Chicken Congee Instant Pot
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 17, 2025 
This hearty and flavorful Chicken Congee Instant Pot rice porridge is easy to make in a pressure cooker, and delicious to enjoy hot for breakfast or dinner!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
I spent a summer in China after my senior year of high school. Each morning we would leave our dorm and head to the dining hall for a hearty bowl of Chinese rice porridge for breakfast. Offering the same appeal as oatmeal or grits, Congee is a very comforting meal, any time of day.
Congee, also called Jook in southern China, is a soft soupy rice porridge that can be served sweet or savory, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Today I’m making a savory chicken congee, that can be prepared in an Instant Pot or on the Stovetop. It is hearty and comforting, like the Chinese equivalent of southern chicken and dumplings. We load our bowls of this jook recipe with fried onions, fresh scallions, and a luscious soft-boiled egg for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Congee Instant Pot
- One pot magic – And that means…easy cleanup.
- Comforting – I love to load up and dig into a warm bowl of congee, especially when it’s cold outside!
- Unique – This delicious Chinese soup porridge dish is a delicious and unique take on a classic hearty stew.
This easy pressure cooker recipe is a real crowd-pleaser, and will certainly mix up your midweek dinner time rut!
Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken breast – Use boneless and skinless bread, sliced thin.
- Oyster sauce – In a pinch you can use hoisin or soy sauce, but note that the flavor will be slightly different
- Cornstarch – This will thicken the rice porridge.
- Chicken base – You can also use chicken bouillon to make a savory chicken broth.
- Sesame oil – Or you can use a high-heat and neutral flavored oil like rapeseed, sunflower, or avocado oil.
- Scallions – Make sure these green onions are separated into whites and greens and chopped.
- Fresh ginger – Use grated fresh ginger.
- Jasmine rice – Or you can use any other long-grain white rice.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Protein – Swap the chicken with a shredded version, pork or ground turkey.
- Shrimp – Replace the chicken with shrimp for a seafood version of this dish.
- Vegetarian – Instead of chicken, load up on tofu or mushrooms.
How To Make Chicken Congee Instant Pot
Tips for Success – No pressure cooker? No problem! This classic congee recipe is easy to make on the stovetop, too.
Find the full Chicken Congee Instant Pot recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat in the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave in short bursts. Make sure to stir consistently.
Serving Suggestions
One of the (many) reasons we love this jook recipe is how fun it is to customize your bowl. Make your chicken congee bowls fancier with any goodies you like! Here are a few of our favorite savory rice porridge toppings:
- Fried onions – crispy, crunchy, and delightfully salty
- Soft-boiled eggs – our Easy Ramen Egg recipe makes perfectly rich and silky eggs every time
- Crushed red pepper – for a kick of spicy heat
- Furikake – a Japanese seasoning blend that usually includes sesame seeds, chopped dry seaweed, dried fish, sugar, and salt
Enjoy your loaded bowl for a warm, filling breakfast on a cold morning. Or serve for dinner with homemade Chinese dumplings, a fresh green salad, or your favorite breakfast side dish.
Instant Pot Chicken Congee
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon chicken base divided (or bouillon)
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 bunch chopped scallions greens and whites divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 8 ½ cups water
- Optional garnishes: fried onions crushed red pepper, furikake, soft-boiled eggs, chile oil
Instructions
- Set out a medium sized mixing bowl. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and place them in the bowl. Add the oyster sauce, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon of chicken base. Toss well to mix and coat all the chicken pieces in the marinade. Set aside.
- Set out a small bowl. Add the rice to the bowl. Then fill it with cold water and stir the rice with your hand to wash. Drain off the water and rinse the rice again two or three more times to remove the extra rice starches. Set aside.
- Set out a large 6 to 8-quart Instant Pot. Set the instant pot on SAUTE. Then add in the sesame oil, scallion whites, and grated ginger. Stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Then add in the washed jasmine rice, the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of chicken base, and 8 ½ cups of water. Stir well.
- Lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Set the IP on PRESSURE COOK HIGH for 23 minutes. Once the beeper goes off, perform a NATURAL RELEASE. When the steam button valve drops, it is safe to open the Instant Pot.
- Now set the Instant Pot back on the SAUTE setting. Stir in the chicken and marinade, stirring well to separate the chicken pieces. Simmer the chicken congee for 3 to 5 minutes to cook the chicken and thicken the porridge.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, ladle the congee into bowls. Garnish with the chopped scallion greens.
- You can also make your chicken congee bowls fancier with fried onions, soft boiled eggs, crushed red pepper, and furikake.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
This hearty chicken congee recipe is brimming with lean protein, and is gluten-free and dairy-free. The soft rice porridge is easy to digest, and is considered good for gut health! Best of all, it keeps you feeling full and satisfied for several hours, so you aren’t running back to the fridge shortly after eating.
The name “porridge” refers to any grain – like oats or rice – cooked with liquid until the consistency becomes thick and spoonable. Congee is specifically a rice porridge. Therefore, congee is simply a type of porridge.
I prefer savory dishes at breakfast but it can be hard to find a good variety of recipes… but this is a winner! Sooo good. Thank you!
This was seriously the easiest meal I have made in a while!! At first my kids weren’t the biggest fans of how it looked, but once they tried it, they ate it all up! Thanks so much for this awesome recipe! I will be making more of it in the future.
Pure comfort food. This was loaded with so much flavor. Great recipe!