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Special Fried Rice Chinese Takeaway Style

Special fried rice is an incredibly popular Chinese takeaway dish in the UK, my fakeaway version tastes fantastic and cooks in around 20 mins.

My version combines pork and chicken with cocktail prawns along with peas, carrots and sweetcorn but you can add any ingredients you like.

Chinese takeaway style house special fried rice served in a floral bowl.

Fully Loaded Egg Fried Rice

So what’s in special egg fried rice? in short, everything, it has , seafood AND chicken AND pork AND maybe beef AND vegetables!

It is the meal that I ate the most during my first semester at university!

I have no idea how I am still alive as I probably ate it 4 or 5 times a week from a local takeaway.

It was the cheapest meal on the menu and back then I had no idea how to cook.

My version of this Chinese egg-fried rice hooks in all of the classic flavours with great quality ingredients.

I serve it as a simple main at home, but you could serve this as a side dish for everything from my kung pao chicken, and chicken egg foo yung to my plum and duck stir fry.

Close up Chinese takeaway style house special fried rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the rice have to be cooked in advance?

Yes, it is very important that the rice is “dry” when it goes into the pan, if it is not it will steam and not fry. This will lead to a claggy and heavy dish.

Cooking the rice in advance and cooling it in the fridge is the best way to achieve this.

Can I use a packet of cooked rice?

Yes but you do need to ensure that it is made for frying straight from the packet. I tested this with Tilda steamed basmati rice and it worked well.

When I stir fry recipes everything goes “mushy” what am I doing wrong?

This will likely be because of one or two issues, or a combination of both.

Firstly it is vital that all of your prep work is done before you even heat up the wok, this is all about quick cooking. So chop, measure and portion out all of your ingredients sorted.

Secondly heat, or more specifically a lack of heat! Your wok needs to be searingly hot, if it is not you will end with a less “special” dish!

Can I use other ingredients?

Yes, use whatever you like, but when it comes to the meat make sure it is not too fatty and is suited to quick cooking.

Some steak makes a great addition, as would some queenie scallops. When it comes to veg, go wild and crazy, peppers, courgettes, and even cauliflower and broccoli work well if you cut them up small enough.

You could even throw some nuts in, cashews work particularly well!

Do I have to defrost the peas and sweetcorn?

Yes, as I have mentioned above, heat is an important part of stir frying. Frozen vegetables reduce that heat and slow down the cooking process.

Chinese takeaway style house special fried rice.

Serving Suggestions

I typically eat special fried rice as a simple satisfying main course, it is proper fully loaded and delicious.

That does not mean that it cannot be enjoyed as a side, but it works particularly well as part of a Chinese takeaway inspired spread.

I would start off with some Chinese hot and sour soup, pork yuk sung and prawn crackers or prawn toast.

I’d also include dishes like Chinese spare ribs or braised ham hock in black bean sauce.

A bit of tofu would go down a storm too, maybe something like this tofu in black bean sauce.

Chinese takeaway style house special fried rice with pork, chicken and prawns.

Equipment Used

I only name specific brands of equipment if I feel that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Wok, I use a large carbon steel wok.
  • Sharp kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Sieve to defrost the peas and sweet corn.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Prep bowls.
Chinese takeaway style house special fried rice with pork, chicken and prawns.
Yield: 2 Servings

Chinese Special Fried Rice Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Chinese house special fried rice is a ubiquitous item on Chinese takeaway menus in the UK, mine features chicken, pork and cocktail prawns and takes just 20 minutes to cook!

Ingredients

  • 300g (2 Cups) Cooked Rice
  • 150g (5oz) Small Cocktail Prawns
  • 100g (4oz) Chicken Thighs
  • 100g (4oz) Pork Fillet
  • 6 Spring Onions
  • 75g (1 Cup) Carrot
  • 100g (⅔ Cup) Frozen Sweetcorn
  • 100g (⅔ Cup) Frozen Peas
  • 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing Wine
  • ¼ Tsp MSG
  • 2 Eggs

Instructions

  1. Run the peas and sweet corn under cold water to defrost this should take 3 or 4 minutes.
  2. Do the same with the cocktail prawns if they are frozen.
  3. Cut the chicken thigh and pork fillet into strips, 3-4mm thick and 2cm long (⅛"x¾").
  4. Finely slice the spring onions into 3mm (⅛") thick rings and separate the white bits from the green bits.
  5. Dice the carrot as finely as you can.
  6. Heat a wok over a high heat.
  7. When hot add half of the oil and quickly stir fry the chicken and pork.
  8. After 2-3 minutes remove and set aside.
  9. Add the remaining oil to the wok and when hot, stir the carrot and white parts of the spring onion for 60 seconds.
  10. Then add the rice and stir fry for another 2 minutes keeping moving all the time.
  11. Move the rice to the side of the pan and add the beaten egg and MSG.
  12. Stir fry for 60 seconds again keeping moving all of the time.
  13. Push everything to the side of the wok pour in the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine then add in the prawns, chicken, pork, peas and sweetcorn and cook until the prawns are hot, again keeping the ingredients moving all of the time.
  14. After 90 seconds or so add in the green parts of the spring onion, combine and serve hot.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 782Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 445mgSodium: 2049mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 58g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Terry B

Wednesday 12th of October 2022

Brian, what type of rice can be used? I cook asian cuisine and I know basmati won't be suitable. I have purchased some arborio for a risotto, so I was wondering if this would work or be too glutinous. Or would simple plain long grain be better?

Brian Jones

Saturday 5th of November 2022

Hi Terry, sorry it has take a while to respond, I've been dealing with a family illness. I usually use regular old long-grain rice, but have used basmati in the past and it works perfectly well. Risotto rice would be way too sticky.

Adewale Adeneye

Tuesday 8th of March 2022

Hi,

What ingredient in particular makes the Special fried rice distinct? because I have tried all methods but it didn't smell or taste like a typical Special Fried rice bought in any Chinese Take away Shop.

Brian Jones

Thursday 10th of March 2022

I suspect the answer is probably two fold, the first is easy to achieve and that is the addition of MSG, it is a flavour enhancer and is commonly used in takeaway food. The horror stories about it are very much not true!

The second is less easy to solve and it is heat. Your wok needs to be frighteningly hot all of the way through the cooking process and not just the base of the wok the heat should wrap up the sides. The soy sauce will be added around the side of the wok rather than to the ingredients of the wok and it almost "burns" and cooks giving a richer more caramelised soy flavour. Replicating this at home really is incredibly difficult.

Alisa Infanti

Thursday 7th of November 2019

This looks great but what is Shaoxing wine and where would I get it?

Brian Jones

Saturday 9th of November 2019

Shaoxing wine is a type of rice wine and should be pretty widely available, larger supermarkets carry it here in Eastern Europe which really is the land that food progress forgot, failing that you will almost certainly be able to pick it up in an Asian supermarket.

Ashley

Thursday 7th of November 2019

How scrumptious, Brian!!! This is happening tonight! Yum.

Brian Jones

Saturday 9th of November 2019

Thanks Ashley, enjoy )

Ellen

Thursday 7th of November 2019

You had me at quick! 20 minutes is perfect for a busy weeknight!

Brian Jones

Saturday 9th of November 2019

lol, I get that ;)

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