Chicken Fried Rice with Lime and Makrut Lime Leaves
As with any stir-fry, preparation is important. Have all the ingredients prepared ahead of time and this dish will come together easily and be on the table in no time. A wok is a good thing to have but if you, like me, don't have one, do not let that stop you. A large saute pan with deep sides will work fine.
The addition of Makrut Lime Leaves and lime juice add an unexpected flavor to this Thai inspired dish. Our Spicy Thai Seasoning, blended with garlic, onion, lemon, coriander, paprika, cayenne, lemon grass, basil, cilantro, and white pepper, provides the rest of the seasoning. If you like a little more heat toss in a teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes just before serving.
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe because they are a little less expensive than chicken breast. I also feel that they hold up to the heat of stir fry a little better than breast meat and tend not to overcook as easily. But chicken breast would certainly be an appropriate substitution for the thighs if you prefer.
- 5-6 cups cold cooked white rice (I use white basmati, cook it a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use)
- 3-4 boneless chicken thighs, about 16oz total, cut into bite sized pieces.
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 5 Makrut Lime Leaves, softened by soaking in warm water about 5 minutes and slicing into very thin strips
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons peanut oil (vegetable oil can be substituted here), divided
- 4 Tablespoons low sodium chicken stock
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Spicy Thai Seasoning
- Juice from 1 medium sized lime
- 3-4 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon (or add more for extra heat) Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- In a bowl, break up the rice with a fork or your fingers to remove any clumps.
- In a separate bowl, combine chicken stock and fish sauce through Spicy Thai Seasoning, stir to combine and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, break egg and gently scramble with a fork, set aside.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the wok or large saute pan and heat to medium high heat.
- Add the chicken and Makrut Lime Leaves, garlic, shallots and stir fry 3-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
- Move chicken to the sides of the pan and add the remaining oil to center of the pan.
- Pour egg into the oil and quickly stir until cooked.
- Pull chicken back into the pan and combine with the cooked egg.
- Add rice and stir fry sauce and using a spatula or wooden spoon, toss ingredients until everything is combined and hot.
- Remove from heat, add lime juice, green onions and Red Pepper Flakes, serve.
