Chicken fried rice is a simple meal to make at home that is always a hit with the whole family. This easy recipe is better than takeout!
This chicken fried rice recipe is going to become part of the regular dinner rotation! Also try our other Asian inspired favorites like teriyaki chicken kabobs and classic fried rice!
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice
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Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
- Rice – The best rice for this recipe is rice is leftover white rice that has been stored in the refrigerator at least overnight.
- Butter and/or oil – Any vegetable oil will work, but butter gives the best flavor. You can alternatively use half oil and half butter.
- Soy sauce – Soy sauce is what gives this rice it’s authentic fried rice flavor!
- Garlic – You can use squeeze garlic or garlic from a jar if you don’t have fresh garlic. In a pinch, a little bit of garlic powder will work as well.
- Ginger – If you don’t have fresh ginger, most grocery stores have a squeeze tube in the produce section.
- Eggs – Make sure they’re cooked through before folding the eggs into the rice to avoid making the rice too mushy.
- Veggies – I’m a total cheater when it comes to the vegetables, a bag of frozen peas and carrots works great. Canned will do in a pinch too.
- Sesame oil – This isn’t a make or break moment, but adding a drizzle of sesame oil at the end adds so much authenticity of flavor.
- Green onion – Green onion or scallions added at the end gives a nice bright finishing note.
- Chicken – Raw or cooked. This is a great way to use leftover chicken from crispy chicken thighs or spatchcock chicken.
How do you make chicken fried rice? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, if using raw chicken, cut into bite sized pieces and brown in a skillet. Remove cooked chicken and set aside.
⭐Next, melt butter in the skillet and once the butter is melted add garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.
⭐Then, add rice. When rice is heated through, stir in soy sauce, peas, and carrots.
⭐Finally, push rice to one side of the pan, and in the empty side, scramble the eggs. When they are cooked through, stir into the rice and add chicken back in. Garnish as desired.
Preparation
What can you add to chicken fried rice?
Go tropical with some fresh or canned pineapple for a Hawaiian fried rice, make it spicy with a swirl of sriracha sauce at the end, or clean out your vegetable drawer by adding squash, corn, celery, or other veggies you love.
Can you make chicken fried rice ahead of time?
You can (and should!) prepare the rice ahead of time, but we typically make this meal right before serving it for best results.
Storage & Leftovers
How long does fried rice with chicken last?
This will keep in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3 – 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top over medium heat.
Can you freeze chicken fried rice?
Yes! Freeze in air-tight freezer safe containers, then toss in a skillet with a little bit of vegetable oil or butter to reheat after thawing.
Tips & tricks
✅ Make sure your rice is fully chilled. I like to make mine at least a full day before. This will keep your fried rice from becoming wet, mushy, and too starchy. You know how leftover Chinese food rice is the day after it’s been sitting in the fridge? A little but dry and almost crunchy in some bits? That is the perfect rice for making fried rice!
✅ Cook the eggs separately. You don’t have to remove the rice from the pan while you cook the eggs, just scooch it all over to one side. But make sure the egg is cooked through before you stir it all together, otherwise you’ll just end up with a sticky eggy mess.
✅ Don’t fry with sesame oil, finish with sesame oil. The best fat to cook the rice in is butter, but you still want that Asian sesame oil flavor, so drizzle a little bit on at the end.
✅ Definitely add the aromatics. Garlic, ginger, and then ending with green onions. These are the little things that will make your fried rice stand apart from others.
Frequently asked questions
Is chicken fried rice healthy?
This will depend on the diet you observe. Objectively speaking, this recipe contains 3.2 grams of dietary fiber, and 13.8 grams of protein per serving before adding the chicken.
If you wanted to make it more healthy or grain free, you could prepare this fried rice with our cauliflower rice. To bring down the sodium levels, use a low sodium soy sauce.
Is fried rice gluten free?
It is gluten free if you make sure to use a gluten free soy sauce. Many commercial soy sauces contain gluten. Make sure to check the label closely if you are trying to make gluten free fried rice.
It is also important to note that many gluten free soy sauces are saltier in flavor, so be careful not to add too much without tasting it first.
What to eat with chicken fried rice (serving suggestions)
This can be a meal on it’s own, or serve it alongside other take-out inspired favorites like teriyaki chicken wings, sweet and sour chicken, or easy summer rolls!
More delicious Asian inspired dishes
- Vegetable chow mein
- Egg roll in a bowl
- Honey garlic chicken thighs
- Vegetable stir fry noodles
- Peanut butter chicken
- See all our Asian inspired recipes!
Other awesome rice recipes
- Coconut rice recipe
- Wild rice soup
- Cheesy chicken and rice casserole
- Cauliflower rice
- Cranberry salmon rice bowl
Tools we love
- Enameled cast iron – Perfect for making delicious caramelized vegetables!
- Santoku knife – My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced.
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How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 pounds chicken raw or cooked, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 - 4 tablespoons butter or oil or combination of both
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4 cups cooked/cold white rice instant rice works fine, just make sure to fully chill it after it is cooked.
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 3 eggs large
- green onion/scallion diced
- optional: sesame oil
Instructions
- If using raw chicken, cut into bite sized pieces and brown with a tablespoon of oil in a medium-high heat skillet. Remove cooked chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, bring butter to medium/high heat.
- Add garlic and ginger, stir for 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant. Add rice and cook until heated through. Stir in soy sauce, and add peas and carrots. (If using raw carrots, cook until tender).
- Lower heat to medium-low and push rice to one side of pan. Crack eggs in other side. Scramble eggs and cook through. When they’re done cooking, stir into rice along with the cooked chicken.
- Finish with green onion and a light drizzle of sesame oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Chicken Fried Rice
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Dana says
What a great easy dinner idea! We love this for nights when we’re craving Chinese food but don’t want to do takeout.
leah says
this fried rice recipe is amazing! thank you for sharing this recipe
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!