First I cook the rice according to the package directions. I always use brown rice since that’s supposed to be healthier. The rice needs to cool before you actually make fried rice with it so this is more like the preparation stage (if you’re cramped on time just use the refrigerator to help cool it down). I like to incorporate tofu into this dish. I like to eat tofu on a regular basis just for the health benefits. This is one of the easiest dishes to add it to I think. So after I get the rice started, I drain and dry the tofu. I use half a package for the 2 of us.
Next is the chicken. I cut the raw chicken (2 breasts) into cubes so that it cooks faster. My standard method for cooking chicken is pan-cooking. I drizzle the pan with extra virgin olive oil and heat it to medium. Then I add the chicken, let it brown on one side, flip and let the other side brown. Usually a few minutes on each side. At this point I add chicken broth to the pan and cover and let the chicken cook the rest of the way (I also add the tofu here too). I turn down the heat just a little too, but keep the broth simmering. Since we are smothering our chicken in peanut butter it doesn’t matter too much how it gets cooked.
While the chicken is cooking away I start on the sauce. In a small sauce pan I melt butter and peanut butter and add a little oil (I use extra virgin olive oil most of the time). I don’t usually measure things anymore; it’s usually not necessary. But roughly it’s a tablespoon of butter, tablespoon of EVOO, and 1.5 – 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. I just stir this all together after the peanut butter softens up enough. I keep the heat very low as well.
Now it’s time to get back to the rice. I use a large skillet and heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add some garlic and onion to this (I’ve used anything from red to yellow to green). Sometimes I save some of the tofu and add it to the rice. If I did, this is the point to add the tofu. Now beat 1 or 2 eggs (1 is usually plenty for 2 rice servings) and mix the egg with the rice until the rice looks evenly coated. By this time the garlic and onion should be browning up. Add the rice to the hot skillet and stir as needed. After it looks like the egg has fried up, add teriyaki sauce (soy sauce would also work). I use about 5 shakes of the bottle. Enough to turn the rice darker, but don’t soak the rice. Keep stirring, but it only takes a few more minutes for the rice to be complete.
By this time the chicken is cooked so I add it (and the tofu) to the peanut butter sauce that is melted. I cover all the chicken and tofu. Then I pile the rice on a plate and top with the chicken! Delicious. Here’s the finished product! And after the picture is full recipe.
Peanut Butter Chicken and Fried Rice – 2 servings
Peanut Butter Sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
In small saucepan melt ingredients together over low heat. Stir to combine.
Chicken
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 chicken breast, cubed
Half package extra firm tofu, cubed
Drizzle EVOO in skillet. Brown chicken 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. Add tofu. Add chicken broth. Reduce heat slight, but still allow broth to simmer. Cover. Cook until done. (Add more broth if all broth boils off but the chicken isn’t done). Stir the chicken and tofu into the warm peanut butter sauce to cover completely.
Fried Rice
Cooked rice (cook according to package directions) and allow to cool
1 clove of garlic, diced
½ tbsp EVOO
½ onion, diced
1 egg, beaten
½ cup teriyaki sauce
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and allow to brown. (If using green onion, add when the rice is added). Mix the beaten egg with the rice to cover the rice. Add the rice to a hot skillet. Allow the egg to fry on the rice – stir as needed (few minutes). Add teriyaki and stir to coat.
Top the chicken onto the rice and serve!
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