Intensely flavorful, this Chicken Fried Rice is one of my perfect comfort foods.

The days after Halloween and Valentine’s Day are some of my favored days of the year, most notably because my social media feeds are filled with adorable costumes, a plethora of satisfied and loving messages for loved ones, the occasional joke about Single’s Awareness Day, and the drastically reduced candy prices on the now forlorn display stands since the holiday has passed. Who can resist half price PB cup hearts or pumpkins? This girl surely cannot, and what better way to encourage gluttony of delightful little PB cups than to have them at unbelievably low prices?

This Valentine’s Day was the first in our new house, and all the flowers and candy aside (of which there was plenty!) my favorite part of the day was when my hubs got home and we were able to sit and enjoy a meal together. Surrounded by the delicate wisps of Lilies and Roses, amid the coughing and froggy voice of one sick husband, we dined on leftovers. Nothing too fancy, but just an incredibly satisfying meal, resplendent with animated chatter and yelling at cats to get down from the chairs. These are the types of moments that are my favorite, and I think anyone can attest to the same.

While it was thankfully not the flu that knocked this household at a standstill, something in the unusually misty skies and frigid (for AZ) temperatures that had my hubs knocked down for the weekend and myself retreating with the cats to another room to attempt to ward off whatever strain of illness we procured. That is the main reason it has been a bit quiet around here this past week, not for lack of putting together quick, nutritious meals to try and combat feeling like getting hit by a truck. Gone were his intentions of setting up some office furniture, and I was pretty thankful for not getting hit harder than we did. I must say, I think we threw off the cats natural lounging schedule by taking over their favorite daytime spots.

A completely simple to throw together meal, this Chicken Fried Rice can be easily customizable to whatever vegetables or proteins you have in your fridge.

One meal that is a perfect comfort to me and incredibly easy to throw together in sick times is Fried Rice. As a child, my absolute favorite thing when we went to the only Chinese restaurant in the town next to ours was being able to dive into a giant bowl of chicken rice soup with a heaping side of fried rice. That fried rice of my youth is incredibly nostalgic, and moving away from the East Coast I was disheartened to learn that my beloved rice was so different on the West Coast. I have had many delicious versions in California and here in Arizona, but there is a marked difference in texture, color, and sometimes even vegetables used from the version of my childhood.

Throughout the years, I have made countless versions of Fried Rice, depending on what vegetables were withering in my fridge, and what meats needed to be used up. There have been a few tricks I have picked up from versions turning out beautifully and some just mediocre. One key element to this dish is making sure you do make sure to refrigerate the rice to help dry it out just a touch before frying it. Otherwise you end up with a slightly soggy plate of rice that is reminiscent of rice that has been sitting in steam trays too long in a buffet for a mediocre conference lunch. I have also found that if you cook your rice on the stovetop, the water to rice ratio tends to be just a touch off. Typically I have found that the water ratios are just a touch too much, which results in slightly over-cooked rice. I tend to use a couple Tbsp less water than what the package directions call for.

Another thing I have found with cooking most stir fried dishes at home is that it really does make a huge difference if you cook the meat and vegetables separately before combining them in the sauce/rice at the end. If you have ever wondered how restaurants get that incredible texture to the vegetables and perfectly cooked protein, cooking them separately at first is the secret. It takes a couple extra minutes to slice everything ahead of time, but once you turn that flame to high you are making the dish in a matter of minutes so preparation is key. And honestly, it is SO easy to pre-chop your vegetables the night before while you cook off the rice, so why not set yourself up for success for the following day so the rice comes together incredibly easily

Sometimes I top this deliciousness with a sunny side egg, or a poached egg, and a drizzle of Sriracha for a little spicy twist.

This version of Chicken Fried Rice is my favorite, and the Umami in it is incredible from the secret weapon, Oyster Sauce. Typically I am drawn to Fish Sauce for that underlying Umami flavor, but from my experimentations I found that it had a tendency to be a bit too prominent for a Chinese style Fried Rice. The balance of flavors is wonderful, with the vegetables first wok-fried over high heat in a combination of same oil and a neutral oil. Then, once you add in the rice to the wok, you add just a bit more sesame oil to punch up that flavor without making the rice overwhelmed by an already strong flavor. Very little salt is needed as the soy sauce does the majority of the seasoning, and using the leftovers from this chicken makes this Chicken Fried Rice much more delicious than your typical take out.

With the sweet pops of flavor from the vegetables, little hints of eggy goodness, and a plain old wow factor from the softly crisp rice grains, this Chicken Fried Rice is the answer to the ho-hum versions of fried rice I have found outside New England. I also love the added bonus that I know exactly what is going into my food and that it is incredibly easy to throw together, even when you have no energy. I do not know about you, but I love eating real, home cooked food when I feel like a bucket of yuck - ultimately I feel better overall rather than sluggish from other options. When you do not feel your best, eating foods that make you feel great will help boost you towards feeling back to your typical bouncy self in no time

Even when you are not feeling your best, this Chicken Fried Rice is such a quick and simple dish that comes together in no time.

Chicken Fried Rice

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: 4

This Chicken Fried Rice is super easy to prep and throw together. Typically I make the rice the night before I plan to make the fried rice so it gets a good amount of time in the fridge to dry out just a touch, making it ideal texture to fry without getting it soggy. 1 1/2 Cups uncooked rice typically translates into about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of cooked rice. I like Jasmine Rice in this dish best, because it lends the slightly floral flavor into the finished dish, but I have also made it with plain white rice, brown rice, and once, in a pinch, basmati rice.

A wok is ideal for stir fry style dishes, as the high sides make it very easy to push the food around quickly without fear of scattering grains of rice everywhere. A good wok also has the benefit of becoming more and more seasoned each time you use it, adding depths of flavor to the food that you typically do not get with a non-stick pan. However, if you do not own a wok, a skillet that has high sides will work fine.

I have a tendency to top my fried rice with a sunny side egg, with the runny yolk creating this unctuous sauce that just enhances all the flavors in the rice. If you are not a chicken fan, feel free to substitute the protein of your choice. If the protein is not already cooked, before starting the vegetables, cook your protein int he wok separately, then add back into the dish once you have added the rice to the wok.

I have a tendency to measure out my ingredients in separate bowls when it makes sense - the oyster and soy sauce whisked together, or the whisked eggs together. This is for ease of preparation for the whole dish - the oyster sauce can be a little gloopy coming out of the bottle and sometimes needs coaxing, which can be a hinderance when you are cooking things over high heat and do not wish to burn them when measuring out other ingredients.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Jasmine Rice
2 3/4 Cups Water
2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil, divided
1 Tbsp Canola Oil, or other flavorless oil
1 1/2 Cup chopped Onion (1 medium Onion)
2 Tsp Minced Garlic (3 Cloves Garlic)
1 Cup frozen Peas and Carrots
1/4 Cup frozen Corn
2 Eggs
4 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/8 Tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Sea Salt to taste
3 Cup Chopped Cooked Chicken (I used leftovers from THIS CHICKEN)
1/4 Cup Chopped Scallions, plus more for garnish
Sesame Seeds, for garnish

Directions

For the Jasmine Rice (to be made the night before):

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil over medium high flame.
Once the water boils, cover and reduce heat to medium low. You want the liquid to simmer but not boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes until liquid has evaporated, then turn the heat off. Let sit for an additional 5minutes, covered, to continue steaming the rice to cook it. KEEP THE COVER ON and do not remove it until the end of the cooking process. You are creating a steamy environment for the rice to expand.
Fluff rice with a fork, let cool for 15 minutes, then store in the fridge overnight.

For the Chicken Fried Rice:

Over medium high to high heat in a large wok, heat 1 Tbsp Sesame oil with the canola oil. If you flick a drop of water in the wok, it will sizzle, letting you know the oil is hot enough.
While the oil is heating, whisk together the soy sauce and oyster sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
In another small bowl, whisk together the eggs and set aside.
Add in the onions and season with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper, to draw out the natural juices of the onion. Let sauté until onions start to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes. You should be moving the onions almost constantly as to not let them burn with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Add the garlic and cook till fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the frozen peas, carrots and corn, continuing to move the vegetables constantly. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, then make a well in the middle of the vegetables and add in the eggs. Let cook for a minute to start setting the eggs, then slowly incorporate the scrambled eggs into the vegetables as they continue to cook.
Add in the cold rice and reserved soy and oyster sauce mixture. Add in reserved Sesame Oil as well. Reduce heat to medium high and thoroughly combine the sauce, rice, and vegetables. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
Add in the chicken and continue to cook over medium to medium high heat until heated through. This should take maybe 5 minutes.
Add in scallions, stir to combine thoroughly and slightly “wilt” the scallions for about a minute to two. I find this releases the scallion flavor best.
Serve immediately, topped with additional scallions and sesame seeds. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.