Chao Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Rice Porridge with Ginger)

Quick answer

Total time: 70 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Chao ga is Vietnam's most widely eaten breakfast porridge, served whenever someone is ill or needs gentle nourishment, occupying the same restorative role that dakjuk holds in Korean cooking.

A whole chicken simmers in water until the broth turns opaque and deeply flavored, then rice cooks directly in that liquid until the grains dissolve into a thick, almost creamy consistency. Generous slices of ginger added early in cooking suppress any gaminess and warm the stomach, while fish sauce brings an underlying umami depth that plain salt cannot replicate. The finished porridge is ladled into bowls and finished with hand-shredded chicken meat, fresh cilantro, cracked black pepper, crispy fried shallots, and strips of you tiao -- Chinese fried dough sticks -- whose crunch against the soft porridge creates a textural contrast considered essential to the dish. In Hanoi's early-morning alleys, chao ga vendors work from a single clay pot, serving hundreds of bowls to workers and commuters before noon, and the sight of rising steam from those stalls remains one of the defining images of the Vietnamese morning.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
rice	180	g
chicken thighs	500	g
water	1800	ml
ginger	25	g
onion	1	ea
fish sauce	2	tbsp
scallion	2	ea
black pepper	0.5	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Rinse 180g rice three times in cold water until the runoff is less cloudy, then soak for 20 minutes.

Drain it in a sieve until water no longer drips heavily, so the broth thickness stays predictable.
2

Control

Put 500g chicken thighs, 1800ml water, 25g sliced ginger, and 1 onion in a pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat, skim foam as it rises, then lower to medium to keep the broth clean.
3

Control

Simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth turns pale and opaque.

Avoid a violent boil, which can make the liquid muddy and reduce it too quickly.
4

Step

Lift out the chicken and let it cool for 5 minutes, then shred it finely along the grain.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve to remove ginger and onion pieces, and return the liquid to the pot.
5

Control

Add the soaked rice to the strained broth and cook over low heat for about 25 minutes.

Stir every 3 minutes, scraping the bottom, until the grains break down and the porridge looks thick and creamy.
6

Finish

If the porridge is too thick, loosen it with a little hot water, then season with 2 tbsp fish sauce.

Return the shredded chicken just to warm through, ladle into bowls, and finish with sliced scallions and black pepper.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Simmer chicken thighs for 25 minutes until cooked through before shredding
Finish cue: Simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth turns pale and opaque.
Avoid this: Avoid a violent boil, which can make the liquid muddy and reduce it too quickly.