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Like many people who work, I have a long and hectic day most weekdays. By the time I get home in the evenings, I often have just a little time (and energy) to throw something together for dinner.

For those evenings when time is precious, it’s nice to have something ready in the fridge as a time saver, such as cooked chicken. I especially enjoy a simple, Chinese style poached chicken for its tender texture, fresh taste and versatility.  

Here are just a few ways to use poached chicken…the possibilities are numerous:

• Chilled, sliced and served with romaine leaves to make easy lettuce wraps
• Thrown into a salad
• Folded in rice paper with cellophane noodles and greens for a quick fresh spring roll
• Shredded and stirred into rice porridge/congee
• Enjoyed as is, with a little dipping sauce (see recipe below)
• Sandwich roll-up (try it in a whole wheat wrap with shredded carrots, cilantro, and a bit of peanut butter for a Southeast Asian flavor).

This Chinese style poached chicken recipe is easy to make ahead of time, with a minimum of ingredients and fuss. (Fittingly enough, it is based on a recipe used by my brother Dave…who just happens to write about productivity tools and tips.)

Chinese Style Poached Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 2 whole chicken breasts, skin on and bone in
• A few scallion stalks, chopped into medium sized pieces 
• 3-5 slices of ginger root
• 1/2 cup dry sherry

Equipment:

• A large pot with a tight fitting lid

Directions:

Fill the large pot with water and put over heat to boil. While the water is waiting to boil, wash the chicken breasts, chop up the scallions and ginger and set aside. When the water reaches the boiling point, carefully lower the chicken breasts into the pot. Wait 30 seconds, then TURN OFF THE HEAT. Add the scallions, sliced ginger, and sherry, cover the pot and let sit undisturbed for 35 minutes (no peeking!). Remove the chicken, which should now be cooked through and tender. Allow to cool. Remove the skin and carefully carve or pull the meat from the bones. Use immediately, or store in your fridge to keep handy for the next couple of days.

(Note: You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breast—just reduce the poaching time to about 25 minutes.)

Sauce Suggestion: (Increase recipe as needed, though a little goes a long way)

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 scallion stalk, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Sea salt or kosher salt to taste

Briefly sauté the chopped scallion in the sesame oil, then remove from heat and mix in soy sauce, ginger and a sprinkling of salt to taste. Use as dipping sauce or drizzle on top of sliced chicken. (My favorite use: Arrange a few chicken pieces on a romaine leaf with a bit of the sauce to make a lettuce “boat”…delicious!)

Have fun coming up with other ways to use this in your own recipes. Enjoy! 

I started the New Year with an evil flu that drained me of energy, appetite and enthusiasm for pretty much everything, including food. Unable to stomach much of anything, I was uninspired until I remembered the ultimate Asian comfort food…rice congee.

Also known as rice gruel, jook, mueh, or xifan, it is all basically the same watery rice porridge, served plain with various meats and pickles on the side or with different flavors, condiments and ingredients mixed in. Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, and Russian cuisines all have their own versions. In my own Taiwanese American family, it was (and is) a common breakfast food or light meal.

Congee is so simple to make that it was one of the first foods my mom allowed me to cook on my own as a child. It is a dish almost impossible to mess up.

Method 1: Add cooked rice to a larger amount of water or broth, and simmer until the liquid is reduced and the rice is soft and the consistency of oatmeal. This is a great way to use up leftover rice, and was my mother’s usual method when I was growing up because in our household, we almost always had leftover rice.

Method 2: If you don’t have any cooked rice handy, start with uncooked rice and an even larger quantity of liquid such as 6-8 cups of water or broth to 1 cup of rice, You can vary this ratio according to your own preference and what works for you…when I consulted a friend who also comes from a Taiwanese family, she unhesitatingly recited her mother’s formula: “10 to 1!”

A third method is to simply use your electric rice cooker…a lot of rice cookers these days have a congee/porridge setting built right in!

Inspired by the “cháo” I like to order from a local Vietnamese restaurant, I decided to make a gingery chicken congee to battle my cold. It truly was the perfect food to heal both mind and body.

Easy Ginger Chicken Rice Porridge (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1-2 tablespoons minced ginger root (adjust to taste)
• 1 cup shredded, cooked chicken (I poached mine)
• Chopped scallions or other herbs for garnish

Directions:

Add cooked rice to 4 cups of chicken broth, along with the minced ginger root. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid is reduced and the rice is soft and about the consistency of oatmeal. (There should still be some liquid covering the rice, but just a little.) Mix in the cooked, shredded chicken and chopped scallions and serve hot.

Basic Rice Porridge (6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked short grain white rice
• 6-8 cups water or broth (though my friend insists on 10 cups)

Directions:

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain water. Add the six cups of water to the rice, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

(Option: Add uncooked pieces of sweet potato during the cooking process to make sweet potato rice)

Enjoy, and stay healthy!