Chicken Fried Rice

Pierre loves rice. I like it but he LOVES it. Not just any rice, though. It’s gotta be Jasmine rice. I was planning on making a very healthy dinner of grilled curry chicken with rice on the side. But then Pierre reminded me that we should probably eat the leftover pizza we brought home.

You see, we went out for pizza and we ordered an appetizer that could have passed for a pizza itself and salad to share and by the time the pizza showed up we only ate one slice each. So really, we ordered two pizzas and one small dinky salad with hardly any vegetables and way too much feta and blue cheese. I know, I don’t want to talk about it.

Anyway, he reminded me after I already had the rice in the rice cooker and the chicken in the marinade. Oh well. Fried rice is best with day old rice. Did you know that? AND you don’t have to marinade the chicken for 24 hours like I did. It actually wasn’t my intention at all. Don’t you just love it when food surprises you? What wasn’t the plan at all turned into the prefect plan all along. Right? RIGHT.

Curry Chicken
Serves 2

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a storage bag with all the ingredients. Mix until the chicken is coated and allow to marinate for 2 – 4 hours in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before cooking.

Fried Rice
Serves 4

2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
3 scallions, 2 cut into 1/2 inch pieces and 1 finely sliced for garnish
1 large garlic clove, chopped
Curry chicken, sliced into strips
1/2 cup carrot, but into thin strips, I used about 6 baby carrots
1/2 cup snow peas, but in half
1 Roma tomato, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cole slaw mix, or shredded cabbage
2 eggs
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Star by browning the garlic and the two chopped scallions in a large pot over medium-high heat. Then add the chicken (note: you can use any kind of protein you like in the marinade, even tofu) to brown.

Add the vegetables and allow to caramelize.

Add the rice , soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Continue mixing the rice until the the sauce is absorbed and it starts toasting, this will take about 5 minutes.

Next, make a well in the middle of the pot.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and scramble with a fork. Pour the eggs into the well and with a spatula scramble until all the egg is cooked.

Turn off the heat, add the cabbage and toss everything together. Serve with chop sticks, please!

Really, this is like two recipes. One for curry chicken and one for fried rice. I just happen to put them together. You’re welcome.