Chicken Fried Rice
Ken Hom's quick and easy recipe for chicken fried rice is the ultimate Chinese comfort food dish, with simple ingredients that come together to make a delicious alternative to a takeaway dinner.
From the book
Complete Chinese Cookbook
Ken Hom's all-encompassing guide to Chinese cuisine
250 inspiring recipes for authentic Chinese dishes
Easy-to-follow recipes from basic dishes to elaborate feasts
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Introduction
The best chicken fried rice I have ever had was from a street food stall in China. Instead of tough, over-cooked chicken, with the fried rice as an afterthought, the dish was cooked fresh from scratch. The cooking time was literally minutes and the result was delicious. I have re-created a version that comes very close to the original. It is quick and easy and makes a meal in itself. The rice to be fried is cooked beforehand.
Ingredients
| Long grain white rice measured to the 400ml (14fl oz) level in a measuring jug and cooked according to the method below | |
| 600ml (1 pint) | water |
| 100g (4oz) | fresh or frozen peas |
| 3 tbsp | groundnut or vegetable oil |
| 3 tbsp | finely chopped shallots |
| 2 tbsp | finely chopped garlic |
| 1 tbsp | finely chopped fresh ginger |
| 3 tbsp | finely chopped spring onions, white part only |
| 225g (8oz) | boneless, skinless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped |
| Salt and black pepper | |
| 4 | eggs, beaten |
| 2 tsp | sesame oil |
| 1 tbsp | chilli bean sauce or paste |
| 2 tsp | shrimp paste or sauce |
| 3 tbsp | finely chopped green spring onion tops |
Method
To make the steamed rice:
Put the rice into a large bowl and wash it in several changes of water until the water becomes clear. Drain the rice and put it into a heavy pan with 600ml (1 pint) of water and bring it to the boil. Continue boiling until most of the surface liquid has evaporated – about 15 minutes. The surface of the rice should have small indentations, like a pitted crater. At this point, cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat as low as possible, and let the rice cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Let it rest on the turned-off heat for 5 minutes before serving.
To make the chicken fried rice:
Allow the cooked rice to cool thoroughly by spreading it on a baking sheet. When it is cool, refrigerate. When the rice is cold, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Cook the fresh peas in a pan of boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain them in a colander. If they are frozen, simply thaw them.
Heat a wok or a large frying pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add 1½ tablespoons of the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the shallots, garlic, ginger and white spring onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the chicken, 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper and continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and put the contents of the pan into a bowl. Wipe the pan clean.
Combine the eggs, sesame oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside. Reheat the wok or pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, turn the heat to moderate and add the eggs. Stir-fry the eggs for 2 minutes, then add the cooked rice and stir-fry it for 3 minutes, mixing well. Add the peas, cooked chicken, chilli bean sauce and shrimp paste and continue to stir-fry for 5 minutes over a high heat. Add the green spring onion tops and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, then turn the mixture on to a plate and serve at once.
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