Ordering too much delivery always seems like a good idea in the moment — more to eat tomorrow! — but when the time comes to make use of the leftovers, a cold clamshell of day-old food can be a downright depressing sight. Enter: Leftover Hacks, a new series from Eater that demonstrates how to transform the remnants of last night’s dinner into something completely different (and maybe even better) for today. Check out the video above to see the first of a batch of mealtime magic tricks that will change your leftover game forever.
On today's episode, we convert a halal chicken and rice plate — complete with iceberg lettuce shavings and red and white sauce — into the ultimate restaurant-style fried rice, with an extra, perfectly oozy fried egg to top it all off. Doesn't that sound better than cold bites directly from the container? Grab your wok and get to hacking!
Leftover Chicken and Rice Platter to Fancy Fried Rice
Note: Play this recipe by ear, and taste as you go; like snowflakes, no two containers of leftovers are the same. Adjust to your preferences!
In a wok or large pan with a high lip, pour a small drizzle of sesame oil and heat over medium high. Add chopped scallions, minced garlic, and grated ginger and toss to lightly cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
Add contents of your leftover chicken and rice platter to the wok — include meat, rice, and whatever vegetables or sauces came with the meal. Mix in a drizzle of soy sauce and cook for an additional minute.
In a separate small bowl, whisk eggs together (a good rule of thumb: use one egg per cup of leftover mixture). Pour over rice mixture and stir to coat, tossing in wok until egg is cooked through.
In a separate pan, heat a generous glug of olive oil until hot. Crack in one egg and left cook until whites are solid and edges are crisp and bubbly (you may need to spoon hot oil over the whites to help it along).
Spoon fried rice into a bowl or plate and top with additional scallions, sesame seeds, and fried egg.
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