Shrimp and chicken fried rice

Shrimp and chicken fried rice topped with crispy fried egg with chili crisp. A perfect all-in-one weeknight meal for the whole family!

A recipe that transforms leftovers into a drool-worthy high-protein meal. Make fried rice next time you have a cup or two of cold rice in the back of the fridge.

This recipe is perfect for everyone. Whether you are a protein junky or a teen who is forever hungry, this fried rice will appease everyone!

Before you go, there are some tricks to making the best-fried rice. The first and most non negotiable is using cold leftover rice. The second is high heat. Do not just put everything together because that will be more "steamed" rice than fried rice.

The third is cabbage. Since our vacation to Japan, I have been in awe of this vegetable. Charred cabbage is a flavor bomb, especially in Asian foods.

Ingredients

Chicken- You can use precooked or rotisserie chicken, too. Cooked bacon, ham, and sausages will also work.

Shrimp- Our favorite protein of all time. Easy to thaw, fast to cook, and tastes fantastic, what's not to like?

Cabbage - Try using the cabbage. I promise you will love it, but if you can't, use any nonwatery vegetables like peas, carrots, and beans. Other veggies I love in fried rice are bok choy and snap beans.

Chili Crisp - This has been a love at first taste. I always make mine at home, but feel free to use a storebought version. If you do not have this, use chili flakes, ground chili, or a sauce like sriracha.

Oil - There is a fair amount of oil in this dish. You can try to reduce it, but it's called fried rice for a reason.Use peanut oil or a neutral oil like avocado oil.

How to make chicken shrimp fried rice

The trick is to prepare everything in advance and cook the ingredients separately on high heat. Use a wok or a large non-stick pan. You can also have two pans going simultaneously to speed up the process.

You can choose to cook the eggs your way. I like my fried rice topped with a fried egg; it feels more decadent than scrambled eggs.

Step 1: Cook the chicken

Season the chicken with salt. Heat up the oil and place the chicken in the pan. Cook till the chicken is crispy, golden brown from both sides. Slice it up and set it aside.

Step 2: Shrimp

In the same pan, add more oil if needed.Add the shrimp and cook till it's just cooked.The color of the shrimp will be orange- pink, and it should have curled into a "C".

Step 3: Rice

Let the wok heat up as much as possible. This will help with the smoky and charred flavor. Add the cabbage and let it cook without stirring too much. You want it to char.

Once the cabbage is cooked, move it to the side. Add the rice and spread it around, if possible, so that the maximum amount of the rice is in touch with the hot wok.Let it cook without mixing too much.

Take your time at this step.Give the rice some time to "fry".Try to spread it in the pan or wok. Once the rice starts to make poping sounds, the rice is getting fried.

Add the remaining ingredients- Garlic powder, soy sauce, and pepper. Add the shrimp and chicken. Mix it up and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with green onions.

Step 4: Fry the egg

In a pan, add the oil from the chili crisp. Once the oil is hot, break the egg into it. Top the egg with solids from the chili crisp. Once the edges are golden and the egg whites are set, move the egg on top of the rice.

Equipment

Use a wok if you have one. I have used a carbon steel wok. Make sure you swirl the oil around so that the food doesn't stick to the wok.

You can also use a flat pan or large skillet, preferably nonstick. If using steel pans, heat it up till a drop of water in the pan sizzles, remaining intact. It's called the Leidenfrost effect. You can see it in effect in the last picture with a fried egg.

---