Transforms leftovers into a cheap & filling meal packed with flavor - in just 10 minutes! Toss together 5 simple ingredients for a delicious Adobo Fried Rice to fuel up for breakfast or meal prep for the week!
Adobo Fried Rice recipe is a resourceful & classic Filipino dish! It transforms leftover Adobo (in this case, Chicken Adobo) into a comforting & filling dish that hits the table in 10 minutes! It's a super budget-friendly meal that most Filipinos (myself included) have enjoyed at home at least once & is growing popularity thanks to Filipino restaurants including it in their menu too.
My closest friends know, whenever I'm back in SF, Senor Sisig's Tocino or Sisig Burritos are a MUST (both have adobo rice inside! *drool*). If you're ever in the city - don't sleep on this gem!
This Adobo Rice is SO versatile! Enjoy it as a quick breakfast or pack it up for the quickest lunch meal prep!
If you're doing a weekend brunch, wrap up your Adobo Rice in soft fluffy eggs to make a quick Adobo Fried Rice Omlette or serve it up with smoky Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelette) with banana ketchup! Cheers with fresh chilled Filipino Melon Juice and a satisfying bite of no-bake Mango Float!
Weekends are for brunching, and you might as well do it up *chef's kiss* And best part is, you won't even be breaking the bank with this brunch menu!
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❤️ Recipe Highlights
- Transform Leftovers: Get creative in the most delicious way, by transforming leftovers into a whole new dish! AND it's a One-Pot Meal - which means even less cleanup!
- Cheap & Filling: This Adobo Rice is a super budget-friendly Rice Recipe that'll fuel up you - without breaking the bank. Your tummy & wallet will thank you 😉
- Easy Breakfast or Meal Prep: Throw together a delicious breakfast or meal prep in 10 minutes or less! It's definitely one of the fastest meals under 30 minutes!
🥘Ingredients
- Leftover Adobo: Transform leftover Chicken Adobo into a whole new meal! For this, we'll need that yummy adobo sauce & meat chopped. This is what's going to give the rice that delicious flavor!
- Rice: For this Adobo Fried Rice Omelet, I'm using day-old long-grain rice (Jasmine rice is my fave!). Cold drier rice is key because it soaks up all that adobo sasuce goodness. But if you're in a rush and need to whip up fresh rice, no worries – I got you! Just scroll down to the "Key Tips" section on how to prep fresh rice.
- Eggs: Keep in mind that this recipe uses large eggs, in case your eggs are a bit different in size.
- Garlic: For all you garlic lovers, this one is for you 🙂 Yes, Adobo usually has a ton of garlic... but more garlic is basically a golden rule in Filipino cuisine. So, why not toss in a bit extra?
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
For this Adobo Rice recipe, I'm using Chicken Adobo, but Pork Adobo would be delicious too!
If you want to be fancy, you can take another couple of minutes to wrap your fried rice with fluffy eggs to make a quick Adobo Fried Rice Omelet.
🔪 How to Make Adobo Rice
Step 1: Heat a large pan or wok on medium-high with a little oil. Add minced garlic & cook for a few seconds, or until soft & fragrant - watch carefully so it doesn't burn!
Step 2: Toss in the chopped leftover adobo with its onions, garlic, & sauce (bay leaves removed). Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until sauce & chicken are heated through.
Step 3: Add the cold white rice & combine well for another 2-3 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the sauce & everything is heated through.
Step 4: Turn off heat & garnish with green onions if you're feeling fancy. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- How to Prep Freshly Cooked Rice for Fried Rice: Don't stress if you've only got fresh rice! Even tough day-old cold rice is preferable for that flaky restaurant-style fried rice because it's drier, but you can still make it work with fresh rice. First, give your uncooked rice a good rinse until the water runs clear – this keeps it from turning mushy. Then, when cooking the rice, use a little less water than you typically would to make it a bit drier. Once it's done, spread it out on a baking sheet in an even layer to cool and dry up even more. Don't forget to break up any big clumps!
- Not Enough Adobo Sauce: If you combine the rice with the adobo & find that there isn't enough sauce, you can add a splash more light soy sauce to season it. Make sure to taste before adding any salt so it doesn't turn out too salty!
- High Heat for Fried Rice is Key: Like any fried rice, cooking at high heat makes sure that your fried rice gets toasted and creates smoky char, instead of turning soggy.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat it in the microwave until warm.
Rice is normally sticky, but if it's mushy, then it could be caused by not rinsing the rice enough or adding too much water.
Use cold day-old rice for flakey restaurant-style fried rice. Cold leftover rice is drier & rehydrates by absorbing all seasoning sauces.
It's also important to cook at high heat to toast the rice & create a char. If the fried rice is cooked at a lower heat, you risk creating steam that'll turn your fried rice soggy.
Yes! You can freeze this meal too for a quick & easy last-minute meal!
After cooking, let the Adobo Rice cool down completely, pop it into a freezer-safe container, and reheat stovetop when you're hungry. You could even divide it into single portions if you'd like!
🥗 More Easy Filipino Recipes You’ll Love!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Adobo Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 7 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups leftover adobo* protein chopped & bay leaves removed
- 3 cups cold cooked rice
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 green onions thinly sliced, optional for garnish
- 4 eggs optional for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pan or wok on medium-high heat, then add a little oil, then minced garlic. Saute for a few seconds, or until soft and fragrant.
- Add the chopped adobo & its sauce, saute for a couple of minutes, or until meat is heated through.
- Toss in the rice, combine with meat, then spread across the pan to toast for a few seconds, tossing occasionally. Once well combined and heated through. If there isn’t enough sauce, you can add a splash of light soy sauce along edges of the pan to create a char. Make sure to taste the fried rice before adding more salt so it won’t be too salty. Season with fresh cracked pepper if needed.
- Turn off heat, & garnish with green onions.
- Optional: Fry eggs until desired doneness (I love my eggs sunny side up!). Serve with adobo fried rice & enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover Adobo: You can use my super easy Chicken Adobo Recipe.
- Easy 1:2 ratio - 1 part adobo meat & its sauce + 2 part cooked rice
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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