Description
This Chicken Fried Rice recipe is a flavorful and hearty meal that combines tender chicken thighs with a medley of vegetables and perfectly cooked rice, all tossed in a savory oyster sauce mixture. Ideal for using leftover rice, this dish is quick to prepare and packed with classic Asian-inspired flavors balanced by a touch of heat from red pepper flakes and a hint of ginger and garlic.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1/3 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 (3.5-ounce) package shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Rice & Eggs
- 4 cups leftover white or brown rice
- 3 large eggs, beaten
Garnish
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, rice vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined. Set aside to blend flavors.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance taste before cooking.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook each batch, stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are golden brown and cooked through, approximately 7-8 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet, add the diced onion, chopped shiitake mushrooms, and diced carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger: Stir in the minced garlic and freshly grated ginger, cooking until fragrant, approximately 1 minute, which brings out their aromatic flavors.
- Add green peas: Incorporate the frozen green peas into the skillet and stir continuously until heated through, which should take about 1-2 minutes.
- Cook the rice: Push the vegetables to the side of the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil along with the toasted sesame oil. Spread the leftover rice evenly across the skillet and allow it to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a slight crispness. Flip the rice and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Make egg fried rice: Push the rice mixture to one side of the skillet. Pour the beaten eggs onto the cleared side and cook while stirring frequently, until the eggs are thickened and no liquid remains, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine ingredients: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir in the sautéed vegetables, the prepared oyster sauce mixture, and thoroughly combine everything with the rice and eggs. Cook for another 3-5 minutes to meld all the flavors together.
- Serve: Immediately plate the chicken fried rice and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- For best results, use leftover rice that has been refrigerated overnight to avoid clumping.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast if preferred, but thighs remain juicier.
- Add additional vegetables like bell peppers or snap peas for more nutrition and color.
- If a spicier dish is desired, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or add a drizzle of chili oil.
- To make the recipe gluten-free, ensure that the oyster sauce used is gluten-free.
- Leftover fried rice can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated thoroughly before consuming.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
