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Thai Chicken Fried Rice, Khao Pad Gai

Khao pad gai is what Thai cooks make with yesterday's rice, and it is still one of the best twenty minute dinners going. Day-old jasmine rice is the whole secret, because cold, dry grains fry up light and separate instead of turning to mush.

The seasoning is deliberately restrained. Fish sauce, a splash of light soy, a pinch of sugar and plenty of white pepper, then the lime you squeeze over at the table does the rest.

Chop everything before you start and use your biggest pan so the rice can spread out and catch a little colour. Cucumber and coriander on the side keep it fresh.

Servings
4
Prep Time
10
mins
Cook Time
10
mins
Ingredients
14
Total Time
20
mins

Pantry bits

Jasmine Rice
Jasmine Rice
Fish Sauce
Fish Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
Light Soy Sauce

Ingredients

  • 600 g cooked day-old jasmine rice (about 250 g uncooked)
  • 400 g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • Half tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
  • Cucumber slices and coriander leaves, to serve

Instructions

  1. Break up the cold rice with your hands so there are no clumps left. Have everything else chopped and sitting beside the stove.
  2. Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and stir fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Add the chicken and stir fry for 3 minutes, until it has coloured and is almost cooked through.
  4. Push everything to one side, pour the beaten egg into the space and let it set for 15 seconds before scrambling it lightly through.
  5. Add the rice and toss for 2 minutes, pressing it against the hot pan to drive off moisture and separate the grains.
  6. Add the fish sauce, light soy sauce, sugar and white pepper. Toss for another minute, until the rice is evenly seasoned and smells toasty.
  7. Fold through the tomato and most of the spring onions, then take the pan off the heat.
  8. Pile into bowls, top with the remaining spring onions and coriander, and serve with lime wedges and cucumber.

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