Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice (鹹魚雞粒炒飯)

This Cantonese classic is a restaurant favorite—here's how to recreate it at home like a pro.

flodesk gif
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice（鹹魚雞粒炒飯）is one of the most popular dishes at Cantonese restaurants. That's because its star ingredient—salted fish—is an essential part of the Cantonese diet.

On preserving ingredients

Salting and drying ingredients like fish to preserve it is a culinary practice that spans cultures and centuries. The process typically involves coating the fish in salt and letting it dry in the sun. This not only intensifies its flavor, but also extends its shelf life.

In Southern Chinese, salted fish became an essential food, especially for the less wealthy, who would eat a bit of fish with rice as a simple, yet filling meal. Since it's extremely salted, only a small amount is needed when adding it to dishes like this fried rice.

What to serve with Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice

Since this dish is full of umami saltiness from its star ingredient, we recommend pairing it with a lighter side dish, such as Choy Sum with Garlic, Stir Fried Bok Choy, or Broccoli Stir Fry.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Main Ingredients

  • 12 oz Thai jasmine rice (

    uncooked

    )
  • 10 oz water
  • 1 oz green onions
  • 0.50 oz ginger
  • 3 oz lettuce
  • 4 oz chicken breast
  • 2 oz salted fish
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 0.25 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoon fish sauce

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water

On salted fish

Salted fish is a quintessential Cantonese delicacy. For this fried rice, my dad is using his preferred Mui Heong salted fish (梅香香咸魚咸魚), which has a strong, fragrant flavor. That's because it's fermented before it's salted and dried. The resulting salted fish is softer, with a pungent aroma that truly stands out in this dish. The other popular style of salted fish is called Sut Yuk salted fish (實肉鹹魚), which is only salted and dried and has a firmer texture.

To ensure you're buying good-quality salted fish, shop from a trusted market. The fish is packaged so it's hard to thoroughly inspect, but my dad offers this tip: When shopping for Mui Heong salted fish, press the package to make sure it's not completely hard. On the flip side, if shopping for Sut Yuk salted fish, it shouldn't be too soft.

Step 1: Cook rice

Wash the rice (12 oz) 2 to 3 times with clean water, draining out the water each time.

Add the rice and water (10 oz) to the rice cooker pot. Place the pot in the cooker, then activate it.

When the rice is cooked, use chopsticks to fluff the grains and release the steam.

Step 2: Prep aromatics

Dice the green onions (1 oz), using both the green and white parts.

Wash the ginger (0.50 oz) (if needed), then cut into thin slices. Lay the down slices and cut them into strips.

Wash the lettuce (3 oz). Peel off leaves and stack them on top of each other, then cut into thin strips.

Step 3: Prep chicken

Cut the chicken (4 oz) into slices. Turn them 90 degrees, then cut into small 1/2- inch cubes. Place the chicken in a bowl.

Add the oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), white pepper (0.13 teaspoon), cornstarch (1 teaspoon), and water (1 tablespoon) to the bowl.Mix to thoroughly combine.

Step 4: Prep salted fish

Cut off head of the salted fish (2 oz) and save for use in other recipes, if preferred.

Use kitchen shears to trim off the dorsal fins on the back of the fish.

Rinse the fish in water, then pat dry with a paper towel.

It's time to debone the fish. Using a small knife, cut out the main spine and bones, separating into two halves if necessary. You can use the bones in other recipes.

(Chef's Tip: For safety, lay the fish down on the cutting board and use your knife to gently pry out any bones.)

Once all the bones have been removed, cut the fish into 1/4-inch thick strips. Rotate 90 degrees and dice into pea-sized pieces.

Step 5: Stir fry proteins

Crack the eggs (2 large) into bowl.

Heat a wok on high, then add the oil (0.32 tablespoon).

Beat the eggs and add to wok, stir frying for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil (0.32 tablespoon) to the hot wok.

Add the chicken. Lower the heat and stir fry until 90 percent cooked for about 1 minute, then remove and set aside.

Step 6: Finish stir frying

Add more oil (1 tablespoon) to hot wok and use the wok spatula to spread it around the edges.

Add the ginger and salted fish, stir frying until aromatic, about 1 minute.

