Slow Cooker Chicken Congee with Scallion Gremolata

Congee is most commonly known as an Asian rice porridge. Rice is cooked in a lot of liquid until it breaks down and turns velvety and thick. It’s the ultimate comfort food when you feel a cold coming on or if you want something to warm you up on a cold winter night. The addition of chicken turns it into a heartier meal and the scallion gremolata adds a little zing to brighten the Asian inspired flavors. 

Serves 6

Chicken Congee

• 1 pound Chicken Breasts, bone in, skin on (about 2)
• 2 quarts Chicken Stock
• 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/3 cup Dry Sherry
• 2 Whole Star Anise
• 1 tablespoon Ginger, grated on a microplane
• 1 tablespoon Siracha
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Garlic, grated on a microplane
• 1 1/2 cups Uncooked Basmati Rice

Scallion Gremolata

• 1 bunch Scallion, white and light green parts chopped small
• 2 tablespoons Roasted Peanuts, chopped small
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice, about 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil

1. Add the chicken stock through garlic to a slow cooker. Stir the ingredients together until combined. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
2. After 6 hours, remove the chicken breasts and set aside. Remove the star anise pods and discard. Add the rice to the liquid, cover and cook on high for 45 minutes or until the rice and liquid have become velvety and thick like porridge. If it seems a bit watery, continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, if it seems too thick, add some water to loosen it up.
3. While the rice cooks, prepare the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside to let the flavors combine.
4. Once the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the breast meat with your hands. Stir the shredded meat into the congee. Ladle the congee into individual serving bowls and top with a spoonful of the gremolata. Serve immediately.