By Apartment hunting in Chicago, online and in person. I need to be within commuting distance of the school on the southwest side, which means Pilsen or Brighton Park or somewhere along the Orange Line. I have a spreadsheet. I have looked at eleven apartments virtually and three in person. The budget is nine hundred dollars a month maximum, which is tight in Chicago 2018 but possible if you are flexible about "updated" and "natural light."
One apartment in Pilsen: 650 square feet, second floor of a two-flat, hardwood floors, a kitchen with actual counter space. Nine hundred a month. The landlord was a Mexican grandmother named Mrs. Orozco who showed me the apartment herself and pointed out the new faucet and the closet she had had painted and the good water pressure. I stood in the kitchen and thought: I could cook in this kitchen. She asked what I did and I said I was a teacher. She said "SpEd?" I said yes. She said her son had a teacher who changed his life. She said "The apartment is yours if you want it."
I want it. I applied that afternoon. Mrs. Orozco called Patty — she asked for a reference, Patty was the reference — and Patty apparently spent twenty minutes telling her about me, which Patty denied when I asked. She said "I just answered her questions." Mrs. Orozco called me back the next day and said the apartment was mine from June 1st. I said thank you eight times. She said "You're welcome once."
Made chicken fried rice this week — a real batch, using leftover rice from Sunday and the small amount of leftover chicken from Monday. Eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, frozen peas, green onions, garlic. The cast iron again, very hot, fast-cooked. Under two dollars. The apartment is nine hundred dollars. The chicken fried rice is under two dollars. I am going to be fine. I am absolutely going to be fine.
Standing in that Pilsen kitchen, looking at the actual counter space and the new faucet, I already knew what I was going to make first. This chicken fried rice — the version I’ve made a hundred times with leftover rice, whatever protein survived the week, and a hot cast iron pan — is the meal I come back to whenever I need to feel like I have everything figured out. It’s under two dollars a serving, it takes less time than the commute to my new school, and it tastes like someone who knows what they’re doing made it on purpose.
Chicken Fried Rice with Broccoli and Brown Rice
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 22 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked brown rice, cold (day-old works best)
- 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut small
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 green onions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or canola), divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the pan. Place a cast iron skillet or wok over high heat for 2 minutes until very hot. A hot pan is the single most important step here — don’t rush it.
- Cook the broccoli. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil and the broccoli florets. Stir-fry without moving too much for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are lightly charred and the broccoli is just tender. Push to the side or remove to a plate.
- Scramble the eggs. Add a small drizzle of oil to the center of the pan. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble quickly, breaking into large pieces, about 60 seconds. Remove to the plate with the broccoli before they’re fully set — they’ll finish cooking when added back.
- Fry the rice. Add the remaining oil, then the garlic and white parts of the green onion. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cold rice, pressing it flat against the pan. Let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to get some color on the bottom, then toss and repeat once.
- Combine everything. Add the chicken, frozen peas, broccoli, and scrambled eggs back to the pan. Pour soy sauce and sesame oil over the top. Toss everything together over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and well coated.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust soy sauce or pepper. Top with the green parts of the sliced onion and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 620mg