story by DAVID KIM
“No one’s gonna starve me or tell me what I can and can’t eat.”
That was just one of American figure skater Alysa Liu’s stipulations when she stepped out of retirement at the age of 18 and back into elite competition. In a sport where discipline often translates into restriction, Liu drew a clear line: peak performance would not come at the cost of joy, comfort, or the foods she loves.
So what food fuels Alysa Liu, an Olympic gold medalist at the top of her game? Fried rice, as it turns out.
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, NBC teamed up with America’s Test Kitchen to offer a closer look at how Team USA athletes actually eat, spotlighting their favorite meals and everyday cravings (which include far fewer protein shakes than you might expect).
Check out how make Alysa Liu’s fried rice recipe below.
Alysa Liu’s Spicy Chicken Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon table salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into thirds
- 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 serrano chiles, sliced thin
- 4 cups cooked long-grain rice, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Directions
- Beat 3 eggs and pinch table salt in bowl until well combined. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until oil is just smoking. Add eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until very little liquid egg remains, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to large plate.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, about 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to plate with eggs.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 6 ounces sugar snap peas, cut crosswise into thirds and cook, stirring frequently, until bright green and crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with eggs and chicken.
- Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1-2 thinly sliced serranos, and remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to now-empty wok. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, room temperature and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Cook, stirring frequently and pressing on rice with spatula to break up clumps, until grains are separate and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce and stir to combine. Add egg mixture and thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and cook, stirring frequently and using edge of spatula to break eggs into small pieces, until everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar. Serve, passing extra chili-garlic sauce separately.
You can find more recipes like this in the official 2026 Winter Olympics cookbook.
A Taste of the Winter Games (from $24)
Leave a Reply