Cheap And Easy Dinner Idea : Chicken Fried Rice

This is what I call a "not for company meal."  Meaning, it's delicious but not exactly pretty.  Keep it for your family meals.  Not the boss and her family.  But this is a cheap and easy and GLUTEN FREE meal that is completely yummy.

But beauty challenged aside, this meal is so yummy and really healthy.  And like everything else coming out of my kitchen, you can use what you have on hand.  For example, I titled this chicken but I actually used leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.  You could also use ham or go meatless and add a can of chickpeas.  I use brown rice in just about everything.  I love it.  But feel free to use whatever you prefer.

This recipe is really all about prep work.  I keep cooked rice and cooked chicken/turkey in bags in my freezer at all times.  I always have a variety of frozen veggies in the freezer too.  If you don't have/want to use the preserves, just add a little oil or water.

Ingredients:
* Cooked rice
* Cooked chicken
* Large bag of frozen veggies
* 1/3 c. Soy sauce
* 1-2 tbls Apricot preserves (optional)
* 2-3 eggs, soft scrambled

Directions:
* Scramble a few eggs.  Don't overcook them as they will be added again to a cooking pan later.  Set aside.

* In large pan (I use the one that I scrambled eggs in to keep this a one pot meal), add a bit of soy sauce and preserves.  If not using preserves, feel free to instead add some brown sugar, EVOO or even just water.  You are making the sauce.  So make something saucy.

* Once you have a sauce going (about 1/4-1/2 cup is all- just to coat), add bag of frozen veggies.  Once defrosted, add chicken.  Once brought to temp, add rice and scrambled eggs.  Toss together to bring to the same temperature and coat in sauce.  Taste.  Add more soy sauce if needed.

* Serve warm.

This meal is full of protein in the brown rice, eggs and meat.  Lots of yummy veggies if you use a big bag.  It's cheap and super simple.  Oh and completely comforting on a chilly night!