Super Easy Arroz Caldo: Filipino Chicken Congee

When it’s chilly outside there’s nothing better than this big bowl of Arroz Caldo, or Filipino Chicken Congee. This porridge is savory, creamy, and rich from the slow simmering of concentrated chicken, ginger, and onion flavor, but has the perfect tang from a slice of lemon. It’s the ultimate healing comfort food – a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a sick day or during cold winter nights. The best part? This Arroz Caldo recipe is actually really easy to make at home. 

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Arroz Caldo: Easy One-Pot Chicken and Rice Dinner

Arroz Caldo is a warm, traditional Filipino congee slowly simmered on low heat for about 30 minutes or more. This is the perfect one-pot winter recipe – especially for a sick day where you need something warm for your body!

By the end of cooking, the chicken and rice both melts in your mouth and is packed with all that amazing broth flavor. The rice kernels soaks up all the flavors of chicken broth and are coated with the fatty collagen from chicken skin. It’s like you can taste the whole chicken from just one bite! Some traditional recipes also adds saffron or turmeric to give it an extra appetizing yellow color.

Making Filipino Chicken Congee for Breakfast

I spent most of this week cooking comfort foods and enjoying all the local holiday events in Vancouver! It’s getting so chilly, I’m cooking soups and stews for every meal. It makes me crave all sorts of comfort food from this Filipino Congee to Sticky Pork Belly.

A few weeks ago, I had a subscriber who asked me about making Filipino Chicken Congee, since it’s been so long since I made it. Today, I woke up with the most intense cravings for this creamy chicken rice soup. So, we’re finally making this yummy Filipino comfort food!

How To Serve Arroz Caldo

The key difference between this Arroz Caldo and the homemade chicken congee I’m used to is a slice of lemon. This extra garnish adds a bright pop of tartness that really cuts through the richness of the thick chicken congee. To serve the chicken congee, top it off with a jammy marinated egg, crispy shallots, green onion and of course, a squeeze of lemon juice or calamansi.

Arroz Caldo Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 inch ginger peeled and julienned
• 1.5 cup uncooked rice
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce or to taste
• 3 stalks green onion finely chopped (for garnish)
• 1 lemon slice per serving, for garnish

How to Make Filipino Chicken Congee

1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a pot, heat up some oil on medium-high, and pan fry your chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside.
3. In the same pot, sauté chopped onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.  
4. Add in the rice and mix well with the other ingredients so it soaks up all the delicious chicken flavors.
5. Pour in chicken stock, add the chicken thighs back in the pot, and season with fish sauce.
6. Simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
7. Serve with a boiled egg and a slice of lemon.

Stay Warm and Cozy with These Winter Comfort Foods!

Super Easy Arroz Caldo: Filipino Chicken Congee

By Tiffy Cooks

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When it's chilly outside there's nothing better than this big bowl of Arroz Caldo, or Filipino Chicken Congee. This porridge is savory, creamy, and rich from the slow simmering of concentrated chicken, ginger, and onion flavor, but has the perfect tang from a slice of lemon. It's the ultimate healing comfort food – a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a sick day or during cold winter nights. The best part? This Arroz Caldo recipe is actually really easy to make at home. 

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Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Total Time:45 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Filipino, South East Asian

Keyword: asian soup, chicken and rice, chicken congee, chicken dinner, Chicken Recipe, chicken thigh, comfort food, Congee, rice, winter

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 685kcal

Equipment

• Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 inch ginger peeled and julienned
• 1.5 cup uncooked rice
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce or to taste
• 3 stalks green onion finely chopped (for garnish)
• 1 lemon slice per serving, for garnish

Instructions

• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  
• In a pot, heat up some oil on medium-high, and pan fry your chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside.
  
• In the same pot, sauté chopped onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.
  
• Add in the rice and mix well with the other ingredients so it soaks up all the delicious chicken flavors.
  
• Pour in chicken stock, add the chicken thighs back in the pot, and season with fish sauce.
  
• Simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
  
• Serve with a boiled egg and a slice of lemon.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 685kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 33gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1543mgPotassium: 801mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg