Name: Easy Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 large or 4 moderate servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 190g (6.7 oz) boneless chicken, cut into small pieces; 2 cups cooked rice, preferably chilled; 2 large eggs, beaten; 2 cloves garlic, finely minced; 2 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated; 50g (1.76 oz) carrot, finely diced; 1/3 cup green peas; 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil, divided; 1/4 tsp salt; 3 tsp dark soy sauce; 2 tsp light soy sauce, for the chicken marinade; 1 tsp oyster sauce; 1 tsp Shaoxing wine or dry cooking wine; 1/2 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tsp cornflour; 1/8 tsp ground white pepper; 2 tsp neutral oil, for the chicken marinade

Method

14 steps

Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cornflour and white pepper.
Mix the chicken thoroughly until the marinade is absorbed. Add 2 teaspoons oil, mix again and leave it to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Mince the garlic, finely dice the carrot and slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons cooking oil.
Pour in the beaten eggs and stir-fry until softly set and lightly golden. Transfer the eggs to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and allow it to sear briefly before stirring.
Add the minced garlic and spring onion whites. Stir-fry until fragrant and the chicken is approximately three-quarters cooked.
Add the diced carrot and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Add the peas and cook for another 30 seconds.
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the cooked rice and break apart any clumps with a spatula.
Return the cooked eggs to the pan. Add the salt and dark soy sauce, then stir-fry until the rice is evenly coloured.
Return the chicken, carrot and peas to the pan. Stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked and everything is piping hot.
Add the spring onion greens and toss everything together for about 30 seconds.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve immediately.

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Helpful tips

Use chilled leftover rice when possible because freshly cooked rice is softer and more likely to clump.
Cut the chicken into small, evenly sized pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
Add the oil after mixing the other marinade ingredients into the chicken to help keep the pieces separate.
Allow the chicken to sear briefly before stirring to encourage browning.
Keep the ingredients prepared beside the stove because fried rice cooks quickly.
Break up clumps of rice before adding the soy sauce so the seasoning spreads evenly.
Cook the chicken until fully cooked through before serving.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat only once, making sure the rice and chicken are piping hot throughout before serving.

Additional tips

Contains egg, soya, wheat and molluscs from the oyster sauce. Check sauce labels if cooking for allergies. Cool cooked rice promptly, refrigerate it and reheat only once. Cook chicken to at least 74°C.