Thai-style chicken fried rice (gluten free)
This is another recipe adapted from my father-in-law. He makes the absolute best fried rice, but it is not gluten free and it also contains eggs, so unfortunately I never get to enjoy it when he makes it. It’s requested at all family gatherings, whether it be birthday parties, picnics, and even Thanksgiving! The secret to his famous fried rice is mushroom soy sauce. However, this is the one ingredient that makes this dish non-gluten friendly. Mushroom soy sauce has a unique flavor that makes it more robust than regular soy sauce. For the actual “mushroom flavor,” it contains sugar, mushroom extract, and artificial mushroom flavor. The other ingredients are a slew of some of the worst offenders including MSG, sodium benzoate, flavor enhancers, natural caramel coloring, soy, wheat, and a several other chemicals. Not exactly something I want to be cooking with in the first place, even if it was gluten free! I have searched high and low for a healthier and gluten free version of this mushroom soy sauce, but to no avail. So my adaptation is to use a combination of coconut aminos and tamari soy sauce, made only with soy, no wheat. The coconut aminos steps in to replace the sweetness in the mushroom soy sauce, but obviously in a much cleaner form. And the soy sauce of course gives the iconic salty, soy sauce taste expected in any fried rice.
Another secret to my father-in-law’s fried rice is a super hot wok and garlic, lots and lots and lots of garlic. When my father-in-law makes his rice, he adds raw chicken to it and stir-fries the meat within the dish. I, however, take advantage of leftover cooked chicken we have in the fridge and add that instead. Sometimes I will even add any cooked vegetables we might have leftover in the fridge. It saves me time, plus it’s a great utilization of leftovers in my opinion!
Gluten free Thai-style chicken fried rice
3 cups dry jasmine rice, cooked and cooled
3-4 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 small onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
3 organic, pasture-raised eggs
1.5-2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1.5 cups organic frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce, more to taste if needed
3-4 Tbsp. coconut aminos, more to taste if needed
cracked black pepper, to taste
Steam the rice in a rice cooker and then set aside to cool to room temperature. Heat the avocado oil on high in a large wok. Add the diced onions and garlic and stir fry, allowing the alliums to caramelize. Create a well in the center of the wok and add the eggs, scramble the eggs, keeping the wok moving and stir-frying everything together. If the wok begins to look dry, you can add more oil before adding the rice if needed. Add the cooled jasmine rice and continuously stir and break up the rice, incorporating all the ingredients together. Add the chicken, mixed vegetables, and cracked black pepper. Continuously stir the ingredients. Next, add the tamari and coconut aminos, turning the heat down slightly and still continuing to stir-fry. Taste and add more tamari sauce or coconut aminos if needed. Serve immediately!
**Yes, I cannot eat the version above because of the inclusion of eggs, but feel free to omit the eggs for an egg-free recipe, which I do on occasion for myself!
