Chicken Fried Rice

Description

Chicken Fried Rice is a quick and easy dish and the more you make it, the quicker and easier it gets. To make it gluten free the key is a well-stocked Asian pantry and for this recipe that means both gluten free soy sauce and gluten free oyster sauce.

This recipe is a guide to fried rice dishes. Once you master the simple technique you can vary the vegetables, the meat and the sauce. Have fun and experiment with the flavours you love.

Many Chinese dishes are quick cooking with all the prep done before you start to cook. Some people really like this kind of cooking where everything is lined up ready to go and you simply stir and add until the dish is done. If you have a celiac teen in your house you could encourage them to try this recipe. You may discover you have a stir-fry specialist in your kitchen.

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Day Old Rice vs Fresh Cooked Rice

Fried rice experts differ in opinion. Many people say you must use day old rice and I thought this dish was actually invented to use up rice from the night before. With multiple opinions at our finger tips I now see people claiming you should use freshly cooked rice.

I’ve made fried rice dishes with both and I have no hard and fast rule. My only suggestion is to make sure you are using plain rice, not some kind of boxed rice that has been processed in some way.

Asian Pantry

To expand your gluten free pantry check out this post, the Asian Pantry. I also wrote a post titled Soy Sauce vs Tamari Tasting for anyone still trying to figure that out.

KITCHEN TIP – For ease in the kitchen I recommend making your entire Asian pantry gluten free. Don’t keep a gluten free and wheat based version of any sauce. It sets people up for failure and increases the risk of cross contamination. Go all gluten free so the whole family can enjoy a variety of Asian dishes. You might just find some new favourites.

Get The Tools

One of the first kitchen tools I was given was a wok. It came with a Chinese cookbook by Martin Yan. At that time he had a cooking show and his Chicken Fried Rice was one of the first recipes I tried.

For me having tools accessible is as important as just having the tool in my kitchen. I want it to be in a place where it is as easy to grab as a dinner plate. My wok is in the cupboard right above the fridge.

Over the years I’ve gone through a few woks. Here are few styles that look good to me.

-standard 13-inch flat bottom wok
–Carbon Steel wok
-traditional round bottom wok from China
-smaller 11-inch wok

My flat bottom wok is also versatile. I use it to make stir-fries and curries, and it’s also my steamer for dishes like this Salmon in Chinese Pesto and Asian dumplings (none of which I have posted). My wok is also my deep fryer. I’ve written instructions about my streamlined process for set-up and clean up in these posts for deep-fried dishes.

Let me know in the comments below if you tried this Chicken Fried Rice. What else do you cook in your wok or were you inspired to purchase one?

More Wok Recipes

Everyday Vegetable Stir Fry

Yellow Chicken Curry

Pork and Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

EGG

1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs, beaten

AROMATICS

2 Tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp minced ginger

½ cup finely chopped onion

MEAT & VEGETABLES

1 chicken thigh, diced small

½ cup finely diced carrot

½ cup finely diced red pepper

RICE & SAUCE

2 cups cooked rice (½ raw rice)

2 Tbsp GF soy sauce

1 Tbsp GF oyster sauce

FINISHING

4 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup frozen peas

GARNISH - sesame seeds

Directions

1: PREP – Measure and chop all ingredients. Combine soy sauce and oyster sauce. Line everything up in the order it will be used.
2: SCRAMBLE EGGS – Heat oil on high heat. Add butter and melt. Pour beaten eggs into wok, stir until scrambled but still soft. Tip out onto a plate with the green onion and peas for finishing.
3: COOK AROMATICS – Add oil to wok. When hot add garlic, ginger and onion. Stir fry 30 seconds until onion is transparent.
4: Add chicken, stir fry 1 minute (it will continue to cook until the dish is finished).
5: Add carrot and red pepper, cook for another minute.
6: RICE & SAUCE - Add rice, stir until there are no clumps.
7: Pour soy sauce/oyster sauce mixture on rice and stir until all grains of rice are evenly coated in sauce, 2-3 minutes.
8: FINISHING – Add peas, green onion and scrambled egg. Stir until well combined and heated through, about 1 minute.
9: GARNISH – Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.