Chicken Fried Rice

Instructions

1- Fried rice is best made with leftover rice that's at least a day old.

2- Otherwise it becomes gummy in the skillet.

3- If you don’t have any leftover rice from the night before, cook a batch of rice and spread it on a large baking sheet or several large plates.

4- Let the rice dry out for about 1 to 2 hours before using it for fried rice.

5- Rice sticks to the pan very easily, so make sure to use a wok or pan that doesn’t have a sticky surface.

6- I usually cook stir-fries in my seasoned carbon steel wok, but cast iron or nonstick pans work well, too.

7- You might need to add a little more oil if things aren’t releasing easily.

8- Prepare the chicken: Chop the chicken into small 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch cubes.

9- Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the chicken and mix to combine.

10- Set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes (I usually use this time to chop all the vegetables).

11- Scramble the egg: Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

12- Swirl in a tablespoon of oil and add the whisked eggs.

13- Use a spatula to quickly scramble the eggs, breaking the curds into smaller pieces as they come together.

14- Transfer the eggs to a plate.

15- Cook the chicken: Add another tablespoon of oil in the wok or pan.

16- Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

17- Turn off the heat and transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.

18- Using your spatula, scrape off any chicken bits that are still stuck to the wok so they don't burn during the next step.

19- You can also use paper towels to wipe down your wok or pan.

20- Cook the vegetables: Swirl 1 tablespoon of oil into the wok over medium-high heat.

21- Add the diced onions and cook them for 1 minute, until they start to soften.

22- Mix in the minced garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

23- Add the diced carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

24- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the peas, and stir to incorporate.

25- Cook the rice: Add the rice to the wok or pan on top of the vegetables and stir to combine.

26- Using the back of your spatula, smash any large chunks of rice to break them apart.

27- Add the white and green parts of the sliced scallions (save the dark green parts) and five-spice powder.

28- Stir to incorporate.

29- If the rice starts to stick to the pan, stir in a little more oil.

30- Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice and stir to incorporate.

31- Stir in the cooked chicken, scrambled eggs, and the dark parts of the scallions.

32- Stir briefly to bring it together, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

33- Serve: Taste, and add more soy sauce if necessary.

34- Serve immediately.