Fried-Chicken Fried Rice With Pickled Scallions & Ham

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 1 bunch scallions
• 1/2 cup white wine or rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 4 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 pieces leftover fried chicken, such as breasts or thighs, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup diced smoked ham, preferably Benton’s country ham
• 2 cups cooked, cooled basmati rice
• 1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin rice wine
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/3 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make Quick-Pickled Scallions:
Cut dark green tops of scallions off white and light green stems. Slice dark green tops into thin rings and set aside for later. Place stems in a plastic or stainless steel container or bowl. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, coriander and fennel seeds to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour boiling liquid over scallion stems and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Remove scallion stems from pickling liquid and thinly slice. Strain pickling liquid over a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve ½ cup pickling liquid and discard the remaining liquid or save it for another purpose.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot and shimmery, add beaten egg to wok, stirring with a spatula for a few seconds, then spread egg evenly across bottom of wok. (If using a skillet, spread egg into a thin round, about 5 inches across.) Let cook, undisturbed, just until it is set, like an omelet, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to loosen egg and slide it from wok and then slice it into small pieces.

Wipe wok clean. Heat remaining oil over high heat. Once oil is very hot and shimmery, add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds. Add fried chicken, ham and reserved sliced dark-green scallion. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooked rice, stirring to break up any clumps. Toss rice to coat with oil. Add peas, chopped egg and pickled scallion stems. Cook, stirring, until rice is hot, about 2 minutes. Add reserved ½ cup pickling liquid, soy sauce, mirin and cayenne. Toss to incorporate and remove from heat. Top with peanuts. Taste and season with salt or additional cayenne if necessary.