Chicken Fried Rice (Hibachi Copycat)
This amazing recipe puts your favorite Hibachi restaurants to shame with minimal effort. The trick is to use "leftover" rice but don't worry about actually using leftovers. A simple fridge/freezer hack solves this problem in a jiff. You can make this recipe on a flat top grill or even the stove top!
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice
- 4 thin sliced chicken breasts (or slice two large breasts lengthwise to make four thin breasts less than ½ inch thick)
- 1 vidalia onion, diced
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup frozen peas and diced carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger, divided
- 3 stalks scallions, diced with green and white parts seperated
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
Prepping Your Rice (at least two hours before dinner time)
- Add two cups of white rice to a large pot with four cups of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until rice is tender and all water is absorbed.
- While rice is cooking, dice your onions, garlic, and scallions.
- When rice is done cooking, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread rice in a thin layer and put in freezer (if less than two hours to mealtime) or fridge (if more than two hours to mealtime) uncovered to cool and slightly dry out. (Trust me! This keeps your rice from getting gummy later.)
Making Fried Rice
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ½ tablespoon ground ginger.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and remaining ½ tablespoon ground ginger.
- If using a flat top grill like a Blackstone, you can do all of the next steps at the same time. If you are cooking on the stove, use at lease two large pans to ensure everything is served at the same time.
- Melt butter in a pan on medium high heat or on a flat top grill. Once melted, add chicken and cook until done, about 5-6 minutes per side. While cooking, add splashes of your seasoned soy sauce (use about half). Once done cooking, dice into small pieces or cubes. Cover and set aside.
- While chicken is cooking, add rice to the other pan or the opposite side of the flat top grill on medium high heat with a splash of vegetable oil. Allow rice to sit in a thin layer for five mintues without moving. Splash occassionally with most of the remaining seasoned soy sauce (leave about a tablespoon for the final step.)
- After five minutes, clear a large well in the middle of the rice. Add a splash of vegetable oil and the diced onions, white parts of scallions, peas and carrots . Cook for 4-5 minutes then add minced garlic. Cook another 30 seconds until fragrant before pushing to the sides with the rice and making another well.
- Crack eggs into well and use a fork or spatula to mix whites and yolk. Cook for 2-3 minutes until done. Using a spatula, break up cooked egg into pieces and then toss with rice and veggies.
- Add diced chicken into pan with rice and veggies. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of seasoned soy sauce and toss for a minute or two more.
- Once done, garnish fried rice with sesame seeds, scallion greens, and optional red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Feel free to substitute chicken for your protein of choice such as shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced steak. You can also add any additional veggies you like such as diced mushrooms, zucchini, bean sprouts, or water chestnuts.