Five Spice Chicken Fried Rice

 

I make fried rice a lot.  We usually don't have it as a side dish, but as a main dish and I have always found it a great way to use up leftover cooked meats, along with any bits and bobs from the vegetable drawer that are not enough on their own, but when put together go fabulous in this! 

 

I actually didn't use chicken today, but some turkey that I had which was on the verge of going out of date, which makes this a great dish  to make after Thanksgiving or Christmas.

 

I love the flavour of Chinese Five Spice Powder. Five-spice powder is a spice mixture of five or more spices used predominantly in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. It is also used less commonly in other Asian and Arabic cuisines, and can be used for cocktails as well. 

 

The spices traditionally used are Sechwan peppercorns, star anise, ground cloves, cinnamon and ground fennel seeds.  On the surface they don't like much like things that would go together, but trust me when I say that together these are like umami magic!  I have also seen turmeric, ginger root and cardamom used.

 

When I made my fried rice these days, I most often use the precooked packages of brown rice. Each pouch serves 2 people generously, and it is perfect for this use.  My MIL who taught me how to make fried rice (and she learnt from a neighbour many moons ago) used Minute Rice.  I have always used regular rice, and now . . .  the precooked rice, and these days I use brown rice instead of white as it is more nutritious.

 

I grate in my carrot and any other root vegetables I am using.  I like to use Swede. It works great in this.  And I always use finely shredded, chopped white cabbage as I like the flavour it gives to the dish.

 

Can you see my every present kitchen companion in this photo?  Mitzie is never far away when I am cooking, ever hopeful that I will drop something or let her taste something.  I often give her carrots ends and stuff like that.  She loves raw vegetables.  (Never feed dogs, corn or potato or onion.)

 

You can use all peas or a mix of peas and corn. I like both for the extra colour they bring to the dish.

 

Chopped red pepper also adds colour, but you can use any colour of pepper you have.  Green is nice and I have always liked to add chopped celery as well, although today I did not.

 

I always add some beaten egg which I scramble right in the pan, along with some soy sauce.  A splash of toasted Sesame oil is also a tasty addition if you have any.

  

Todd always likes an extra piece of chicken with his.  I cooked him a breaded chicken breast which he enjoyed along with some of my homemade Ketjap Manis drizzled on top!

Yield: 4 - 6Author: Marie Rayner

Five Spice Chicken Fried Rice

prep time: 15 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 30 mins

Quick and easy to make, and delicious. I use ready cooked rice and leftover cooked chicken for this.

ingredients:

2 pouches cooked brown rice (each with 2 servings)

250g cooked chicken, cubed (2 cups)

2 tsp Chinese five spice

2 TBS sunflower oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 red pepper, deseeded, trimmed and diced

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

150g frozen baby peas (1 cup)

(Can use a mix of corn and peas if you wish)

2 large free range eggs, beaten lightly with 2 TBS cold water

1 TBS soy sauce

3 to 4 spring onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced

instructions:

Toss the chicken with the five spice mix.  Stir fry to
heat through in half the oil for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the
garlic and vegetables.  Stir fry til cooked through and crispy tender,
about 5 minutes  Push to one side. Put the oil in the clear space and 
add the eggs. Scramble lightly, then mix into the vegetables along with
the rice and soy sauce.  Cook, stirring, until all are heated through.
Stir through the spring onions.  Serve immediately.

Note
 - You can add some thinly sliced cabbage, diced swede, chopped broccoli
 stems, etc. to the vegetable mix.  Just choose what you like.   You can also use the equivalent in leftover cooked turkey for this, or fresh boneless skinless chicken breast cubed. In the case of the fresh chicken chicken breast, cook it with the five spice until the juices run clear.

You can also use 300g uncooked rice (1 1/2 cups) cooked in the place of the ready cooked rice.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

If you are looking for a quick and easy supper dish, you can't go wrong with this.  You can use leftover cooked chicken, pork, dry scrambled ground beef, lamb or turkey.  Its really very adaptable!  Happy Friday and Bon Appetit!