This chicken fried rice is tender seasoned chicken breast pieces stir fried with scrambled eggs, vegetables and white rice. A quick and easy main course or side dish that’s even better than what you’d get from your favorite Chinese restaurant!
At least once a week I make my family’s take out favorites including beef lettuce wraps, cream cheese wontons, Chinese lemon chicken and this hearty and delicious chicken fried rice dish.
Fried rice is a take out classic, but it’s actually super simple to make at home. My version of this dish is full of tender chicken and colorful veggies, and it’s always a hit with both kids and adults alike. Serve it alongside Buddha’s delight for a memorable meal.
Table of Contents
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
To make this dish, you will need vegetable oil, chicken, carrots, peas, onion, garlic, rice, soy sauce, eggs, salt, black pepper, green onions and sesame oil.
How Do You Make Chicken Fried Rice?
First, cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces, then brown them in a skillet. Remove the chicken from the pan, then cook the veggies and scramble the eggs. The next step is to add everything back to the skillet along with cooked white rice, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. Cook until everything is coated in sauce, add a sprinkling of sliced green onions, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Chicken Fried Rice
- I recommend using long grain white rice for this dish. You can use a regular white rice or a fragrant variety such as jasmine rice. Cooked brown rice will also work!
- I typically make this dish with chicken breast, but diced chicken thighs will also work. You can also use pre-cooked chicken such as rotisserie chicken or chicken leftovers.
- Frozen peas work perfectly in this fried rice, no need to seek out fresh peas at the grocery store. I don’t recommend using canned peas as they don’t have as nice of a texture as the frozen variety.
- This dish is a great choice if you’re looking to meal prep. You can keep your fried rice in meal prep containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just reheat in the microwave when it’s time to eat!
Quick Tip
Fried rice works best with cold rice, so this is the perfect way to re-purpose leftover rice. With cold rice, the grains are all separated and firm, and you’ll get a better texture than you would with fresh cooked rice. Fried rice made with just-cooked rice will be softer and won’t have those crispy little bits.
Recipe FAQs
Fried rice contains some oil, but other than that, the basic ingredients of chicken breast, vegetables, eggs and rice are wholesome and full of nutrients and protein. If you’re looking for ways to make your fried rice healthier, you can use half the amount of vegetable oil, substitute cooked brown rice for white rice, and add an assortment of extra vegetables to the mix.
The most important thing to remember for fried rice is to use leftover long grain cold rice. If you use freshly made rice or short grain rice, it can stick together and won’t have that same crispy texture. It’s also important to use a very hot pan or wok so that all the ingredients can sear and get golden brown.
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Chicken Fried Rice Variations
There are so many different ingredients you can add to your fried rice to customize it to your family’s tastes.
- Protein: You can add other types of protein to make shrimp fried rice, spam fried rice, pork fried rice or beef fried rice. Or skip the meat and do a veggie fried rice. Looking to reduce your carb intake? Cauliflower fried rice is also a great choice. Or for a unique and unusual twist, try pineapple fried rice.
- Vegetables: I like to add other vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, red bell pepper, mushrooms, asparagus or green beans.
- Seasonings: You can add other seasonings for extra flavor such as toasted sesame seeds, hot sauce, or freshly grated ginger.
Chicken fried rice is perfect for those busy nights when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.
More Asian Dishes You’ll Enjoy
Sweet and Sour Chicken
50 mins
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
30 mins
Pepper Steak Stir Fry
30 mins
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
3 hrs 20 mins
Homemade Egg Rolls
30 mins
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Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil divided use
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked white rice long grain works best
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium is fine
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the chicken in a single layer in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. You may need to work in batches.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan, along with the onion and carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until veggies are softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan, then cover with foil to keep warm.
- Pour the remaining teaspoon of oil into the pan; add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
- Add the rice, chicken, reserved cooked veggies and peas to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and warmed through, 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle green onions over the top of the rice mixture, then serve.
Notes
- I recommend using long grain white rice for this dish, you can use a regular white rice or a fragrant variety such as jasmine rice.
- I typically make this dish with chicken breast, but diced chicken thighs will also work. You can also use pre-cooked chicken such as rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
- Fried rice works best with cold rice, so this is the perfect way to re-purpose leftover rice. With cold rice, the grains are all separated and firm, and you’ll get a better texture than you would with fresh cooked rice. Fried rice made with just-cooked rice will be softer and won’t have those crispy little bits.
Yummm. One of our favorite family dinners!
Definitely a hit with the family! So easy, and delicious! We’ll be making this again!
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to share this meal with my family!
What a fabulous looking chicken fried rice. Better than take out and great for a weeknight meal.
Your recipes are great and innovative. I’ll love to learn from you.
My picky 16 year old son ate seconds of this yummy, easy dish.
Very yummy. I used canned chicken (I know, a cheat) and cauliflower rice because that’s what I had. Super yummy and quick! Will make again. The sesame oil adds a depth of flavor. So yummy
Loved this recipe, I see it becoming a family favorite