Shrimp and Chorizo Fried Rice

Fried Rice Lovers

A little spicy, savory, packed with vegetables and crunchy shrimp this stove top dinner idea is sure to please.  We cook fried rice several times a week because it is a fabulous ways to clean out the refrigerator.

All those little bits and bobs of vegetables and proteins that are not enough for one person but when added into delicious Spanish fried rice, Hong Kong Fried Rice or Kimchi Fried rice fried rice it makes a full meal. You are going to have the cleanest refrigerator in town!

Day Old Rice

Day old rice is cold and stays nice with distinct chewy grains.   If you start with sticky, warm, just-cooked rice, your fried rice will turn out soggy or even mushy. No one likes mushy fried rice!

It is best to cook your rice at least one day in advance. Let the rice cool and dry out a bit so it has a good texture. We used simple brown rice for our shrimp and chorizo fried rice but this would also be good with jasmine, short grained rice or basmati. When we make rice we always double the recipe so we have leftover rice for Hawaiian fried rice or vegan curried rice.

Chorizo : The Flavor Booster

This Spanish fried rice is made with fresh gluten free crumbled fresh chorizo sausage. If you are looking for a gluten-free brand we found the Johnsonville Ground Chorizo at Krogers and this worked well for us – no issues.

This easy Spanish recipe would also be delicious with cured dried chorizo like we used in our baked chorizo panko crusted cod. The reason why we like to use fresh chorizo sausage as when the chorizo cooks down it leaves this super aromatic spicy oil that is dynamo in the fried rice and in our homemade stuffed chorizo mushrooms. We do drain some of that oil but leave a couple of tablespoons to toss through the rice dish.

How to Cook your Vegetables

As a general rule, the firmer vegetables need a longer time to cook then the less firm vegetables.

What kind of veggies are in your crisper or freezer? Whatever you have will be delicious in here. We just happened to have peppers and onions.

If you want to use a firmer vegetable like carrots, no problem.  However, you will have to cook and steam these in your wok separately for a couple of minutes with a couple of tablespoons of water. Use a lid to steam just until fork tender before adding the other veggies.

Softer vegetables like peppers and onions only need a couple of minutes over high heat and a hot wok to cook. You want your vegetables to be a little al dente and have a little crisp to them. This makes for a more interesting fried rice with the different textures.

Spanish Feast

Our shrimp and chorizo fried rice pairs well with our Beef Empanadas and Spicy 5 Minute Chimichurri Sauce for a starter. Try our Best Orange Almond Flourless Cake for dessert. If you are thinking about hosting a Spanish themed party, be sure to check out our Spanish cuisine for more recipe inspiration.

Wok vs Frying Pan

There is no need to run and buy a special pan or wok to make fried rice. We prefer a wok as it allows you to cook over high heat and more concentrated heat in the center and less concentrated heat on the side. If you don’t overcrowd or over stuff your large skillet or pan you can also use a large skillet.

Keep Your Wok or Pan Moving!

The goal is to infuse the delicious paprika and flavors of the chorizo by coating every grain of rice. This is achieved by keeping the ingredients moving in the wok or pan.

Many moons ago, we took a Cantonese cooking course from a hotel restaurant in Hong Kong. The concept of keeping your wok moving, the ingredients moving and not overfilling the pan was literally beaten into us.

If you did not move fast enough, she would literally whack you with her cooking chopsticks on top of your head. Still to this day, I can feel the sting of the wooden chopsticks across the back of my head whenever I am making a batch of fried rice. You never know she could still be following us around lurking in our kitchen so I always keep the wok moving, the ingredients moving and never ever overfill the wok. (Smiling)

Don't Overcrowd your Wok or Pan!

If you need to cook for a large group, then cook in a couple of separate batches. It only takes 5 minutes to cook anyways, so that is not a big deal.

The goal of a good stir fry is to cook over high heat and allow the ingredients to sear in the pan. If you over crowd your pan, you are not searing the items but instead steaming them. This can result in mushy rice. You want little chewy little distinct grains of fried rice and al dente veggies.

More Delicious Rice Recipes

Curried Harvest Black Forbidden Rice

Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

Vegan Curried Rice

Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice

Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle