Chicken Jook Rice Porridge Soup

Name: Chicken Jook Rice Porridge Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1½ lbs (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry with paper towels; ¾ cup (150 g) short-grain white rice (sushi or arborio), rinsed until water runs mostly clear; 6 cups (1440 ml) unsalted chicken broth; 3 cups (720 ml) water; 2 inch (50 g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks; 4 whole (60 g) scallions (green onions), trimmed, white and light green parts separated from dark green tops, sliced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; white pepper, to taste; kosher salt, to taste; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, soul-warming Chinese rice porridge made by simmering chicken thighs with short-grain rice until they break down into a creamy broth. Ginger provides subtle warmth, while scallions and soy sauce add depth and savory balance. This one-pot dish is perfect for cold days, recovery meals, or when you want comfort food that feels both nourishing and deeply satisfying.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Makes: About 8 cups (2 liters), serving 4

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lbs (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry with paper towels
¾ cup (150 g) short-grain white rice (sushi or arborio), rinsed until water runs mostly clear
6 cups (1440 ml) unsalted chicken broth
3 cups (720 ml) water
2 inch (50 g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
4 whole (60 g) scallions (green onions), trimmed, white and light green parts separated from dark green tops, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
white pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

Equipment (6)

Large heavy-bottomed pot (6–8 quart / 5.7–7.6 L capacity)
Wooden spoon for stirring
Tongs for turning chicken
Meat thermometer (optional but recommended)
Ladle for serving
Paper towels for drying chicken

Steps

Before you start

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels so they brown better
Measure all ingredients before you start simmering—the process is largely hands-off but you'll want everything ready
Use short-grain white rice (like sushi or arborio) for the best creamy texture; long-grain rice won't break down as much

1
Sear the chicken thighs
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (6–8 quart) over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil shimmers, add the dried chicken thighs skin-side down.
- Sear for 4–5 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and some fat renders out.
- Flip the thighs and sear the underside for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned.
- The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked; this step adds flavor through browning.
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Ready when: Skin is golden brown and some fat is rendered; underside is lightly browned
Tip: Don't move the thighs while they sear. Let them sit undisturbed so the skin browns properly.
2
Add broth, water, and rice
- Pour 6 cups unsalted chicken broth and 3 cups water around the chicken (not directly over it).
- Add the rinsed short-grain rice, stirring gently to distribute it.
- The liquid should cover everything by about 1 inch.
- Add the ginger matchsticks and the white and light green scallion parts.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
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Ready when: Mixture reaches a rolling boil with visible steam and bubbles breaking the surface
Tip: Rinse the rice to remove excess starch, which can make the broth cloudy—you want a clean, clear appearance.
3
Reduce heat and simmerOven 165°F / 75°C
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low.
- The porridge should bubble gently and steadily but not aggressively.
- Simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, stirring every 20–25 minutes to prevent sticking and to help the rice and chicken break down.
- After about 45 minutes, check if the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C on a thermometer at the thickest part without touching bone).
- Once cooked, you can carefully remove the thighs and shred the meat, discarding skin and bones, then return it to the pot, or leave them in whole for easier serving.
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Ready when: Rice grains are very soft and largely dissolved; broth is creamy and milky; consistency is closer to soup than risotto
Tip: Stir regularly so the rice doesn't clump at the bottom and burn. If the porridge seems too thick, add warm water a splash at a time.
4
Season and finish
- Stir in 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil.
- Taste the porridge and season with white pepper and kosher salt to your preference.
- Start with a pinch of white pepper (it has a sharper bite than black pepper and is traditional here).
- Add salt gradually—remember the soy sauce and broth already contribute saltiness.
- The finished porridge should be savory, aromatic, and have a subtle spicy warmth from the ginger and pepper.
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Ready when: Seasonings are fully stirred in and flavors taste balanced and rich
Tip: Taste before adding salt—it's easy to oversalt. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.
5
Serve
- Ladle the porridge into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the creamy broth and some chicken.
- Scatter the reserved dark green scallion tops over each bowl.
- Serve immediately while hot.
- Jook is best eaten right away; the texture and warmth are part of its appeal.
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Tip: Jook thickens as it cools. If you have leftovers and they become too thick when reheated, stir in a splash of warm broth or water to loosen them.

Good to know

Tips

Jook is all about the ratio of rice to liquid and the simmering time. Too little liquid and it becomes thick porridge; too much and it's thin soup. The 2:1 ratio of liquid to rice is classic, but you can adjust to your texture preference.
This dish shines with quality ingredients. Use good-quality chicken broth (homemade is best), fresh ginger, and real toasted sesame oil—they make a noticeable difference in the final flavor.
Jook is wonderfully flexible. Once the base is done, top it with soft-boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, crispy fried shallots, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of chili oil to suit your mood.
If you prefer a thinner, brothier porridge, use 7 cups broth and 4 cups water. If you like it thicker and more risotto-like, use 5 cups broth and 2 cups water. Adjust rice proportionally—keep it at about 1 part rice to 8 parts liquid for thin jook, or 1 to 6 for thick.

Make ahead

Prepare the ginger and scallions up to 4 hours ahead and store in separate containers in the fridge. The porridge is best made fresh, but you can cook it completely and store it (see storage below) and reheat it gently on the stovetop.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: not recommended (bacteria risk). Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of broth or water to loosen if it has thickened. Freezer: jook freezes well for up to 2 months in freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.

Substitutions

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached breast and thighs) added in the last 10 minutes of simmering instead of bone-in thighs. This skips the browning step and reduces overall cooking time by about 30 minutes, but you'll miss the deep flavor from searing. Reduce initial broth to 5 cups and add the cooked chicken with the seasoning.
short-grain white rice (sushi or arborio) → arborio rice or sushi rice in equal amounts, or congee rice (long-grain rice broken into pieces). Both create a creamy porridge; arborio will give a slightly thicker texture. The rice type affects final consistency—experiment to find your preference.
fresh ginger → ½ teaspoon ground ginger mixed in at the end instead of fresh slices. Ground ginger is more potent; use less. You'll lose the delicate flavor of fresh ginger, but it works in a pinch and requires no prep.
scallions (green onions) → chopped fresh cilantro, crispy fried shallots, or a mix of both as a garnish. These add different but equally delicious flavor and texture notes. Cilantro brings brightness; fried shallots add crunch.