How to make chicken and ginger fried rice

Take a little cooked chicken breast, add some delightfully crunchy vegetables and warming fresh ginger, combine with rice and you have a simple dinner that is really hard to beat. Boneless, skinless, chicken breast contains 30 percent high-quality protein and is low in fat — great for weight control. Chicken also contains some B vitamins, especially niacin, and when eaten with carbohydrates, such as rice and pasta, it can help to fight fatigue and improve mood. Here's a great recipe that is sure to spice up dinner time.

Preparation 10 minutes

Cooking 25 minutes

Serves 4

• 340 g (3/4 lb) cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 can (226 g/8 oz) water chestnuts
• 226 g (1 c) bean sprouts
• 4 scallions
• 30 g (2 tbsp) olive oil or canola oil
• 55 g (1/4 c) peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300 g (1 1/3 c) long-grain rice
• 5 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
• 1 L (4 c) hot low-sodium chicken stock
• 225 g (1 c) finely shredded napa cabbage
• 225 g (1 c) snow peas

1. Slice the chicken into small strips. Drain and slice the water chestnuts. Wash the bean sprouts and slice the scallions.

2. Heat the olive oil or canola oil in a wok or pot over high heat. Add the ginger, garlic and rice and cook, stirring, for three minutes, or until the rice becomes opaque.

3. Pour in the sesame oil and hot stock. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken, water chestnuts and cabbage, but don't stir. Make sure the stock is simmering and cover the wok. Cook gently for another seven minutes.

4. Add the snow peas, bean sprouts and scallions to the wok. Cover and cook for two minutes, or until the bean sprouts are piping hot. Toss the ingredients gently with the rice and serve.

Alternative ingredients

• Brown rice works well in this recipe, but allow an additional cup of stock and cook for an extra 10 minutes in step 2.
• Instead of adding the cooked chicken in step 3, add 340 grams (3/4 pound) peeled, cooked shrimp in step 4, heating them briefly before serving.
• Add a diced red or green pepper with the snow peas in step 4.
• Try sugarsnap peas instead of snow peas, or add frozen peas or green beans in step 3.
• For vegetarian fried rice, replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and add 340 grams (12 ounces) of tofu or tempeh instead of the chicken.

This is a good recipe for using leftover roast chicken. Remove all the meat from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces, checking for any bone fragments. Store cooked chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.

Nutritional information: 595 calories • 18 grams fat • 3 grams saturated fat • 72 grams carbohydrates • 35 grams protein • 5 grams fibre