Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Every Chinese person loves a deal. That’s ultimately why we all love Costco. Every time my family went there to shop, we always snagged a box of croissants (they reheat so well), a large supreme pizza (because it was the same price as a regular cheese), and a hot rotisserie chicken off the spit (because in those days it was practically the same price as an uncooked chicken).

We would make that $5 chicken last for as many meals as possible. My sister and I would pick the bird clean for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then my mom would turn the remains into a pot of congee, throwing the whole carcass in and letting it slowly simmer away with the rice. Once she ditched the bones, we would have the most flavorful pot of congee for the next few days. Honestly, I still dream about that Costco rotisserie chicken. (And I dream of the day I live in an apartment with big enough closets to store Costco-size bulk purchases.)

You can swap in 10 cups Cantonese chicken broth or store-bought low-sodium broth for the water in this recipe for added flavor and nutrition.

Editor’s note: Eng and Melnick like to serve this with youtai, or yauh ja gwai, alongside for dunking.