Teriyaki Fried Rice

Got a WINNER of a fried rice dinner for you today. Like, put down your cold sandwich and break out your wok…or nonstick skillet if you’re wok-less. And if that’s case, do yourself a favor and get a Curtis Stone wok, which I had to publicly humiliate myself to receive (#worthit). I know some of you are rolling your eyes at the millionth mention of the time I met Curtis Stone, but I don’t care because I MET CURTIS STONE. And he kissed my cheek twice. And he smelled so good. I know.

Anyway, back to this fried rice. It pretty much looks like every other fried rice you’ve seen on this site and perhaps in existence, but it’s not. It’s 100% not. Sure, you’ve got your classic combo of cooked rice, veggies, and protein (I used shrimp,) but the glue that’s keeping everything together is a tongue-tickling homemade teriyaki sauce that takes just 5 minutes to make. 5 minutes!

I don’t know about you but I always skip over recipes that call for teriyaki sauce because a.) I don’t want to buy an entire bottle that will inevitably sit in the fridge for a year developing a disgusting gummy crust around the lid preventing me from being able to open it back up again, just for one recipe and b.) because that stuff is junk!

Too sweet, too expensive, too just, ick.

My homemade sauce, though, is made with ingredients I promise you already own, is just sweet enough, and doesn’t contain pineapple juice. I love me some pineapple, it’s one of my kryptonite foods, but for some reason it annoys me to no end when I see teriyaki recipes that call for pineapple juice. What am I supposed to do with the rest of the can?! Trust me, I know this is a weird thing to get riled up about.

Anyway, I made this Teriyaki Fried Rice earlier this week and both Ben and I went nuts for it. After the tenth, “This is bomb, baby!” from Ben I had to tell him to cool it. That is to say, this recipe is going into regular rotation at our house.

I’m calling this recipe a 20 minute meal if you use rice you’ve cooked the day or night before. If that’s the case then yes, dinner will absolutely be on the table in 20 minutes. If you need to cook fresh rice, it’ll be more like 45 minutes but since rice doesn’t need baby sitting while it’s cooking, your active cooking time should still remain relatively the same. Go for it!

Start by cooking 1-1/2 cups brown rice in 3 cups chicken broth. I used short-grain brown rice, but you could use long grain if that’s what you have on hand. You could also use white rice but be sure to decrease the amount of chicken broth by 1/4 cup as white rice doesn’t need as much liquid as brown rice. Rice rice rice.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil then add the rice, place a lid on top, and then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until tender, 40-45 minutes. Note: to get this dish on the table in 20 minutes, use 4-1/2 cups leftover cooked rice. Fried rice actually tastes better if you use cold rice from the day before!

Next get to work on the homemade teriykai sauce. I promise you, this sauce will blow your everloving mind.

To a skillet or saucepan combine 1/4 cup gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce,) 2 Tablespoons water, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon mirin (or any sweet wine,) 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. Cook the mixture over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, 2-3 minutes.

Next drizzle in 1 teaspoon cornstarch stirred into 2 teaspoons water then let the mixture cook for another minute or so, just until it’s slightly thickened. That’s it! Homemade teriyaki sauce in under 5 minutes. Who knew?

Set the sauce aside while you get to stir frying. Heat 1 teaspoon grapeseed, wok, or other high-heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat then add 8oz chopped protein lightly seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. I used chopped raw shrimp but you could use chicken, pork, steak, or tofu. Stir fry until the shrimp is pink and bouncy, 1-2 minutes, then remove to a plate and set aside.

Heat another teaspoon oil in the wok then add 1 cup sweet corn kernels, 1/2 cup peas, and 2 chopped green onions then stir fry until they’re heated through, 2-3 minutes.

Finally, add the cooked rice, shrimp, and teriyaki sauce back into the wok and toss to combine.

I legitimately could have eaten this entire wok…!

Scoop the rice into bowls then devour!

Teriyaki Fried Rice

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dairy freegluten free20 minute meal

Description

Gluten-free Teriyaki Fried Rice is made with a simple yet outstanding homemade teriyaki sauce. Use leftover rice and dinner will be on the table in 20 minutes!

Ingredients

serves 3-4

• 1-1/2 cups gluten-free brown rice (long or short-grain)
• 3 cups gluten-free chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons grapeseed, wok, or other high-heat oil, divided
• 8oz chopped shrimp, chicken, pork, or steak
• garlic salt and pepper
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1/2 cup peas
• 2 green onions, chopped
• For the Teriyaki Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon mirin (or sweet wine)
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons water

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil then add rice, place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium-low, and then cook until rice is tender, 40-45 minutes. Alternatively you could use 4-1/2 cups cold, leftover rice.
2. Meanwhile, combine teriyaki sauce ingredients EXCEPT for the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat then cook until sugar is dissolved, 2-3 minutes. Stir together cornstarch and water in a small dish then drizzle into sauce mixture and cook until thickened and bubbly, 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat a large, nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat then add 1 teaspoon oil. Lightly season protein of choice with garlic salt and pepper then add to wok and stir fry until cooked through. Remove to plate then set aside.
4. Heat remaining teaspoon oil in the wok then add corn, peas and green onions. Stir fry until heated through and tender, 3-4 minutes, then add rice, cooked protein, and teriyaki sauce and then toss to combine.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Salty with that signature teriyaki-sweetness, this fried rice is incredible. My favorite fried rice recipe to date. Hope you enjoy, too!