(Chef's Tip: You don't need to use all of the salted fish. Adjust the amount to match how much rice you have)

Add the rice and stir fry 1.5 to 2 minutes. Use the edge of the wok spatula to break up any clumps.

Add the cooked eggs and stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

Add the chicken, increase the heat, and stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

Add the green onions and white pepper (0.25 teaspoon), then stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

With heat off or on low, taste test for saltiness to see how much, if any, fish sauce and other seasonings to add.

Add the fish sauce (2 teaspoon), turn off the heat, then add the lettuce.

Turn the heat back on to high, stir fry for 1 more minute, adding the remaining oil (0.32 tablespoon) for shine.

For a pretty presentation, scoop the fried rice into a bowl and pack it in tightly. Place a plate on top of the bowl, press firmly, and flip.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/salted-fish-chicken-fried-rice
Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice (鹹魚雞粒炒飯)
This Cantonese classic is a restaurant favorite—here's how to recreate it at home like a pro.
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 12 oz Thai jasmine rice (

    uncooked

    )
  • 10 oz water
  • 1 oz green onions
  • 0.50 oz ginger
  • 3 oz lettuce
  • 4 oz chicken breast
  • 2 oz salted fish
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 0.25 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoon fish sauce

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water

Step 1 - Cook rice

↑ Jump to details

Wash the rice (12 oz) 2 to 3 times with clean water, draining out the water each time.

Add the rice and water (10 oz) to the rice cooker pot. Place the pot in the cooker, then activate it.

When the rice is cooked, use chopsticks to fluff the grains and release the steam.

Step 2 - Prep aromatics

↑ Jump to details

Dice the green onions (1 oz), using both the green and white parts.

Wash the ginger (0.50 oz) (if needed), then cut into thin slices. Lay the down slices and cut them into strips.

Wash the lettuce (3 oz). Peel off leaves and stack them on top of each other, then cut into thin strips.

Step 3 - Prep chicken

↑ Jump to details

Cut the chicken (4 oz) into slices. Turn them 90 degrees, then cut into small 1/2- inch cubes. Place the chicken in a bowl.

Add the oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), white pepper (0.13 teaspoon), cornstarch (1 teaspoon), and water (1 tablespoon) to the bowl.Mix to thoroughly combine.

Step 4 - Prep salted fish

↑ Jump to details

Cut off head of the salted fish (2 oz) and save for use in other recipes, if preferred.

Use kitchen shears to trim off the dorsal fins on the back of the fish.

Rinse the fish in water, then pat dry with a paper towel.

It's time to debone the fish. Using a small knife, cut out the main spine and bones, separating into two halves if necessary. You can use the bones in other recipes.

(Chef's Tip: For safety, lay the fish down on the cutting board and use your knife to gently pry out any bones.)

Once all the bones have been removed, cut the fish into 1/4-inch thick strips. Rotate 90 degrees and dice into pea-sized pieces.

Step 5 - Stir fry proteins

↑ Jump to details

Crack the eggs (2 large) into bowl.

Heat a wok on high, then add the oil (0.32 tablespoon).

Beat the eggs and add to wok, stir frying for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil (0.32 tablespoon) to the hot wok.

Add the chicken. Lower the heat and stir fry until 90 percent cooked for about 1 minute, then remove and set aside.

Step 6 - Finish stir frying

↑ Jump to details

Add more oil (1 tablespoon) to hot wok and use the wok spatula to spread it around the edges.

Add the ginger and salted fish, stir frying until aromatic, about 1 minute.

(Chef's Tip: You don't need to use all of the salted fish. Adjust the amount to match how much rice you have)

Add the rice and stir fry 1.5 to 2 minutes. Use the edge of the wok spatula to break up any clumps.

Add the cooked eggs and stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

Add the chicken, increase the heat, and stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

Add the green onions and white pepper (0.25 teaspoon), then stir fry for 40 to 50 seconds.

With heat off or on low, taste test for saltiness to see how much, if any, fish sauce and other seasonings to add.

Add the fish sauce (2 teaspoon), turn off the heat, then add the lettuce.

Turn the heat back on to high, stir fry for 1 more minute, adding the remaining oil (0.32 tablespoon) for shine.

For a pretty presentation, scoop the fried rice into a bowl and pack it in tightly. Place a plate on top of the bowl, press firmly, and flip.

Step 7 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 8 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.