Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

by Traci ·

5 from 26 votes

Total 30 minutes minutes

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Chicken fried rice is a family-loved dinner recipe made with cooked rice, shredded chicken, eggs, and everyday vegetables. Skip the takeout and save money with this lighter, healthy chicken fried rice.

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (1)

What is chicken fried rice?

Chicken fried rice is a popular regionally-inspired entree that typically consists of cooked rice stir-fried in a wok with shredded chicken, peas, carrots, onions, eggs, and soy sauce. It's a savory and satisfying one-dish meal with many options for customization.

This particular fried rice recipe dates back to my college days and early food industry experiences. It was, and still is, a favorite dish that caters to my desire to cook with minimal ingredients, skip the takeout, save money, make smart food choices, and feed my friends.

Ingredient notes

  • Oil - I prefer a combination of canola oil and sesame oil.
  • Carrots - Fresh or frozen carrots can be used.
  • Green onions - A signature aromatic ingredient in fried rice that adds color to the dish.
  • Garlic - Another aromatic that provides a savory aroma and depth of flavor.
  • Sweet peas - Use fresh peas, or if using frozen, thaw first.
  • Cooked rice - You'll need cooked white rice, or for a healthier alternative, use day-old Instant Pot brown rice.
  • Shredded chicken - Several options include Instant Pot shredded chicken, air fryer chicken breast, or Instant Pot whole chicken.
  • Soy sauce - Another essential ingredient that gives fried rice savory and salty flavors.
  • Salt and pepper - Add these to taste before serving.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2)

How to make chicken fried rice

  1. Heat OIL over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Add EGGS and scramble until cooked through (don't overcook). Transfer eggs to a covered dish and set aside.
  3. Add a splash of oil to the skillet if needed. Sauté CARROTS until tender Add GREEN ONIONS and GARLIC, and sauté until tender.
  4. Add PEAS, CORN, RICE, CHICKEN, and SOY SAUCE. Increase the heat and sauté until warmed through, stirring as needed.
  5. Add the scrambled eggs to the skillet and stir gently until warm.
  6. Season the fried rice with SALT and PEPPER to your taste. Garnish with the reserved GREEN ONIONS. Serve warm.
  7. To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.

What is the best rice to use for chicken fried rice?

Long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati, is a good choice because it maintains a firm texture that separates easily, which creates a fluffier texture for the final dish. You can use same-day cooked rice, but refrigerated day-old rice has lost enough moisture to prevent the rice from sticking, which also contributes to the fluffy texture.

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (3)

Recipe tips and variations

  • Use low-oil leftover chicken such as baked chicken, cooked whole chicken, or shredded chicken breast. I personally like to use more vegetables than chicken in fried rice.
  • Everyday vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn are a low cost way to add nutrients and fiber.
  • Use gluten-free ingredients like tamari or Bragg Aminos in place of soy sauce.
  • Low sodium soy sauce is a healthy alternative in chicken fried rice.
  • This recipe has no MSG, added sugar, or excess fat.

What are the ingredients for fried rice?

Fried rice is typically made with cooked rice, oil, vegetables, animal or plant protein (eggs, chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu, or tempeh), and soy sauce.

How do you dry out rice for fried rice?

The easiest way to dry out rice for fried rice is to simply refrigerate cooked rice in a storage container overnight. However, if you need to make fried rice with freshly cooked rice, simply spread the cooked rice on a baking sheet and let it sit at room temperature until it cools.

What is the best oil to use for fried rice?

A neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point is best for fried rice. The most common pantry oils for this are vegetable oil and canola oil.

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (4)

Asian recipes we love

  • Thai Coconut Soup
  • Kale Sesame Noodles
  • Thai Pumpkin Curry
  • Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Vegetable Lo Mein
  • Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice
  • Thai Peanut Zucchini Noodles [Zoodles Recipe]
  • Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry

📖 Recipe

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (5)

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Chicken fried rice is an easy dinner recipe made with cooked rice, shredded chicken, eggs, and everyday vegetables. Skip the takeout and save money with this lighter, healthy chicken fried rice.

Prep TimePrep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 30 minutes mins

Yield 8 1-cup servings

Author Traci Antonovich

5 from 26 votes

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Oil I use canola and sesame
  • 2 large Eggs beaten
  • 1 cup Carrots diced
  • 2 large Green Onions sliced (separate green from white)
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 cup Sweet Peas thawed, if frozen
  • 1 cup Corn frozen, fresh, or canned
  • 4 cups Cooked Rice
  • 1 cup Cooked Chicken shredded
  • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce or tamari
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat OIL over medium heat until shimmering.

  • Add EGGS and scramble until cooked through (don't overcook). Transfer eggs to a covered dish and set aside.

