Easy Chicken Fried Rice

• •4 cup cooked white rice, day-old and chilled
• •1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• •3 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil, divided
• •0.5 yellow onion, small diced
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •0.5 cup carrots, small diced
• •0.5 cup frozen peas
• •3 tablespoon soy sauce
• •1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• •1 teaspoon sesame oil
• •0.3 teaspoon white pepper
• • to taste salt
• •2 stalks green onions, sliced for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the chicken pieces with a pinch of salt and white pepper.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble until just set. Remove the eggs from the wok and set aside, breaking them into small pieces.

3. 3

   Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same wok. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside with the eggs.

4. 4

   Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the wok. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic and diced carrots to the wok. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots are slightly tender-crisp.

6. 6

   Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

7. 7

   Push the vegetables to one side of the wok. Add the day-old, chilled rice to the empty side, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Drizzle the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and remaining white pepper over the rice.

8. 8

   Stir-fry the rice and vegetables together for 3-5 minutes, ensuring the rice gets slightly toasted and heated through. Spread the rice out in the wok and let it sit for a moment to get some char, then stir.

9. 9

   Return the cooked chicken and scrambled eggs to the wok. Add the sesame oil.

10. 10

    Toss everything together to combine well and heat through for another 1-2 minutes.

11. 11

    Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or soy sauce if needed.

12. 12

    Garnish with sliced green onions before serving hot.

Chef's Tips

• 💡Always use day-old, chilled rice. Freshly cooked rice contains too much moisture and will result in soggy fried rice rather than fluffy, separated grains.
• 💡Cook in batches if your wok or skillet isn't large enough. Overcrowding the pan lowers the temperature and steams ingredients instead of frying them, preventing proper browning and flavor development.
• 💡Use high heat throughout the cooking process. This is crucial for achieving the signature 'wok hei' (breath of the wok) or smoky flavor characteristic of authentic fried rice.