Chicken Fried Rice

I had recently cleaned out my fridge because Husband and I were going to be gone for a few days. When we returned, I did not have a chance to go to the market and I had to whip up something for dinner. I had some frozen veggies and leftover rotisserie chicken, so I decided to make some chicken fried rice. Both of our moms often made fried rice when we were growing up and in our home we still look at it as comfort food. It is easy, a little greasy and you can customize it to your taste. 

It really is so simple to make. 

I start off with a little oil in a pan or wok and first saute my veggies. I first cook chopped onions with a little bit of fresh garlic.When the onions become soft, I add in the other veggies. You can use carrots, corn, peas, etc. This time I used frozen Organic Foursome from Trader Joes. I also threw in some chopped shiitake mushrooms. Yum! When the veggies are cooked, I remove from the pan onto a plate with a paper towel to drain the oil a bit. 

I then cook my meat. This time I used leftover rotisserie, but you can use beef, sausage or even tofu if you like. 

When the meat is heated, I add the veggies back in. At this time, I add in the rice. If you ask anyone who makes fried rice, almost everyone will say that "old rice" is better to use in fried rice. If it is a few days old, the rice is a little hard and it works really well with this dish. I like to push the rice towards the outter edge of the pan and let it sit there and get warm and crispy, while I mix everything else in the center. Then I add in an egg for a little extra color and flavor. Mix the egg around so you get little bits evenly distributed.

When the rice seems to be warmed, I then mix everything together. Then I add a little soysauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Then we are done!

It is so easy and you can really put in whatever you like. If you make it at home, it is considerably less greasy than buying it at a restaurant. If you use frozen veggies, there really is no prep time. It's great for when you want to whip together a quick but hearty meal.