Delicious Chicken and Egg Fried Rice (Using Leftovers)
Easy Chicken and Egg Fried Rice Recipe (Perfect for Leftovers & Beginners!)
Tired of leftover chicken becoming tough or chewy when reheated in the microwave? Don’t let it go to waste! This recipe transforms leftover chicken into a moist and flavorful fried rice. It’s based on a classic egg fried rice recipe, with a special twist from Hong Nan-nal, making it incredibly easy for anyone to follow. Enjoy a delicious meal by creatively using your leftover chicken!
Fried Rice Ingredients
- Leftover chicken, 10-12 pieces (boneless, shredded)
- Green onion, 1 stalk (about 20cm long)
- Eggs, 4 large
- Soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp
- Cooked rice, 2 bowls (preferably day-old and cold)
- Oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp
- Seaweed flakes, 1/2 cup
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
I meant to order half a chicken, but ended up ordering two whole chickens! While we enjoyed them immensely, we had about one whole chicken leftover. If you’re wondering what to do with your delicious leftovers, try this fried rice recipe.
Step 2
Carefully remove the bones from the leftover chicken and shred or finely chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. It’s easier to shred the chicken while it’s still slightly warm, as the meat separates cleanly without breaking apart.
Step 3
Wash and thoroughly dry the green onion. Finely chop it. The aromatic flavor of the green onion will significantly enhance the taste of your fried rice.
Step 4
Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl. Lightly beat them with a fork, breaking the yolks and whites until well combined. This is for scrambling.
Step 5
Heat a wide pan over medium heat. Add a generous amount of olive oil. Let the pan preheat properly; very high heat can burn the ingredients.
Step 6
Add the chopped green onions to the preheated pan and sauté over medium-low heat until they become fragrant and lightly golden brown. This slow sautéing process extracts the full flavor of the green onion oil.
Step 7
Once the green onions are lightly browned, add the shredded chicken. Stir-fry together for about 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan.
Step 8
Push the cooked chicken and green onions to one side of the pan. Add another small drizzle of olive oil to the empty space in the center of the pan, and pour in the beaten eggs.
Step 9
Let the eggs cook undisturbed in the center of the pan to form scrambled eggs. As the eggs begin to set, gently stir them with chopsticks or a spatula until they are about 70-80% cooked. It’s nice to have some larger pieces rather than finely scrambling them, as it adds texture.
Step 10
When the eggs are partially cooked, gently mix them with the chicken and green onions that were pushed to the side. Continue to stir-fry everything together until the eggs are fully incorporated and cooked through, being careful not to break up the egg too much.
Step 11
Push all the ingredients to one side of the pan again. In the empty space, pour 1/2 Tbsp of soy sauce directly onto the hot pan. Let it bubble and caramelize slightly, until it just starts to brown and release a slightly smoky aroma – this step adds a ‘wok hei’ or ‘charred’ flavor, similar to Chinese stir-fried rice. (Be careful not to burn it; let it cook for about 10-15 seconds.) Then, mix the caramelized soy sauce with all the other ingredients.
Step 12
Once all ingredients are well combined, turn off the heat completely. Add the 2 bowls of cooked rice (preferably cold or day-old rice, which fries better). Use a spatula to gently break up any clumps of rice and mix it thoroughly with the other ingredients.
Step 13
After mixing the rice, add 1 Tbsp of oyster sauce for seasoning and umami. Mix well to ensure the oyster sauce is evenly distributed throughout the rice.
Step 14
Turn the heat back on to high and stir-fry rapidly for 1-2 minutes. This high-heat stir-frying coats each grain of rice with the delicious seasonings and ensures the rice becomes fluffy and separate. Tossing the pan can help achieve this.
Step 15
Finally, add the 1/2 cup of seaweed flakes and mix well. Your delicious chicken and egg fried rice is ready! The added savory flavor of the seaweed flakes makes it even more delightful.
Step 16
Behold, a special fried rice featuring the rich flavor of leftover chicken, the tenderness of scrambled eggs, and a hint of smoky soy sauce! This recipe is a fantastic base that works wonderfully with various other ingredients you might have in your fridge. Enjoy your meal!
