Main · Asian
Chicken fried rice
Day-old rice, hot wok, a few sauces. The leftover-conjuring miracle.
Chicken fried rice turns leftover rice into a quick, savoury one-pan meal with egg, vegetables, and soy. The secret is cold, day-old rice, which fries up separate and golden rather than mushy. It is the ideal fridge-clearing dinner and ready in minutes.
Ingredients
- 600 g cooked rice, day-old, cold
- 300 g chicken thigh, diced
- 2 eggs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 150 g frozen peas
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Method
- Wok hot. Add oil. Stir-fry chicken until cooked. Set aside.
- More oil. Scramble eggs, break up roughly. Set aside.
- Fry garlic 10s, add rice, break up with a spatula, toast 2 min.
- Return chicken and egg. Add peas, soy, oyster sauce. Toss hard 1 min.
- Off heat: spring onions, sesame oil. Plate.
Tips
- Use cold leftover rice, as freshly cooked rice is too moist and clumps in the pan.
- Cook over high heat and avoid overcrowding so the rice fries and toasts rather than steams.
- Splash the soy down the side of the hot wok rather than over the rice for a smokier, caramelised edge.
Common questions
Why does my fried rice turn out mushy?
Usually the rice was too fresh or wet. Use cold day-old rice and a hot pan so the grains crisp up and stay separate.
Can I use freshly cooked rice?
It is better to chill it first. If you must use fresh rice, spread it out to cool and dry for a while before frying.