 minutes until silky.
- 2Marinate the chicken with the soy sauce, cornflour, a pinch of salt and half the ginger for 15 minutes.
- 3Add the red dates and remaining ginger to the congee and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the chicken and cook over medium heat for 5–6 minutes until cooked through.
- 4Add the goji berries for the last minute, season with salt, and serve topped with spring onion and a pinch of white pepper.
Cautions
- Pause during a cold or fever, or if you have a sore throat or mouth ulcers.
Chef's tips
- Add the chicken last and turn off the heat as soon as it's cooked so it stays tender; the congee base can be made the night before.
The TCM view
Chicken is sweet and warm, warming the middle, boosting qi and replenishing essence. Fresh ginger is pungent and slightly warm, warming the middle and dispelling cold. Red dates are sweet and warm, tonifying the spleen; goji berries are sweet and neutral, nourishing the liver and kidneys; and rice harmonises the stomach. Warming without drying, it suits the yang-deficient as yin first stirs at the solstice.
