Restaurant Quality Chinese Chicken Fried Rice

dolliegyrl's Note:

I created this recipe out of desperation last night when it was getting late and everyone was HUNGRY now, so I call it one of my Desperation Dinners! It is really pretty and tastes as good as something you order in a restaurant! It was very cheap to make. You buy the chicken on sale and boil it and shred it and put in freezer in baggies till you need it and it's all ready to use in recipes at last minute! You can get the canned water chestnuts for $1 or less on sale and keep on hand in pantry! Hope you like this as much as we do!

• Total Time: 23 mins
• Prep Time: 8 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

For Rice

• 1 cup rice
• 1 tablespoon fresh diced onion
• 1 ¾ cups water
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For Chicken Fried Rice

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) can drained water chestnuts
• 1 green bell pepper , thinly sliced
• 1 cup cooked shredded chicken meat

Directions:

1. Make rice first.
2. Add all ingredients together in saucepan and bring to boil.
3. Turn to simmer and cook 20 minutes with lid on.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. In large skillet pan melt butter.
6. In a small bowl stir egg and water.
7. Add to skillet on medium low heat in one big thin pancake formation.
8. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until set.
9. Take out carefully with spatula (I roll it end over end as I take it out to cut easier and prevent breakage).
10. Cut egg into long thin shreds on cutting board.
11. Set aside.
12. Heat oil in same skillet (for flavor) over medium high heat and put in onion, bell pepper and drained water chestnuts; cook until soft (if you like it still a little crispy then sauté only a few minutes). Add rice, chicken, soy sauce and pepper.
13. Mix all together to warm through and then add shredded egg to mixture.
14. Cook a few minutes more and serve hot.

Reviews

[Chef #1558243]

This was the best fried rice I have ever made. Substituted green peas for color as we don't like green peppers (they take over the whole dish). Otherwise, I copied the recipe to the letter (maybe a bit more soy sauce)and it was delicious. This will be my go to fried rice recipe from now on. bc-mimi

[susan...]

I had leftover chicken and leftover rice and I needed to use them, so I ‘plugged’ them into your recipe. I did not have water chestnuts, so did not use them and I do not care for green bell pepper, so I used red bell pepper and I added some frozen peas at the very end – just long enough to thaw them, but not long enough to cook them! This was so very good - thank you for posting - this will be part of my repertoire from now on (and a good reason to have leftover chicken and rice)!

[Jug O'Mud]

This was great and enjoyed by all. I chose to scramble the egg as is, and just add it in all crumbled. I also used sesame oil, as I like the flavor it imparts to the fried rice. I substituted diced carrots & peas in lieu of the peppers & added cabbage in place of water chestnuts (personal preference). All in all, it was very tasty and very easy to accommodate to taste preferences & whatever offerings you have in the 'fridge. Thank you!