Chicken Fried Rice

I've been reading a lot lately that we should all try to cut down on food wastage, especially with the rising cost of living and so much hunger in the world. We need to be more economical with what we buy and how we use it. Wasting as little as possible.

That had me thinking about what I do here in my own kitchen. I must admit we made the comment a few weeks ago about how our recycling bin is so much more than our refuse bin, so we must be doing something right. But there's always little ways of improving.

For instance, we had a corn fed, free-range chicken last Sunday......yes its more expensive, but the chook has had a good life, plus I'm going to use every morsel.
Firstly as a beautiful chicken roast dinner. The amount of chicken on these birds are enough for the dinner and then some.....
With all the meat taken off the bone, I have another meal in the making. 'Chicken Fried Rice'.

Here's some of the ingredients but you can add anything you have in your fridge or freezer.

Then of course there's the carcuss to boil up for a good chicken stock to go into making a soup for further into the week. We even sometimes manage the odd sandwich too. Not bad from one chicken.....

Here's an alternative using beef as the main ingredient. Then there's always the vegetarian option if you prefer.

If everyone has a screen saver recipe, then this would be mine. Its quick, easy, tasty and amazing from just left overs!

Recipe - Serves 6

Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients can vary depending on what you have available.

Oil (a glug)

Garlic  (3 or 4 cloves - chopped or grated)

Ginger  (an inch - grated)

Chilli's (red and green - sliced)

Scallions/Spring Onions  (2 or 3 chopped diagonally)

2 Eggs (beaten)

Bacon (3/4 slices - chopped)

Rice (cooked and left to go cold) Don't over cook because it will be cooked again in the wok.

Frozen pea's (a cup)

Sweetcorn (a cup)

Left over Chicken (cut into pieces)

Sesame oil (just a swish to add flavour)

Soy Sauce - to taste.

Left over Chicken (cut into pieces)

Method

Prepare all the ingredients in advance so that everything can be added into the wok quickly. I prefer to place all the ingredients into separate dishes ready to commence cooking, when everyone is ready to sit. This is a really quick meal to prepare so warn everyone when your about to start.

1. Using a wok or deep thick bottomed pan that can take high heat, pour in a glug of oil.

2. Add the garlic and ginger being careful not to burn.

3. Then the chilli's. The smell will be amazing.

4. Add bacon.

5. Add the beaten egg mixture. It will appear like an omelette - so using a palette knife or scraper keep it from sticking at the bottom of the pan. Chop into pieces.

Reduce the heat if necessary. If you prefer you can add the eggs at a later stage too, when the rice is in the wok. If you decide on the later option, stir the egg mixture into the rice to distribute it throughout.

6. Add the cooked rice and keep it moving. Scrapping from the bottom. Turn up the heat to ensure fried not boiled.

7. Additional ingredients can be added now ie frozen peas, sweetcorn, scallions, snow peas. Whatever you prefer. Once you have all your ingredients in the wok....

8. Add sesame oil.

9. Add soy sauce to taste.

I love to serve the fried rice with Bok Choy and Mushrooms cooked in an additional wok with garlic, ginger and oyster sauce. Yum yum.....