Recipes

What’ve-We-Got-Here Fried Rice

Build on the basics - brown rice, onions, garlic and an Asian-inspired sauce - with whatever you've got to make an amazing fried rice dinner!

By Catherine RBarr /

Credit: Catherine Roscoe Barr

Chicken fried rice

With a little forward thinking, you’ll always have enough on hand to whip up a one-of-a-kind fried rice dish for dinner!

We’ve been on a big stir-fried rice kick at my place lately (possibly something to do with the 10-pound bag of brown rice I bought from Costco), and the result is always something different but wonderful. I’m the head chef for all meals except for those that are barbequed or stir-fried, so it’s fun for me to get to be the sous chef for a night.

The staples for this meal are brown rice, onion, garlic and a sauce made of sherry, soy sauce and sweet chili sauce. The remaining ingredients are whatever we’ve got kicking around. This time it was some chicken breast that I bought on sale in bulk and froze three per Ziploc bag, some organic carrots (I’m lazy and don’t like to peel veggies so I always buy organic when we’re going to eat the skin), and some frozen peas.

We usually toss in a few scrambled eggs but last night we only had three left (one for me, two for Husband) and if I don’t get my morning egg, you don’t want to have to deal with me.

Brown rice takes a really long time to cook (45 minutes), so I usually make a big batch and freeze it in a Tupperware (yes, I have real Tupperware, what a luxury!) so we can thaw meal-sized portions in a jiffy.

As usual, I always make enough so that we both have a lunch for the next day.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 large carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups cooked brown rice (1 cup uncooked)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp sherry
  • 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp canola oil

Instructions

  1. On a large chopping board, cut onion and carrots, and mince garlic. Set aside veggies with carrots in separate bowl from onions and garlic. Also place peas in a separate bowl so that you have everything on hand.
  2. On chopping board, slice chicken nice and thin. It’s easiest to cut when it’s still slightly frozen.
  3. Heat 1 tsp of oil in wok (or large frying pan) over high heat. Add onion and garlic, constantly stirring until onion begins to turn opaque. Add carrots, stirring until they begin to brown. Add stock, and continue stirring until it’s mostly been absorbed. Remove vegetables to separate bowl.
  4. Heat 1 tsp of oil in wok over high heat. Add chicken, stirring constantly until no longer pink. Add soy sauce, sherry and sweet chili sauce and let liquid come to boil, about 1 or two minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to separate bowl.
  5. Heat remaining tsp of oil in wok over high heat. Add rice, stirring well to soak up sauce. Add peas, chicken and veggies, stirring until peas are hot.

 

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Catherine Roscoe Barr, BSc Neuroscience, is a Vancouver-based freelance writer, editor, and fitness professional. Before settling on the west coast she lived in Sydney, Toronto, Oregon, Montana, and practically everywhere in Alberta. She can be found jogging with her adorable dog, dining with her fabulous husband or voraciously reading anywhere comfy.