Chicken and Baked Tofu Fried Rice

With more dinners being prepared at home, this is a great time try to re-create some of your favorite take-out meals. This will not only save you money, but will also give you the opportunity to make those meals much healthier. I love bulking up my fried rice with lots of colorful veggies so that the ratio of rice to veggies is 50/50.

As far as protein goes, I love a combo of chicken and tofu but you could totally just do one or the other. You could also sub diced pork as well and add some pineapple for a more tropical dish.

The key to a good fried rice is making sure your rice is cold. I recommend cooking your rice in the morning or the night before so that it’s ready to go once you start making dinner. For this recipe, simply bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil and add 1 cup long grain or jasmine rice. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Lay the rice out on a baking sheet and cool to room temperature. Once it’s cooled, place it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Chicken and Baked Tofu Fried Rice

Serves 4-6

All you need:

Baked Tofu

1 (16 oz.) block super-firm tofu, patted dry to remove any excess moisture

2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari (or soy sauce)

Fried Rice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 teaspoon salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 cups cooked long grain or jasmine rice (cold)

1 (10 oz.) bag frozen peas

1 (10 oz.) bag shredded carrots (I used rainbow carrots)

1 bunch green onion, ends trimmed and sliced thin

2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari (or soy sauce)

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Sriracha, for garnish (optional)

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Dice the tofu and place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with tamari or soy sauce and toss lightly to coat. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over high heat. Add eggs and scramble until soft cooked. Remove eggs to a plate and set aside.
3. Add vegetable oil and cook the chicken for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add salt, garlic and ginger and continue to cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.
4. Add rice and stir-fry until heated through. Add peas, carrots, green onion, soy sauce and cooked egg and stir until the veggies are heated through.
5. Garnish stir-fry with warm baked tofu and sesame seeds. Drizzle with sriracha, if desired.