Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

Home Chicken Breast Recipes Chicken Fried Rice

Becky Hardin

4.65 from 324 votes

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This authentic easy Chicken Fried Rice recipe is better than takeout and it’s quick and easy to make!Loaded with fresh veggies, this homemade version is healthier, while still being filled with flavor. It’s also great for meal prep, and the leftovers taste delicious!

Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (1)

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

  • Healthy. This homemade version still has all of the flavors you would expect from a restaurant-style dish, but it is a lot healthier thanks to a few simple swaps.
  • Flavorful. Sesame oil, soy sauce, and mirin infuse this rice with so much flavor.
  • Easy. This recipe takes just 30 minutes to cook and only 10 minutes of prep.

How to Make Chicken Fried Rice

Here is a quick summary of how to make chicken fried rice. You can find details, tips, and ingredients in the recipe card below.

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions and let cool completely. Then, break up with your hands into individual grains.
  2. Stir-fry the rice for a few minutes to soften it back up, then remove and set aside.
  3. Cook the chicken fully, then remove to a cutting board and cut into chunks.
  4. Cook the onion, carrot, scallions, and garlic, then add the rice and peas to the pan and stir to combine.
  5. Add the cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, and mirin to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Push the rice to the sides of the pan, then add the egg and beat with salt and pepper. Scramble until cooked to your liking.
  7. Stir the egg back into the rice and cook until everything is well-mixed.
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Variations on Fried Rice with Chicken

This fried rice is filled with peas, carrots, onion, and scallions, but it’s such a versatile recipe!

You can easily add in different vegetables depending on what you already have on hand. Sweetcorn, broccoli, or red peppers would all be wonderful additions. You could even add in a few handfuls of spinach at the end to add some greens. Frozen vegetables work really well here, but you can also use fresh.

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. You may want to add a splash of water to rehydrate the rice.

How to Freeze

Freeze chicken fried rice in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Looking for the perfect pairing for this recipe? This makes a great side dish or main if you’re really craving it. We have some ideas to help you recreate a takeout meal at home!

Try Homemade Cashew Chicken, Chicken Egg Rolls, Honey Sesame Chicken, or Crab Rangoon.

Top Reader Review

  • “This was very easy and flavorful… I will definetly make it again… Thank You For Sharing It!!!” – Kathy Cifrodella

Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (4)

4.65 from 324 votes

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

This easy homemade chicken fried recipe is just like takeout, but healthier! Fry up rice with chicken, peas, carrots, and lots of flavorful ingredients, mixed with egg to give it that perfect texture.

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked white rice Jasmine or Basmati
  • 10 teaspoons canola oil or vegetable oil; divided (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 carrot peeled and diced
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced diagonally
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup frozen baby peas
  • 3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten

Instructions

  • Cook the rice according to package directions. After cooking, pour it on a plate and set aside to cool completely. Once the rice has cooled completely, break it up with your hands into individual grains.

    2 cups cooked white rice

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok), over high heat, until smoking. Add the rice; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes, or until the rice just begins to turn a little darker. Transfer the rice to a small bowl and set aside.

    10 teaspoons canola oil

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (5)

  • Turn the heat to medium, heat 1 tablespoon of oil, and place the chicken breast in the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cut it into very thin slices, and then cut the slices into thirds.

    1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (6)

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet and add the diced onion, carrot, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes, or until the carrots are just lightly tender and the onions are translucent.

    1 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 3 scallions, 2 cloves garlic

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (7)

  • Add the rice and peas and stir to combine.

    1 cup frozen baby peas

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (8)

  • Add the cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, and mirin, stir and cook another 2 minutes.

    3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon mirin

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (9)

  • Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Push the chicken rice mixture to the sides of the skillet and add 1 teaspoon oil to the middle of the skillet.

  • Add the lightly beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs and stir to combine with the chicken/rice mixture.

    2 large eggs

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  • Cook, stirring continuously, 3-4 minutes, to give time for the flavors to meld.

Notes

  • Don’t overcook the final dish, or you’ll end up with tough rice and soggy veggies.
  • Use free-range / organic eggs and chicken.
  • Be sure to fully cook the chicken all the way through to 165°F.
  • Dice and cut up veggies ahead of time, so they’re ready to cook before dinner.

Storage:Store chicken fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 376Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 131mg44%

Sodium 869mg38%

Potassium 517mg15%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 3068IU61%

Vitamin C 21mg25%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine:Chinese

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at@easychickenrecipesfor a chance to be featured.

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Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (18)Susan Soucie says

    I really love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and each time it gets better. The last two times I’ve made it, I fried the rice in the pan before adding the other ingredients. Also I use shrimp instead of chicken. We both just love shrimp so much and it works great in this recipe.

    Reply

    • Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (19)Becky Hardin says

      Sounds amazing, Susan! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply

  2. Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (20)Sylvia says

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (21)
    I love this recipe every other recipe I find for fried rice doesn’t have the amount the only thing is there wasn’t enough Soy sauce and we had to keep adding

    Reply

    • Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (22)Becky Hardin says

      I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Sylvia!

