Chicken Cooked in Vegetable Congee

Last updated 2026-11-13 — In Sandu Shui Autonomous County, the only autonomous county of the Shui ethnic group in China—located in Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture—there is a traditional dish served to guests called “Chicken Cooked in Vegetable Congee.” Depending on the preferences of guests, it can also be made with duck or fragrant pig, and is referred to as “Duck Cooked in Vegetable Congee” or “Fragrant Pig Cooked in Vegetable Congee,” among other variations. The Shui people often serve this dish first when welcoming guests, using it as an introductory or appetizer meal before the main course. According to ethnic custom, the chicken is typically cooked whole and then divided into eight parts: the head, tail, two wings (for fragrant pig, the front legs), two legs (for fragrant pig, the back legs), and two breast pieces. These are further cooked and then served at the table. The host distributes the portions according to the guests’ status, age, and seniority—the most honored guest receives the head, while the tail is given as a gift to take home. The remaining parts are allocated based on the hierarchy between guests and hosts, and if there isn’t enough, more chickens may be prepared. The leftovers are enjoyed by the hosts. When a guest is served the chicken head and manages to extract the brain intact, it signifies deep respect and sincerity toward the host. The host will then place the chicken brain in a small dish, reflecting the Miao custom of “eating the chicken head and returning a chick.” In return, the honored host joyfully offers two pieces of fatty meat to the guest as a gesture of gratitude. After the meat is eaten, the congee is often continued as a hot pot by cooking a variety of meat and vegetable ingredients in it, similar to the popular modern “congee base hot pot.”