Chicken Fried Rice

The past couple of years have put me on the quest for easy meals. Life is full and the academic demands and activities for the kids have only gotten more intense which leaves me with less time in the kitchen. Freezer meals, quick dinners, slow cooker recipes and planning ahead has been important for me (and I've struggled with all of those at times). I'm working on shortcuts and cooking extra food for other meals later in the week - this post is one of those later-in-the-week recipes.

I've gotten in the habit of cooking a large amount of rice, so we have leftovers for a few days. It makes great salads, can be added to soups or casseroles, and makes the best fried rice! This week I also baked several chicken breasts - I used 2 for dinner and saved the other 3 to use in various dishes. One of the dishes I made for a lunch was chicken fried rice - it is very popular with my bunch!

The secret to good fried rice is the sesame oil (in my opinion). You can find it at the regular grocery store in the International aisle or at a speciality International food store. The recipe below serves 4-5 lunch size portions.

CHICKEN FRIED RICE

3 Tb. Sesame Oil
1/2 onion or 1/2 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen or fresh mixed vegetables (cooking time will be a little longer for fresh)
1 c. cooked chicken, chopped
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 c. cooked rice (we prefer white)
4 Tb. Soy sauce (or to taste)

Heat sesame oil in a skillet (or wok). Add the onion and vegetables and sauté until tender. Add chicken and sauté a few minutes longer to heat the chicken. Push this to the side. Pour eggs into the bottom of the skillet and scramble. When cooked through, combine with the veggie/chicken mixture. Add the rice and soy sauce - fry together until heated through. Serve and enjoy!