WIAW #10: Chicken and Broccoli Fried Rice

I suppose I underestimated what it would mean to live, study, and eat in London. Yes, it ain’t cheap. But more than that, it’s an adjustment, meaning what type of food is readily available. I never realized how much pre-made meals would be in England. Everywhere you turn there are pre-made sandwiches, full gourmet meals for two, etc. Everything is nicely presented with ingredients overwhelmingly appearing such as salmon, lamb, roasted red peppers, carrots, and coriander. Lots of coriander. Don’t get me wrong, I love the flavors that are out there especially my favorite “non-American” flavor, Black-currant. But everything seems to be prepackaged such as sauces and gravies. There really seems no room for making one’s own sauce as there is every type you might need already on the self for a convenient £2-3, but usually not the ingredients to make those same sauces from scratch. There is also lots of food with Indian and like tastes, understandably due to the current ethnic makeup of the UK. So, it isn’t always the most convenient place for the creative cook. But, hey, I’m doing my best. This is where my chicken and broccoli fried rice comes in. mmm…

http://www.peasandcrayons.com/

But first, I need to get to WIAW, of course.

P.s. as I write this I am watching a mental movie trailer in my mind featuring “In The End” by Snow Patrol. There is no specific movie I’m thinking about, just maybe some standard shots of actors and actresses turning their heads dramatically to the side of the screen, maybe some running and/or frolic scenes. I’m not sure, but I know this song is playing.

Okay, back to WIAW, I promise.

Breakfast

Rachel’s Organic Raspberry yoghurt, my fancy muesul/granola stuff, honey

One piece of wholemeal toast with a little butter and cinnamon sugar (reminds me of elementary school)

One cup of black tea, little sugar and semi-skimmed milk

Politics Class Break

Another cup of black tea with a little sugar and milk

Lunch

Five “teenage” carrots, not quite baby

1 mini-yellow bell pepper

½ piece of black pepper Naan bread

Lemon-and coriander hummus (told you about the coriander)

Leftover lemon and coriander couscous for “dipping” my hummus covered carrots.

Bottle of water

Dinner

Big delicious helping of Chicken and Broccoli Fried rice

Glass of Ribena

Sleepy time Dessert

Cup of Horlick’s and milk (yeah, it’s British thing, but helps me sleep)

I am so into the hummus, carrots, and naan lunch combo right now. I love the chicken salad I have been making for lunches, but this is so good too and cheap. At £1 for a packet of carrots, 55pence for two giant pieces of Naan flatbread, and £1.50 for two containers of fresh hummus, I can get 3-4 days worth of lunches for £3.50 or about $5-6. So while everyone else in my house is paying £5 a day for their lunches, I’m paying the same for 4 lunches! So proud of me. Plus, this combo is so good and so filling. The best part of the “prepared” food culture here is that you can get so great organic, vegetarian and/or ethnic food for great prices and easily accessible. As long as it is Mediterranean, Indian, or Asian.

And now back to the fried rice…

Usually when you see fried rice it is done with peas not broccoli, but for me this is my new favorite. I found my inspirations from Peas and Crayon’s Quinoa fried rice but without quinoa I settled for the classic interpretation.

Settle is not even close to the right word for this though. I know this might be a little cocky especially since I never made fried rice before this, but wow, I’m good. This will be my new weekly staple.

I love the combination of the broccoli, carrots, and chicken. This was so good I made it again the next night adding red peppers; I recommend that if you have it, but if not it still tastes delicious. I know I will never buy take-out fried rice ever again. And to be honest, I really didn’t before hand, but this is much different than your standard take-out from China-One. I wanted to bath in this stuff, plus it will satisfy most picky eaters while throwing in lots of veggies. This a great budget friendly meal that makes fantastic leftovers and is easy to double without too much added cost. Plus, this can really be essentially a one-pan meal. You do need to prepare the rice separate, or this is a good recipe for left-over rice. (I know left-over rice is “bad” for you, eh.) You can sauté the vegetables, chicken, and egg all in one big pan and simply add the rice at the end. Minimal clean-up, minimal fuss. My kind of meal on either side of the Atlantic.

Chicken and Broccoli Fried Rice: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

½ cup of rice

1 large chicken breast, cut into small chunks

1 small head of broccoli, finely chopped

2 large carrots, chopped into small chunks

½ white onion, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper

2 eggs

2 tbsp. water

1 clove garlic, minced

Vegetable oil

Garlic salt

1 tbsp. Soy Sauce (for gluten-free version, omit and add more appropriate substitute)

Pepper

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

For Vegetarian version: omit chicken and egg; add tofu, egg substitute, or simply more veggies.

Directions:

In a medium pot, boil water and salt. Cook rice according to instructions. Once rice is done, quickly put the pan in the freezer or refrigerator. Rice should be relatively cooled before adding into rest of the mixture.

Meanwhile, in a large pan or wok, heat up a tbsp. of vegetable oil and minced garlic over medium heat.

Begin to sauté onions, broccoli, red pepper, and carrots together, allowing them to soften and light brown. Sprinkle some garlic salt, and mix.

Once you vegetables begin to brown, push to one side of the pan, remaining on the heat.

With a little bit more oil, begin to brown chicken chunks adding some garlic salt.

Let the chicken light fry, getting completely cooked but not too brown.

Once the chicken is mostly cooked but not completely push to side of the pan and make room.

In a small bowl beat eggs and water together. With free space in the pan, pour in egg mixture.

Allow the egg mixture to cook lightly. Once dry and cooked, break up and scramble into small pieces with spatula. Mix egg, cooked vegetables, and cooked chicken together.

Add cold rice and mix well. Once completely mixed, gently stir in soy sauce, lemon juice, pepper, and a little bit more garlic salt to taste until completely mixed.

Serve hot.

Enjoy the deliciousness of homemade Chinese “take-out.”

Happy Wednesday!

Love,

The College Cuisiner