Nasi Goreng with Crispy Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups cooked rice, cooled to room temperature
• 2 whole large eggs
• 2 whole shallots, peeled
• 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the chicken breast on a cutting board and slice it crosswise (side to side, perpendicular to the long length) into strips about the width of your pinky finger, approximately 1/4 inch thick.

2. 2

   Slice each shallot lengthwise from root to tip into thin half-moons about 1/8 inch thick, like slicing an onion into rings that stay connected at the root.

3. 3

   Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about the size of pencil-tip dots — using a knife on the cutting board.

4. 4

   Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them together with a fork until the yolks and whites are completely mixed and uniform in color, about 30 seconds.

5. 5

   In another small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, tomato paste, and lime juice with a spoon until the tomato paste is fully dissolved and no lumps remain.

6. 6

   Heat 1.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

7. 7

   Add the chicken strips to the hot oil and cook without stirring for 2 minutes so they form a golden crust on the bottom, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes until cooked through.

8. 8

   Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and set it aside away from the stove.

9. 9

   Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of oil to the same skillet over medium heat and wait 30 seconds, then add the sliced shallots and cook, stirring once every 20 seconds, until they soften and turn translucent, about 90 seconds total.

10. 10

    Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 20 seconds until the mixture becomes fragrant and you smell strong garlic aroma in the kitchen.

11. 11

    Pour the soy sauce mixture into the skillet and stir for 30 seconds to combine everything, then add the rice and break up any clumps by stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

12. 12

    Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir everything together for 1 minute until the rice is evenly coated with sauce and heated through.

13. 13

    Push the rice mixture to the sides of the skillet, leaving a small cleared space in the center, then pour the beaten eggs into the empty space and let them sit undisturbed for 20 seconds.

14. 14

    Scramble the eggs with a wooden spoon, breaking them into small curds, and stir them into the rice until distributed evenly throughout, about 1 minute.

15. 15

    Increase the heat to medium-high and let the rice sit undisturbed in the skillet for 2 minutes so the bottom develops a golden, crispy layer that crackles when you stir.

16. 16

    Divide the nasi goreng between two bowls or plates, making sure each portion includes some of the crispy rice from the bottom of the skillet.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch skillet with lid
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small bowl
• fork
• spoon
• wooden spoon
• plate

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