Fried Rice:

• Half an onion, diced
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 baby carrots, julienned
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups of rice
• 1/4 cup of peas
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 eggs

Chicken:

• 6 thighs, trimmed and cubed
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 cups of corn starch
• Boudreaux's Backyard Lil' Bit Better Creole Seasoning (to taste)
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Pepper Jelly:

• I used my homemade Satsuma Sriracha Jelly from a previous post, but you can achieve similar results with the following:
• 1 small jar of orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon of sriracha (or more for extra spice)

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to package instructions.

2. In a skillet, sauté the diced onions, peppers, and julienned carrots until they become soft and fragrant. Add the peas, minced garlic, and chili flakes, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

3. Increase the heat and add the cooked rice to the skillet, stirring and flipping every 30-45 seconds until the edges of the rice start to get delightfully crispy. Once the rice grains have a slight brown color, add the soy sauce and hoisin sauce, cooking until the liquid is fully absorbed. Create a space in the pan, crack in the eggs, and scramble them. Incorporate the scrambled eggs into the rice, and set aside.

4. In a heavy pot, heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil to 325°F (163°C). While the oil is heating, take the marinated chicken out of the egg mixture and coat each piece with the flour and cornstarch mixture. Shake off any excess coating and place the chicken on a separate plate. Fry the chicken in small batches until it turns slightly golden and floats in the oil. Once all the chicken is fried, increase the heat slightly and bring the oil temperature to 375-400°F (190-204°C). Refry the chicken for an additional 30-40 seconds until it reaches the pinnacle of crunchiness.

5. For the sauce, if you don't have the Satsuma Pepper Jelly, simply combine the orange marmalade with 1 tablespoon of sriracha in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until it thickens into a luscious syrup-like consistency. Toss the cooked chicken in the sauce until each piece is fully coated.

6. In a dry pan, toast the sesame seeds until they become wonderfully aromatic.

7. Plate your masterpiece by starting with a bed of the crispy fried rice. Arrange the sauced chicken on top, and generously sprinkle sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions for the final touch of flavor and presentation.