We had fun with this. Fried rice is fantastic, but a lot of the time people don't think of making it at home. It is truly easy though, and by making it yourself you can make it taste exactly how you want. Ours is full of red peppers, peas, onions and scallions, and it just pops with flavor. You get a slight char on it by cooking it on the griddle that it very hard to get from a pan. The chicken....just "Wow." Searing the chicken locks in the juices and gives you crispy skin, and finishing it on the grill frees up the griddle for the fried rice. Starting on the griddle with direct heat also cuts the cooking time approximately in half compared to regular grilled chicken. You really have to try this.
To make the chicken, you will need:
- 2 lb skin-on chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika (smoked, hot or sweet)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- Pepper to taste Put the chicken thighs in a bowl.
Mix oil, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper in a glass measuring cup and pour over the chicken. Rub marinade into the thighs, and refrigerate for at least one hour or as long as overnight. Pre-heat griddle to 350 degrees or medium heat. Sear the chicken on the griddle for approximately five minutes on each side or until nicely browned. Move chicken pieces to grill grates and cook until finished, approximately 15 minutes.
To make the fried rice, you will need:
- 3 Cups pre-cooked medium grain rice (leftover, or allowed to cool if cooked for this dish)
- 1/2 C. diced bell pepper
- 1/2 C. diced sweet onion
- 1/2 C. frozen peas (thawing not necessary)
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped into 3" pieces 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 Tbsp sesame or vegetable oil
- Salt, pepper and soy sauce
Pre-heat griddle to 350 degrees or medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in half of the oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften. Keep the vegetables moving so that the garlic does not scorch. Add bell pepper and peas and continue to cook. When the pepper has softened, add the rice and the remaining oil. Cook for two minutes and add the scallions. When scallions have softened and rice has begun to brown, add beaten egg and mix to combine with the rice. Allow the dish to cook until all ingredients are heated through. Add a few dashes of soy sauce to taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove to a platter and top with grilled chicken.
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