A couple of weeks ago, we went to this great Vietnamese restaurant near our house. I ordered the chicken fried rice, expecting the traditional fried rice you usually get at a Chinese takeout place. To my surprise, it was quite different—and really delicious.
I have no idea if this is traditional Vietnamese fare, but since I ate it at a Vietnamese restaurant, I assumed it was. I tried recreating the dish at home, and I have to say, it came surprisingly close to the original. If you’re looking to switch things up from your usual fried rice, give this version a try. It was really tasty.
Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups cooked, day-old jasmine rice
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. yellow curry powder
1 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil
1 bunch scallions
Instructions
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add a little oil to a wok or large nonstick skillet and heat over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and slice them into thin strips. Add a little more oil to the wok and cook the chicken over high heat, tossing frequently, until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the onions and garlic.
Add the eggs to the hot wok and scramble until cooked through but still slightly soft and runny. They will continue cooking when they are added back to the rice. Transfer the eggs to the plate with the other ingredients.
Add a little more oil to the wok, then add the cooked rice. If you’re using cold, day-old rice straight from the refrigerator, break it apart with your hands before adding it to the pan. Stir-fry the rice until it is heated evenly throughout.
Return the chicken, eggs, onions, and garlic to the wok and add the peas. Stir everything together well.
In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, white pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Pour the seasoning mixture over the rice and toss well to distribute it evenly.
While the rice cooks, chop the cilantro and scallions and add them to the wok. Reserve a little of the cilantro and scallions for garnish.
Taste the rice and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding a little more soy sauce if necessary. Garnish with the reserved cilantro and scallions and serve hot.
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