      Reply

  3. Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (23)Jenifer Hyde says

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (24)
    A bit of a long process but we’ll worth the effort

    Reply

    • Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (25)Becky Hardin says

      I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Jenifer!

      Reply

  4. Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (26)Sylvia Danielsen says

    Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (27)
    I love this recipe I would only say it doesn’t call for enough soy sauce

    Reply

    • Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (28)Becky Hardin says

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Sylvia!

      Reply

  5. Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (29)Jan Desey says

    Way too much rice, I suggest just 1 cup.

    Reply

    • Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (30)Becky Hardin says

      Hi Jan, this recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked rice, which is just 2/3 of a cup of raw rice! Hope this helps!

      Reply

Older Comments

Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are some secrets for perfect fried rice? ›

The key to delicious fried rice lies in using cold, cooked rice (preferably from the previous day) to prevent it from becoming mushy. Additionally, make sure to stir-fry the ingredients quickly over high heat, use soy sauce for flavor, and add a variety of vegetables and proteins for a well-balanced dish.

What to add to bland chicken fried rice? ›

The most important sauces to add are soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in fried rice. All three add unique flavors to rice, but it can be easy to go overboard.

How do you make chicken and rice less bland? ›

Slice up baby carrots, peel then chop a couple large carrots, or go the easy route and use shredded carrots. Homemade seasoned salt. My four ingredient, homemade seasoned salt is responsible for adding a ton of flavor to this recipe. It's a simple yet effective combo of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

How do you cook rice before frying it? ›

Precook the rice at least 30 minutes, but preferably one day, before making fried rice and keep it uncovered in the fridge. Place the rice into a fine sieve and wash with water to remove excess starch. Drain the water and place the rice into a saucepan. Add the water.

What is the secret ingredient in Chinese fried rice? ›

Here's what goes in Fried Rice Sauce: Chinese cooking wine or Mirin (secret ingredient!) – this is the secret to a really great fried rice that truly stacks up to your favourite Chinese restaurant.

Which spice is good for fried rice? ›

The Perfect Nigerian Fried Rice
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 2 Tasty Cubes.
  • 1 teaspoon salt.
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper (substitute other ground pepper)
  • 2 teaspoon curry powder (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon thyme.

How do you make fried rice taste like restaurant? ›

To get restaurant-quality fried rice at home, it's essential to use aromatics, a group of vegetables and herbs that are so named because they lend your dish a distinct aroma. Common aromatics that are used to flavor fried rice are onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and red peppers.

Do Chinese restaurants use butter in fried rice? ›

That's one of the major differences between how Chinese and Japanese restaurants prepare fried rice. Whereas the former only uses oil, the latter cooks leftover grains with butter (plus soy sauce).

What can I add to chicken and rice to make it taste better? ›

Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water: This will add more flavor to the rice as it cooks. Add some diced onions, garlic, or shallots: These can be sautéed in a little oil before the rice is added, which will infuse the rice with more flavor. Add some diced vegetables: you can.

What to add to chicken and rice so it's not dry? ›

Add Chicken and Rice along with a splash of chicken broth or water to a skillet. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, stirring often. If the rice is still thick, stir in additional liquid one tablespoon at a time. You can also add additional butter and salt to taste as the salt will mellow when refrigerated.

What can I add to rice to make it tastier? ›

Toast Herbs and Spices Before or After Cooking

“To give your rice that extra flavor, try dicing herbs like oregano or cilantro into very small pieces and sprinkle them on top of the rice for about five minutes and cover with a lid,” says Cuban chef Luis Pous, partner and executive chef at Calle Dragones Miami.

Do you cook the rice first for fried rice? ›

Start by cooking your rice, then letting it rest and cool. One cup of dry/uncooked rice will serve four eaters. In a very hot skillet with 1 to 2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil, cook your protein, then remove it from the skillet. (If you're using leftover cooked protein, skip this step and add it later.)

Do you have to let rice cool before making fried rice? ›

Fresh-cooked: So long as you spread the rice out on a plate or tray while it's still hot and give it a few minutes to allow some surface moisture to evaporate, you can make excellent fried rice with fresh rice. Day-old rice: Day-old rice tends to clump, so you'll need to break it up by hand before stir-frying.

What makes fried rice taste better? ›

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

What is the secret of egg fried rice? ›

There are two secrets to egg fried rice. The first is to use cold, leftover rice taken from the fridge. It has a firm, dry texture that freshly-made rice doesn't. The second is to serve the dish ferociously hot – the rice needs to have felt the hot metal of the wok.

Should fried rice be cooked on low or high heat? ›

Use high heat. Heating the wok (or skillet) before cooking the rice is important. While there are very few home kitchens that can replicate the powerful flame that you can find at a Chinese restaurant, you can make perfectly delicious fried rice on a regular stove.

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