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Chicken Fried Rice
Easy chicken fried rice is packed with flavor. Better than takeout, this chicken fried rice recipe doubles as both a main course and a side dish.
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Easy chicken fried rice, which tastes better than takeout, is loaded with colorful vegetables and tender chicken. This homemade version is made with simple ingredients and only requires minimal meal prep. Packed with flavor, this chicken fried rice will be a hit with the whole family.
MORE RECIPES: Crockpot Crack Chicken and Rice | Shrimp Fried Rice | Dirty Rice
One of the best weeknight dinners around, chicken fried rice is a great choice to whip up on busy nights. This hearty meal is packed with protein, and features crisp veggies, to create a flavorful and filling dish.
Simple chicken fried rice doubles as both a main course and a side dish. Serve this yummy recipe alongside honey garlic chicken or crockpot orange chicken.
You’ll never want takeout again once you see how easy it is to make tasty chicken fried rice at home. The whole family will love this Chinese-inspired chicken fried rice that’s quick to make and irresistibly delicious.
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
- Rice - cooked jasmine rice chilled
- Oil - vegetable oil
- Chicken - chicken breast
- Onion - white onion
- Garlic - minced garlic
- Peas and carrots - frozen peas & carrots
- Eggs - large eggs
- Oil - sesame oil
- Soy sauce
One of the secrets of delicious fried rice is a nice hot wok and plenty of oil so that your veggies don’t burn to the bottom. You can use either fresh or frozen vegetables in this easy dish and you can also mix up the veggies to include whichever ones you love. Broccoli, sweet corn, bell peppers (any color), water chestnuts, yellow onions, or sprouts would all be tasty in this fried rice recipe.
This recipe calls for jasmine rice, but you could also use brown rice, white rice, or whatever you have on hand. This is a handy recipe if you happen to have leftover rice from another meal as well. You could also use cauliflower rice as a substitute.
If you like a little bit of a kick in your Asian cuisine, you can sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top of your fried rice to add a bit of spiciness! A sprinkle of green onions on top before serving adds even more color to this dish. You can also add a small spoonful of sesame seeds to your dish.
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
FIRST STEP: If not already done, cook 1½ dry cups of jasmine rice (which will be about 3 cups cooked) and set in the fridge to chill.
SECOND STEP: In a 12-inch frying pan, cook chicken on medium-high heat with vegetable oil until fully cooked (internal temperature 165F). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
THIRD STEP: In the same frying pan, cook onion and garlic over medium-high heat until the onion has softened (about 2 to 3 minutes).
FOURTH STEP: Add in frozen peas and carrots and cook just until slightly thawed (1 to 2 minutes).
FIFTH STEP: Add in rice and stir well to mix. Heat and stir for about 3 to 4 minutes, then use a spatula to make a hole in the middle of the pan to scramble the two eggs in. Once eggs are cooked, use a spatula to stir them together with the rest of the frying pan contents.
SIXTH STEP: Stir in cooked chicken breast, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Stir well just until all the ingredients are coated.
Can I use a rice cooker to make the rice?
Yes! You can make the rice whichever way you usually cook rice before adding it to this dish.
Can I make fried rice vegetarian?
You can get very creative with your fried rice! For a vegetarian-friendly option, you can leave the chicken out altogether and substitute it for tofu or pineapple.
Can I use this recipe to make shrimp fried rice?
You can substitute the chicken in this easy recipe for other kinds of protein such as shrimp, beef, or pork. For the eggs, you could use fresh eggs or liquid eggs.
Can I use other Asian sauces that I have on hand?
You can use whichever sauces you like to use in your cooking. Try hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, or extra soy sauce. Keep in mind that different sauces will alter the flavor of the fried rice. If you are watching your salt intake, you can use low sodium soy sauce in this recipe.
How to Store Chicken Fried Rice
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover chicken fried rice in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Cool fried rice and place in an airtight container or freezer bags and use within 3 months. Freeze fried rice in portions to make it easy to defrost and use. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then pop in the skillet to heat up.
Chicken Fried Rice
Easy chicken fried rice is packed with flavor. Better than takeout, this chicken fried rice recipe doubles as both a main course and a side dish.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice chilled will clump too much if still warm when adding to frying pan
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite-sized cubes
- ½ cup white onion fine diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 cup frozen peas & carrots
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
Instructions
- If not already done, cook 1½ dry cups of jasmine rice (which will be about 3 cups cooked) and set in the fridge to chill.
- In a 12-inch frying pan, cook chicken on medium-high heat with vegetable oil until fully cooked (internal temperature 165F). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- In the same frying pan, cook onion and garlic over medium-high heat until the onion has softened (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Add in frozen peas and carrots and cook just until slightly thawed (1 to 2 minutes).
- Add in rice and stir well to mix. Heat and stir for about 3 to 4 minutes, then use a spatula to make a hole in the middle of the pan to scramble the two eggs in. Once eggs are cooked, use a spatula to stir them together with the rest of the frying pan contents.
- Stir in cooked chicken breast, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Stir well just until all the ingredients are coated.
Nutrition
Serving: 4g | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 1001mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 3477IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
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