Prep:

1. Soak and blanch the mushrooms: Soak the dried cloud ear (or wood ear) mushrooms in a bowl filled with warm water for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Once tender and rehydrated, drain into a fine mesh strainer and rinse well. Slice into thin strips. Bring a pot of water to a boil add the sliced mushrooms. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then drain and run cold water over the mushrooms to halt the cooking process. Set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. Then slice the strips into thin slivers. Add to a medium bowl, followed by the low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, kosher salt, sesame oil and potato starch. Mix well to combine, then set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.
3. Make the sauce: Mix together the low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, Chinkiang vinegar, dark soy sauce, white sugar, sesame oil, and pure chili oil in a measuring cup (or small bowl) until combined well.
4. Prepare the fresh & dry ingredients: Chop the garlic, ginger, spring onion (separate the white and light green parts from the dark green parts), yellow onion, and fresh red chilies as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Rinse and drain the mung bean sprouts. Remove the stems of the Chinese dried chilies (if using) and snip into ½-inch pieces. (Pro-tip: You can remove and discard the seeds of the fresh and dried chilies to make this fried rice milder.)

For the Chili Garlic Chicken Fried Rice:

1. Cook the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large wok over high heat. Once hot, add the marinated chicken slivers and stir-fry for 1 minute until 80% cooked. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and place over a clean bowl.
2. Stir-fry the aromatics: Add a little more oil to the wok if needed (there should be 3 tablespoons in the wok) and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the pickled chilies sauce and sauté for 20 seconds. Add the yellow onion, spring onion white and light green parts, ginger and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds or until slightly softened. Add the garlic, fresh red chilies, and dried red chilies and stir-fry to combine until fragrant – about 20-30 seconds.
3. Cook the veggies: Add the sliced cloud ear mushrooms and mung bean sprouts. Toss briefly to combine until the bean sprouts have slightly wilted.
4. Add the chicken: Add the partially cooked chicken and the juices in the bowl back into the wok and briefly stir-fry to combine.
5. Add the rice and sauce: Add the cooked rice and pour the sauce on top. Stir-fry using a scooping motion until everything is combined and coated well in the sauce – about 1 minute.
6. Toss through spring onion greens: Add the the spring onion dark green parts and sprinkle with ground white pepper. Toss briefly to combine, then switch off the heat.
7. To Serve: Transfer to a serving plate or divide evenly into bowls. Garnish with more chopped spring onion dark green parts and serve immediately.