As promised, I have a quick and easy chicken recipe for you. It's the perfect thing to make on a busy weeknight. Just be sure to shop for all the ingredients ahead of time. You probably have some of them around, like rice, eggs, vegetable oil, and soy sauce, and if you really stock up well, you might have the chicken, bacon, and sesame oil too. And then you'll also need some broccoli and a bunch of scallions. And that's it.
Chicken And Bacon With Broccoli And Fried Rice (adapted from Gourmet, June 2009)
Printable version
Equipment needed: rice cooker with steamer (or make rice and steam broccoli another way)
Ingredients
1 cup rice
1 or 2 broccoli crowns, chopped into florets
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and pepper
Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Place rice in rice cooker, and add water and cook according to rice cooker instructions. Place broccoli in steamer top, and steam while rice cooks.
(I cut up and prepared my chicken, bacon, and scallions after I started the rice cooker, just to be sure everything would be finished at the same time. You can also use leftover cold rice.)
Meanwhile, toss chicken, bacon, scallions, 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, and a bit of salt and pepper on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Place 4 to 5 inches below broiler and broil, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes.
Beat eggs with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet. Add rice, and stir. Make an opening in the rice, and pour the egg in. Stir up egg until almost cooked, and then stir it into the rice. Add broccoli, and stir to combine.
Plate some of the rice and broccoli mixture, and top with the chicken bacon mixture. Serve with extra soy sauce.
It's like Chinese takeout but better! I love the saltiness of the bacon and the crisp, brown edges of the chicken. This is a comforting, easy dinner that's loaded with protein and just the right amount of veggies. I can't wait to make it again.
Do you make any Chinese takeout-style dishes at home?