Chicken & Vegetable Congee | IDDSI Level 3 Recipe

IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidised) | 50 minutes | Easy

Chicken and vegetable congee provides protein, carbohydrate and vegetables in a single bowl — making it a nutritionally complete, convenient meal for elderly residents on dysphagia diets. For IDDSI Level 3, two key adaptations are made: (1) the congee base is cooked at a high water-to-rice ratio (approximately 14:1) until it flows freely; (2) vegetables such as carrot and zucchini are diced finely, cooked until completely soft, then briefly blended into the congee base to eliminate all fibrous residue. Minced or finely chopped chicken is added and cooked directly in the hot congee, integrating fully into the flowing base.

Ingredients (3–4 servings)

Congee base:

• 100g white jasmine rice
• 1400ml light chicken stock (approximately 14:1 ratio)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil

Chicken:

• 150g minced chicken, or finely chopped chicken breast (chop further with a knife until very fine)

Vegetables:

• ½ carrot, peeled, cut into 5mm dice
• ½ zucchini, cut into 5mm dice
• 2 slices fresh ginger

Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• White pepper to taste

Method

1. Rinse the rice and soak for 30 minutes. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot; add rice and oil. Return to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.
2. Add the diced carrot, zucchini, and ginger slices. Continue cooking over low heat for a further 15 minutes until the vegetables are completely soft (they should crush easily under gentle spoon pressure).
3. Season the minced chicken with soy sauce and white pepper; set aside for 5 minutes. Remove the ginger slices from the congee.
4. If any vegetable pieces remain visible, use a hand blender directly in the pot — blend for 10 seconds to incorporate the vegetables fully into the congee base.
5. Bring the congee to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the seasoned minced chicken in small portions, using chopsticks to separate it as you add it. Cook for 2 minutes until fully cooked through.
6. Add sesame oil and taste for seasoning. Tilt a spoon of congee to check flow — it should run freely. If too thick, stir in hot stock until the correct Level 3 flowing consistency is reached.

Texture Test

Flow test: Passes Level 3 — congee flows continuously and freely from a tilted spoon, settling flat within 5 seconds. It does not hold a mound or peak.

Solid particle check: Minced chicken granules 4mm or smaller, fully integrated. Vegetables completely dissolved or blended. No discrete solid chunks requiring biting.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Vegetable softness check — carrot must be completely soft before blending; undercooked carrot pieces are a choking hazard for Level 3 users. Test by pressing firmly with a spoon — it must collapse with no resistance.

⚠️ Thickening on cooling — congee thickens as it stands. Reheat with additional hot stock and recheck flow consistency before every serving.

⚠️ Serving temperature — serve between 60–70°C. Check temperature before serving.

Sourcing Outside Hong Kong

For international care kitchens and home cooks outside Hong Kong, Cantonese ingredients are widely available at East and Southeast Asian grocery stores:

• United Kingdom: Wing Yip (Birmingham, London, Manchester), See Woo (London), Loon Fung (London)
• United States: 99 Ranch Market (West Coast), H Mart (East Coast), local Chinatown grocers
• Canada: T&T Supermarket (national chain), local Asian markets
• Australia: Burlington Supermarket, Tang’s, local Chinese grocers in Chinatown precincts
• Singapore & Malaysia: Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice (Singapore); Tesco, Mydin (Malaysia)
• Online: Sous Chef (UK/EU), Amazon.com (US), Yami.com (US)

Fresh chicken (whole or boneless): available at Asian butchers; Wing Yip and H Mart stock Cantonese-preferred free-range varieties.

If a specific ingredient is unavailable in your region, the recipe notes alternative substitutions in the Ingredients section. For dishes requiring fresh Cantonese-specific ingredients (e.g. preserved century egg, fresh rice noodle rolls), check with your local East Asian grocer before substituting — texture compliance for IDDSI levels may require specific products.

Nutrition

Approximately 155 kcal per serving (about 280ml), 13g protein, 4g fat. The combination of minced chicken, carrot and zucchini provides a broad nutritional profile in one bowl — protein, complex carbohydrate, beta-carotene and B vitamins. An ideal single-dish meal for residents with reduced appetite or who struggle to consume multiple courses.

Cultural Note

Vegetable congee (菜粥) is a staple of Cantonese home cooking, prepared as a light restorative meal during illness or cold weather. By offering an authentic Cantonese congee — rather than a generic blended meal — caregivers honour the food identity of residents who grew up eating this dish across their lifetimes, which can meaningfully improve appetite and the experience of mealtimes.