Chicken fried rice with the Sunday fat

Uses 1½ cups of Sunday's chicken, its fat from the jar, and Tuesday's rice

The fat that set on top of the pan juices is pure roast-chicken flavor. Fry the rice in it and it beats takeout. Fifteen minutes.

20 min · serves 4

You need

• 4 cups cold cooked rice (from Tuesday)
• 1½ cups shredded chicken (from Sunday, thawed)
• 3 tbsp chicken fat from the jar (or neutral oil)
• 3 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 4 scallions, white and green parts sliced separately
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper (or black)

How to make it

1. Break up the cold rice with your hands so there are no clumps. Have everything chopped and next to the stove; this goes fast.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the fat in your largest skillet or wok over high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the eggs and scramble 30 to 45 seconds, until just set. Slide them onto a plate.
3. Add the remaining 2 tbsp fat. Add the scallion whites and garlic and stir 30 seconds.
4. Add the rice, spread it out, and leave it alone 1 minute so it toasts. Then stir and toss 3 to 4 minutes, until every grain is hot and some are crisp.
5. Add the chicken and the peas and carrots and toss 2 minutes, until hot through.
6. Drizzle the soy sauce around the edge of the pan (it sizzles and toasts), add the eggs back, breaking them up, and toss. Season with the sesame oil and white pepper. Taste and add soy if it needs it. Scatter the scallion greens over the top.

Crowding steams the rice. If your pan is small, fry it in two batches.