Chef’s Special Fried Rice

 This recipe for chicken fried rice is a tried-and-true favourite that's simple to prepare and perfect for a speedy evening meal. In addition to that, there is more chicken in it than what you would get if you ordered takeout.

Because of the low prices that they need to charge in order to stay in business, takeout top Markham Indian restaurants cut the chicken into small pieces and serve a minimal amount of veggies. When I order fried rice, I almost always go for beef, pig, or shrimp instead of chicken because chicken isn't the most tasty of the proteins that are available. This dish fills in the flavour blanks with luscious chunks of chicken and an abundance of veggies that retain their crisp texture.

Those of you who don't eat pork, or if you just happen to have a chicken breast in the freezer, chicken fried rice is a great option. Our already popular Classic Pork Fried Rice is nearly impossible to top if you use fresh Chinese roast pork (char siu), but if you do, chicken fried rice is a close second.

PERSONALIZE THIS CHICKEN FRIED RICE TO YOUR TASTE!

Keep in mind that the recipe you're following is just a model. For this recipe, I used onions, eggs, bean sprouts, and scallions; however, you are free to substitute whatever ingredients you choose.

Include some mushrooms, peas, or carrots in the dish. If you want your chicken in smaller bites, cut it into smaller pieces. Remove the onions and replace the white pepper with black pepper instead. I believe you understand what I'm getting at.

If you have never prepared chicken fried rice before, it is important to follow the directions exactly as they are stated the very first time you make it. After that, you can make alterations according to your own preferences the following time, as well as experiment with different variations.

Happy Cooking!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATING CHICKEN FRIED RICE with a RECIPE

Mix the chicken and the ingredients for the marinade together (soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and oil). Put to the side while you prepare the remaining components of the dish.

See my post on for delicious Indian food on cooking chicken for stir fry. Mix together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, hot water, and salt and white pepper in a small bowl. The rice will be topped with this sauce after it has been prepared. Before beginning the cooking process, it is much simpler to have everything mixed together and ready to use.

(If you have questions about light and dark soy sauce, check see our detailed article on soy sauce.)

Use a fork or your hands to fluff the rice once it has been cooked. (If the rice starts to adhere to your hands, you can remove it by rinsing your hands in cold water.) If you are going to be utilising cold leftover rice, you should try to separate the grains as much as you can.

While the wok is heating up over medium-high heat, add one tablespoon of oil to the pan. After adding the eggs, scramble them until they are almost fully cooked. Once they have the appearance of being almost completely set, you can begin to scoop them up.

Set aside. They will finish cooking in the bowl, and then you will sauté them once more in the rice. This is something I keep harping on because you definitely do not want chunks of dry egg in your chicken fried rice!

Warm the wok until the bottom begins to lightly smoke, then add one more tablespoon of oil to the circumference. Sear the chicken that has been marinated for 20 seconds in one layer.

Cook the chicken in a stir-fry until it is roughly 80% done. Take the chicken out of the oven, and set it aside.

When the temperature in the wok reaches medium-high, add one more tablespoon of oil, and then sauté the onions until they become transparent.

After adding the rice, use the metal spatula to spread it out and break up any large clumps that may have formed.

HOW TO COOK RICE:

When it comes to making fried rice, using rice that has been leftover is ideal. However, what are the specific steps involved in the preparation of the rice in the first place?

If you do not already own a rice cooker, you should seriously think about making the investment in one. They are an absolute necessity in the kitchen, and our recommendation is to get one that is as basic as possible, without too many extra features. Check out our website devoted to Chinese Cooking Tools for additional details as well as some helpful links to various brands.

If you don't have a rice cooker, check out these methods for making stovetop rice and steamed rice that are guaranteed to turn out perfectly every time.

If the rice is chilly after being stored in the refrigerator, continue stir-frying it for approximately five minutes so that it can warm up. Large clumps of rice can be broken up into more manageable pieces by first moistening them with a trace amount of water.

Rice that has been freshly prepared will take less time to cook. Be sure that the rice is not overly damp, as this will make it more difficult to fry.

After the rice has been heated, which is a necessary step because otherwise the sauce will not combine as well and the colour of the rice will not be as consistent, Add the sauce mixture and mix using a scooping motion until the rice is equally coated with sauce. This step is very crucial.

You are going to need to use the spatula to break up any lingering clumps of rice that are there, but there is no need to be very meticulous about it. By now, the rice should have reached the desired temperature.

Now add the chicken as well as any fluids that were left in the bowl that you removed previously and continue to stir fry for another minute.

Stir-frying the rice for an additional thirty seconds after the addition of the eggs, bean sprouts, and scallions.

The rice should then be gathered together and placed in the centre of the wok. Because of this, the sides of the wok are able to heat up. After approximately twenty seconds, distribute the Shaoxing wine around the rim of the pan, and continue to stir-fry for an additional twenty seconds.

After completing this stage, your fried rice will have a flavour similar to the "wok hei" that is found in the rice served in high-quality Indian restaurants in Markham.

To accompany, serve some homemade chilli oil.