Chinese Takeout Style Chicken Fried Rice
Follow this guide and you can make fried rice better than 95% of takeout restaurants.
While you can use any kind of rice, I get the best texture with a blend of long grain & jasmine rice (2 parts long grain, 1 part jasmine).
Don’t skip the process when marinating the chicken — it does make a difference.
Jason Farmer
Ingredients
Marinated chicken
- chicken breasts340-450 g.75-1lb
- baking soda2 g
- light soy sauce2.5 g
- sugar2 g
- cornstarch1.5 g
- salt1 g
- msga sprinkle
- neutral oil5 g
Rice, eggs, & oil
- cooked rice350 g
- eggs2
- msga pinch
- salta pinch
- neutral oilfor stir frying~3 spoonfuls
Aromatics & vegetables
- yellow onion, diced75 g
- carrots, diced28 g2 spoonfuls
- garlic, minced2 cloves
- bean sproutsa handful
- frozen peas28 g2 spoonfuls
Sauce mixture
- sugar2 g
- light soy sauce10 g
- dark soy sauce2.5 g
Seasoning mixture
- msg2 g
- salt3 g
- white peppera pinch
Final flavor adjusters
- shaoxing wine9 g
- sesame oil5 g
- scallions, diced2 spoonfuls
- saltto taste
- white pepperto taste
Method
Step 1: Prep & marinate the chicken
Remove tenderloin and slice chicken lengthwise into 3-5 strips. Turn strips perpendicular and slice across the grain into ⅛ inch (3mm) slivers, repeat with tenderloin.
Wash chicken slivers under cold running water until they become slightly more white in appearance. Wring all water out of the slivers in your hand or by pressing against the colander.
Mix in baking soda with washed chicken for 30-45 seconds to the chicken. Mix in the rest of the marinade ingredients and for at least 15 minutes before use or up to overnight.
Step 2: Scramble the eggs
Season the eggs with salt & MSG and beat together.
Heat wok or pan over medium high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 spoonful neutral oil, swirl around and allow to heat for 15-30 seconds until shimmering.
Turn heat to low and add eggs. Cook eggs for 20-30 seconds until puffed up around the edges.
Turn eggs over with a cooking utensil and lightly scramble, about 20-30 seconds. Remove egg from pan to boil and wipe out wok or pan.
Step 3: Stir fry the chicken
Return wok to medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp neutral oil, swirl and heat until shimmering.
Add chicken and until 90% cooked, about 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken and add to bowl with egg.
Step 4: Stir fry the aromatics
Return wok to medium to medium-high heat and add final spoonful of oil, heat until shimmering.
Add onion and carrot and until onion is translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and for about 15-20 seconds.
Step 5: Add the rice, seasonings, & remaining veg
Add rice and toss with vegetables. Push rice down flat and break up any clumps with spoon, rice until lightly toasted, about 2-4 minutes.
Add the chicken and egg to the rice and mix in well. Push rice to center of wok and add sauce mixture around the rim, immediately stir into the rice until fully incorporated and no clumps of white rice remains.
Add seasoning mixture and stir into rice. Add green peas and bean sprouts, mix into rice.
Step 6: Deglaze, adjust, & finish
Push rice to center of the wok and add Shaoxing wine around the rim of wok to the pan, immediately into the rice.
Turn off the heat and mix in green onions and toasted sesame oil, stir until combined. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper and serve.
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