Healthy Chicken Fried Rice
This isn't actually 'fried' rice. It is a much healthier version and much tastier, in my family's opinion.
I learned this years ago from a Korean-Chinese woman. You prepare your rice first. I use a rice cooker and make a large batch using 3 cups of uncooked rice to 6 cups water in the cooker. I use Jasmine rice because we prefer the slightly nutty flavor and aroma. No matter how you prepare your rice, as soon as it is done, remove it from the heat source and place it on a cool stove top burner and do not lift the lid. Let the steam and liquid absorb, so that your rice is very tender and moist and not dry little kernels. I leave it this way until just before I am ready to mix it all together then I get a large bowl and place the rice in it (as pictured).
You can chop and saute as many kinds of vegetables as you prefer. We like it simple with carrots and celery and sometimes fresh chopped ginger. If you use fresh finely chopped ginger and or onions, add them last with the celery to saute, as they don't take as long as the carrots to become tender. I peel both the carrots and celery (to remove the strings) and then chop into small pieces. Add enough oil -approximately 1/3 cup for large batch (I use canola) to a large non-stick pan or WOK, let it heat on medium for just a few minutes and then add your carrots. Once they are at a tender but still slightly crisp state (about 4 minutes on medium heat), then you will add your celery (and other less hard vegetables) and continue to saute until everything is tender. (another 5 minutes approximately) Do not saute on high heat or you will burn instead of soften your vegetables. You can cut up whole, skinless chicken if you like. We prefer no fuss, fast and easy and it also provides more chicken per bite. So, I use canned, white meat chicken (for a large batch I use 3, 12.5 ounce cans) They are very reasonably priced at places like COSTCO. I open and drain the water from the cans and add them to the vegetables and turn the heat off from the stove burner. Next, mix it all together in the pan. You will not be adding any extra oil. At this point, I add in Soy Sauce (sometimes I add it to the vegetables while they are cooking) if I haven't already done so. And I add garlic salt and mix everything together well. If you have a WOK you could gradually add the rice in and mix everything together in one pan. My large skillet holds the 6 peeled and chopped carrots, about 8 stalks of peeled, chopped celery and the 3 large cans of chicken. I stir it together well and then take the skillet to the large bowl where the rice is waiting and begin mixing it all together.
Each person may wish to add more Soy Sauce or garlic salt, to taste.
This large bowl serves a family of 6 people easily, with some leftovers.
It may not look like what you are used to from a restaurant in terms of 'chicken fried rice' but it tastes better and is healthier. The rice is moist and tender and the only oil used is what was required to saute the vegetables, for this size batch that is approximately 1/3 cup, for the entire dish.
