Name: Chicken Rice Porridge
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 8 oz Chicken (boneless thigh or breast); ½ cup Short-grain white rice (uncooked); 3 cloves Garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon Sesame oil; ½ teaspoon Salt; 2 stalks Green onion (sliced); 5 cups Water

Dakjuk is what Koreans cook when someone is sick. Not metaphorically sick — actually sick, with a fever or a cold or a stomach that refuses to cooperate. My mother made it whenever any of us came down with anything, and the ritual was consistent: a big pot, two hours of simmering, the whole apartment smelling of chicken and garlic, the porridge delivered in the biggest bowl with the most sesame oil.

The beauty of dakjuk is in the method. You don't make chicken stock separately and then add rice — you cook the chicken in plain water, pull it out to shred, and use that cloudy, flavorful cooking liquid directly as your porridge base. The rice soaks up every bit of that chicken essence as it breaks down over 20 to 25 minutes of simmering.

Rinse and soak the rice first. This matters. The soaking pre-hydrates the grains so they break down faster and more evenly in the broth, producing a smoother, creamier texture rather than individual grains that stay intact. Stir regularly toward the end — short-grain rice releases starch aggressively at this stage and will stick to the pot. Dakjuk is not fast food. It is food that takes time because the person eating it deserves that time.

Instructions

Rinse ½ cup rice under cold water until the water runs clear (about 3-4 rinses). Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes while you prepare the chicken. This helps the rice break down into a creamy porridge.

Place the chicken in a pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Keep the broth in the pot.

Tip: Save the chicken cooking broth — it is full of flavor and becomes the base of your porridge.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the chicken broth. Add the minced garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice has broken down into a thick, creamy porridge.

Tip: Stir more frequently toward the end to prevent sticking. The porridge should be thick enough to coat a spoon.

Add the shredded chicken back to the porridge. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and stir well. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with sesame oil. Top with sliced green onion.

Tip: Dakjuk is Korean comfort food — perfect when you are feeling under the weather. Adjust the salt to taste at the table.

Chicken Rice Porridge

Dakjuk

Prep: 10 minCook: 40 minTotal: 50 minServings: 2

Ingredients

8 oz Chicken (boneless thigh or breast)
½ cup Short-grain white rice (uncooked)
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
½ teaspoon Salt
2 stalks Green onion (sliced)
5 cups Water

Instructions

Rinse ½ cup rice under cold water until the water runs clear (about 3-4 rinses). Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes while you prepare the chicken. This helps the rice break down into a creamy porridge.
Place the chicken in a pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Keep the broth in the pot.
Drain the soaked rice and add it to the chicken broth. Add the minced garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice has broken down into a thick, creamy porridge.
Add the shredded chicken back to the porridge. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and stir well. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with sesame oil. Top with sliced green onion.