Chinese-American · main

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice reads umami 8.3, richness 6.8 and salinity 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 26 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.3 · Richness 6.8 · Salinity 6.0 · Nutty 3.8 · Allium 3.7 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Sweetness 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Floral 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Sourness 1.1 · Earthy 0.9 · Fruity 0.8 · Heat 0.6

What's in it (14)

• boneless chicken — 454 g
• soy sauce — 59 g
• cornstarch — 5 g
• oil — 41 g
• eggs — 300 g
• scallions — 400 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• cold cooked rice — 710 g
• frozen baby carrots — 237 g
• oyster sauce — 15 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• white pepper — 1 g
• salt — 3 g

Time & effort: about 26 min (16 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 116.6 kcal, 9 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 10.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch in a bowl; let it marinate at room temperature, about 10 minutes, while you prep everything else.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering. Pour in the eggs and scramble, stirring constantly, until just set but still glossy, about 1 minute; transfer to a plate and break into large curds.
3. Wipe out the wok, add 1 tablespoon oil, and heat over high until it shimmers. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and sear, undisturbed at first, until deeply golden and cooked through to 165°F, 4-5 minutes; transfer to the plate with the eggs.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok along with the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula, and stir-fry over high heat, pressing it against the hot wok and flipping it back, until the grains separate and the edges pick up a few crisp, browned patches, 4-5 minutes.
6. Push the rice to the sides, add the peas and carrots to the center, and stir-fry until heated through and any ice has cooked off, 1-2 minutes.
7. Return the chicken and egg to the wok. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt; toss constantly over high heat until everything is glossy and sizzling hot, 1-2 minutes.
8. Off heat, stir in the scallion greens, taste and add more salt if needed, and serve right away while it's hot from the wok.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Ground Turkey Fried Rice with Peas and Carrots — Chinese-American
• Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry — American
• Beef and Snow Pea Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
• Beef and Broccoli, Yaki Style — Japanese
• Egg Drop Fried Rice with Chicken — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.