Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- half a teaspoon table salt
- 2 pinches white pepper
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- half a teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Fried Rice
- 1 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin slivers
- half a teaspoon baking soda
- half a teaspoon light soy sauce
- half a teaspoon sugar
- half a teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 4 cups cold, day-old cooked jasmine rice
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup yellow onion, medium dice
- 1/2 cup carrot, medium dice
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup green onion, finely sliced
- 4-5 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
First, Marinate the Chicken and Prep the Rice
The key to tender chicken is a velveting marinade. In a bowl, toss the chicken slivers with the baking soda and massage it in for about a minute. Add the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and 1 teaspoon of neutral oil and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
The other key to good fried rice is using cold, day-old rice. Fresh rice has too much moisture and will steam instead of fry. Before you start, break up the cold rice with your hands so there are no large clumps.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients, from the sugar to the sesame oil.
Next, Cook the Components Separately
Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until it is lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil.
Turn the heat to low and add the beaten eggs. Scramble them lightly for ~30-60 seconds until just cooked. Remove the egg from the wok and set it aside.
Wipe out the wok, return it to high heat, and add another tablespoon of oil. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for ~2-3 minutes, until it’s cooked through. Remove the chicken and add it to the bowl with the egg.
Finally, Assemble the Fried Rice
Add the final 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot wok. Add the diced onion and carrot and cook for ~1-2 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 20 seconds until fragrant.
Add the broken-up cold rice to the wok. Stir-fry for ~2-4 minutes, using your spatula to toss and break up any remaining clumps.
Add the cooked chicken and egg back to the wok and mix them in well.
Push the rice to the sides of the wok to create a space in the center. Pour the sauce mixture into the center and immediately stir it into the rice until every grain is coated and no white rice remains.
Add the green peas and bean sprouts and toss to combine. Turn off the heat and mix in the sliced green onions. Serve immediately.
Chinese Takeout-Style Fried Rice
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- half a teaspoon table salt
- 2 pinches white pepper
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- half a teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Fried Rice
- 1 lb chicken breast sliced into thin slivers
- half a teaspoon baking soda
- half a teaspoon light soy sauce
- half a teaspoon sugar
- half a teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 4 cups cold day-old cooked jasmine rice
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup yellow onion medium dice
- 1/2 cup carrot medium dice
- 4 cloves garlic rough chopped
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup green onion finely sliced
- 4-5 tablespoons neutral oil divided
Instructions
- Mix chicken slivers with baking soda, massage 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and oil. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Break up cold rice into small pieces.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Heat wok over high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, reduce heat, scramble eggs until just set. Remove and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok. Stir-fry marinated chicken 2-3 minutes until cooked. Remove.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil. Cook onion and carrot 1-2 minutes. Add garlic, cook 20 seconds.
- Add rice, stir-fry 2-4 minutes, breaking up clumps.
- Return chicken and eggs to wok.
- Create well in center, add sauce, stir until rice is evenly coated.
- Add peas and bean sprouts, toss to combine.
- Turn off heat, mix in green onions. Serve immediately.