  • Add a splash of oil to the skillet, if needed. Sauté CARROTS until tender Add GREEN ONIONS and GARLIC, and sauté until tender.

  • Add PEAS, CORN, RICE, CHICKEN, and SOY SAUCE. Increase the heat and sauté until warmed through, stirring as needed.

  • Add the scrambled eggs to the skillet and stir gently until warm.

  • Season the fried rice with SALT and PEPPER to your taste. Garnish with the reserved GREEN ONIONS. Serve warm.

  • To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Final step

Click stars to vote. Please visit 'Comments' below for reviews.

5 from 26 votes

Recipe Notes

Use white or brown rice for this recipe.

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!Follow @thekitchengirl on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag #thekitchengirl. This always makes my day!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3001IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Course Dinner, Dinner Recipes, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Diet Gluten Free

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Reader Interactions

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Comments

  1. Jeff says

    Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (6)
    This chicken fried rice really is better than takeout! Easy to make and ingredients are simple and easy to change. Love being able to use less salt and oil than the restaurant versions too. Winner!!

    Reply

  2. Christine says

    Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (7)
    This was so delicious! My whole family loved it and so easy to make.

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Yay Christine! So glad this chicken fried rice is family approved for you 🙂 Thanks for the feedback...day made!

« Older Comments

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice? ›

Though you might not be able to pinpoint the sweet inclusion while digging into a take-out box and piling spoonsful of fluffy rice into your mouth, the addition of sugar is a common culinary technique practiced by restaurants.

How do Chinese restaurants make fried rice taste so good? ›

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as 'wok hei. ' As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

What are some secrets for perfect fried rice? ›

4 Secrets for Making Perfect Fried Rice
  • Start with a Seasoned Wok. Seasoned woks are naturally nonstick, which allows you to cook with less oil. ...
  • Use Cold Brown Rice. You'll need 2 cups of cooked rice for 4 servings of fried rice. ...
  • Prep Ahead. ...
  • Cook over High Heat.
Jul 21, 2023

What is the secret to non mushy fried rice? ›

1) Use cold rice: You've gotta plan ahead and use thoroughly-chilled cooked rice. A fresh batch of warm (or even lukewarm) rice will not fry well when it hits the hot pan, and will result in soggy and sticky clumps — no good. So leftover refrigerated rice is ideal!

What gives restaurant fried rice its flavor? ›

Signature flavor

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.

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.

Why add mayo to fried rice? ›

Mayo is the creamy umami finisher that your kimchi fried rice has been crying out for — especially if you use Kewpie mayo. This flavorful condiment is all about the egg yolks, which create a lush, smooth, deep spread with a creamy yellow hue.

What oil is best for cooking fried rice? ›

It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish. Peanut oil. this is another ingredient that adds authentic flavor to this recipe, but if you have a peanut allergy in your household you can substitute canola oil or additional sesame oil for the peanut oil.

What is fried rice syndrome? ›

Fried rice syndrome is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which is present in these types of starchy foods prior to cooking. Bacillus cereus is a heat-resistant bacteria, so even recooking foods that have not been appropriately refrigerated can result in food poisoning.

Why do you need to refrigerate rice before frying? ›

In fact, it's critical. Unlike freshly cooked rice, which forms soft, mushy clumps when stir-fried, chilled leftover white rice undergoes a process called retrogradation, in which the starch molecules form crystalline structures that make the grains firm enough to withstand the second round of cooking.

Why is my chicken fried rice mushy? ›

Poor-quality rice may have higher starch content, making it more susceptible to becoming mushy. Washing rice thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear can help remove excess starch, which is especially important for achieving perfect fried rice​.

Why does homemade fried rice not taste like restaurant? ›

In fact, the use of classic Chinese sauces is exactly what makes takeout fried rice so incredibly moreish. Key amongst these is soy sauce. By adding soy sauce during cooking chefs are adding both salt and umami to the fried rice which, unsurprisingly, greatly improves the dish's overall flavor.

How do Chinese restaurants make fried rice yellow? ›

The golden yellow color comes from the egg yolk. The method of making golden fried rice is different from classic fried rice. The egg is mixed with rice directly before stir-frying. If you want your golden fried rice to be more “yellow”, you can add more egg yolks.

What oil does Chinese restaurants use? ›

Peanut oil: This is a popular choice due to its high smoke point (important for stir-frying) and its slightly nutty flavor that complements many Chinese dishes. Lard: Traditionally used for its richness and savory taste, lard is still used in some restaurants, especially for simple dishes where it adds depth of flavor.

What is the use of vinegar in fried rice? ›

Vinegar is one of the less used ingredient in a fried rice. You will not find vinegar in most Chinese fried rice recipes. But it really adds a slight tang to the rice and enhances the taste. Rice vinegar is used in Chinese cooking especially in stir fry, salad dressings etc.

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