Chicken fried rice is a classic comfort food that is easy to make, packed with flavor, and is especially delicious with tender chicken, fluffy rice, vegetables, eggs, and different sauces. A quick and easy weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.
I make all kinds of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, but don’t let that fool you into thinking I’m not a fan of other foods. Oh, no. I make dishes that are either straight from other parts of the world or inspired by them. As a long-time lover of all things Asian cuisine, I’ve been making this chicken fried rice recipe for a few years, now, and I was looking for something a little different. Something that was delicious but not necessarily what I’d normally make for the family. That’s when I settled on this fried rice. I love take out, and it’s so easy!
Chicken Fried Rice
This delicious fried rice recipe is loaded with the authentic Asian flavors the we love in our take-out fried rice, and it’s so easy to make. It starts with sautéed onions, carrots, garlic, and green onions, cooked, chopped chicken breasts, and chopped scrambled eggs. I combine it all with cooked rice in a wok or skillet along with classic Asian spices and cook it until it’s golden and flavorful. That’s it! The entire process takes about 45 minutes, and it’s even easier if you have leftover chicken!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
- This chicken fried rice is delicious and is a classic comfort food for a reason. It’s packed with flavor from the savory chicken, fluffy rice and fresh vegetables.
- It is easy to make and makes a delicious, hearty side dish or dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy.
- It’s versatile and is a great way to use up leftover rice and vegetables.
- It’s affordable and is relatively inexpensive, and can easily be made to feed a crowd.
- It makes a quick and easy dinner on those busy weeknights.
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
The ingredients needed for this recipe are all incredibly simple, and you probably have several of them in your kitchen right now. Anything you don’t have is just a quick trip to the grocery store away!
- Cooked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
- Cooked rice
- Diced onions
- Diced carrots
- Cloves garlic
- Green onions
- Vegetable oil or olive oil
- Large eggs
- Sesame seeds
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Butter
- Black pepper
- Peas
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
Making this fried rice is as simple as a bit of stovetop cooking. It’s not involved, and it doesn’t take forever. You just need to know how to turn on a burner. That’s it!
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables
Sauté the onions and carrots in a medium skillet over medium heat in oil until tender. Then, add the garlic and green onions and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Step 2: Scramble the Eggs
In another skillet, scramble the eggs until they’re done to your liking. Chop them into small pieces and set aside.
Step 3: Make the Chicken Fried Rice
Melt butter in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Then, add the cooked chicken, cooked rice, scrambled eggs, cooked veggies, sesame seeds, pepper, peas, and soy sauce. Mix well and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- I prefer to scramble my eggs until they’re very well done (not burned) for that classic fried rice texture.
- A rotisserie chicken or using leftover chicken is great to use in this recipe.
- Be sure not to cook your garlic for too long. You don’t want it to get bitter!
- The fried rice is done when it’s very fragrant and nicely brown.
Popular Substitutions, Additions, and Variations
- Add red pepper flakes or diced red chiles for a kick of heat and flavor.
- Add your favorite vegetables like chopped broccoli, baby corn, or bamboo for even more flavor.
- You can make this in beef or pork versions, as well.
- You can use any variety of cooked rice you like for this recipe.
- If you’re watching your salt intake, just use reduced-sodium soy sauce.
What to Serve with Chicken Fried Rice
Fried rice is a classic side that pairs well with all of your favorite Asian dishes. Serve it with everything you love like:
- Egg Foo Yung
- Egg rolls
- General Tsao’s Chicken
- Beef and broccoli
- BBQ pork
- Orange chicken
- Any of your favorite Chinese, Japanese, or Asian dishes
Chicken Fried Rice FAQ
Chicken fried rice is a classic, authentic Chinese dish featuring white rice, chicken, scrambled eggs, peas, and other vegetables, cooked over high heat in a wok with a soy sauce-based sauce.
Almost any rice will work, but jasmine rice is the best for authentic Chinese fried rice texture. Its delicate flavor and long grains are the classic fried rice base.
Absolutely! You can use almost any of your favorite vegetables in chicken fried rice. Some excellent vegetable additions to fried rice include:
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
Green onions
Spinach
Bell pepper
Baby corn
Bamboo shoots
Sprouts
Long grain rice, medium to medium-high heat, and a lot of oil or butter combine to make really delicious fried rice.
Chicken fried rice freezes very well and will last for up to a month in the freeze when stored properly.
How to Store and Reheat Fried Rice Leftovers
Refrigerate this chicken fried rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, cool it as quickly as possible in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag with as much air removed as possible, and freeze for up to a month.
To reheat fried rice, Add it to an oven-safe dish with 2 tablespoons of water or broth. Cover and bake for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
Try This Delicious Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Today
This chicken fried rice is full of authentic Asian flavors, it’s easy to make, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. It doesn’t get better than that! With that combination of ease, flavor, and popularity, this is one recipe you have to try. And once you do, I guarantee it will become a permanent part of your recipe rotation.
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Here is another delicious side dish recipe, Sweet Potato Casserole, that is absolutely delicious and is the perfect side dish recipe for any occasion.
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
- 6 cups cooked rice
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
- 6 large eggs, scrambled
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup peas
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and carrots. Saute until tender.
- Add garlic and green onions and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- In another skillet or frying pan, scramble eggs to desired doneness, then chop into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok, over medium heat, melt butter. Add cooked chicken, cooked rice, scrambled eggs, cooked veggies, sesame seeds, pepper, peas, and soy sauce. Mix well.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until done, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Notes
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