Shrimp and chicken (or turkey) fried brown rice

When my husband Ted and I first began dating, oh-so-many years ago, we spent almost every Friday night at Chan's Garden in Dunellen, New Jersey, a small suburban Chinese restaurant, where we splurged on a shared order of house special fried rice. As befit New Jersey Chinese food of the time, it was a bit gloppy, not at all spicy, and always contained shrimp and chicken and white rice, and some sort of cabbagey green vegetable like bok choy along with canned sliced mushrooms and water chestnuts (which I always picked out). It was a treat for two young people on a budget, and we seldom ordered anything else on the menu.

Our own house special fried rice also begins with shrimp and chicken, though I've also used leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I like nutty brown rice as the base, and for the greens, whatever is on hand (Brussels sprouts are a favorite, and if we have baby bok choy or kale, we toss that in, too). A few onions or scallions always taste great and boost the overall flavor, and a clove (or two) of garlic adds a new dimension. I always scramble an egg in the pan first; in addition to the pretty bits of yellow that dot the dish, the scrambled egg serves as a binder. And I toss in a tiny amount of red bell pepper for color. Cook your rice well ahead of time, even a few days ahead, and chill it. (Did you know that cooked rice freezes well?) You can make your own house special fried rice at home, and you don't have to wait for date night to enjoy it.

Shrimp and chicken fried brown rice {can be gluten-free}

From the pantry you'll need: peanut (or vegetable) oil, egg, frozen shrimp, boneless skinless chicken breast, onion, garlic, sesame oil, brown rice, low-sodium soy sauce, fresh black pepper.

Serves 4; can be doubled if you have a large wok or frying pan.

Ingredients

2 tsp vegetable or peanut oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb large (31-40 size) frozen shrimp, defrosted, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup diced thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast (or leftover cooked or uncooked turkey)
1 small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 mini red bell peppers, or a mix of colors, diced (2-3 Tbsp total)
1 cup chopped Brussels sprouts or bok choy
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
1 tsp fresh black pepper

Directions

Heat a wok or large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Pour in the vegetable oil, and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the egg, and with a spatula stir-fry it until the egg is nearly set. Push it to the side of the pan.

Add all of the shrimp and chicken (or turkey), and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the shrimp has curled and turned pink.

Remove all of the contents of the wok into a mixing bowl, and return the pan to the stove.

Toss in the onion, garlic, bell pepper and Brussels sprouts, and stir-fry until the Brussels sprouts are tender, 3-4 minutes. 

Using your hands, break up the cooked rice and add it to the vegetables. Stir-fry for a minute or two, until the rice is heated through and well mixed with the vegetables. Return the shrimp and chicken mixture to the pan, and add the soy sauce. Stir-fry vigorously for a minute until everything is well combined. Season with black pepper.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More fried rice:
Thai pineapple fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Vegetable fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Kimchi fried rice, from Steamy Kitchen
Gumbo fried rice, from Iowa Girl Eats

Shrimp and chicken fried brown rice {can be gluten-free}

From the pantry you'll need: peanut (or vegetable) oil, egg, frozen shrimp, boneless skinless chicken breast, onion, garlic, sesame oil, brown rice, low-sodium soy sauce, fresh black pepper.

Serves 4; can be doubled if you have a large wok or frying pan.

Ingredients

2 tsp vegetable or peanut oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb large (31-40 size) frozen shrimp, defrosted, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup diced thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast (or leftover cooked or uncooked turkey)
1 small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 mini red bell peppers, or a mix of colors, diced (2-3 Tbsp total)
1 cup chopped Brussels sprouts or bok choy
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
1 tsp fresh black pepper

Directions

Heat a wok or large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Pour in the vegetable oil, and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the egg, and with a spatula stir-fry it until the egg is nearly set. Push it to the side of the pan.

Add all of the shrimp and chicken (or turkey), and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the shrimp has curled and turned pink.

Remove all of the contents of the wok into a mixing bowl, and return the pan to the stove.

Toss in the onion, garlic, bell pepper and Brussels sprouts, and stir-fry until the Brussels sprouts are tender, 3-4 minutes. 

Using your hands, break up the cooked rice and add it to the vegetables. Stir-fry for a minute or two, until the rice is heated through and well mixed with the vegetables. Return the shrimp and chicken mixture to the pan, and add the soy sauce. Stir-fry vigorously for a minute until everything is well combined. Season with black pepper.

Serve hot.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More fried rice:
Thai pineapple fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Vegetable fried rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Kimchi fried rice, from Steamy Kitchen
Gumbo fried rice, from Iowa Girl Eats

Comments

Love the story, and the glop-free outcome!