Chicken Fried Rice is one of our go-to EASY 30-minute meals. Fried Rice is perfect for meal prep and a genius way to use leftovers if you have a Roast Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken. It’s even better with leftover cooked rice. Watch the video tutorial below and you’ll see how easy this is.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Fried rice is perfect for meal prep. It comes together fast and it reheats well. It’s also a great way to use up leftovers. If you cook rice earlier in the week, make more than you will need and put it into fried rice. Leftovers never tasted so good!
Fried rice recipes are well-loved in our house, from our Shrimp Fried Rice to Bacon Mango Fried Rice and even Cabbage Fried Rice! Homemade fried rice is simple to make and healthier than takeout.
What is Fried Rice?
Fried rice is a Chinese stir fry made with rice. Scrambled eggs and veggies are usually added along with some type of protein like shrimp, chicken, or ham. It is traditionally cooked in a large wok, but a large non-stick skillet works just as well. Fried rice can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a main course.
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice Video
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make restaurant-quality chicken fried rice.
Pro Tips for Making Fried Rice
- For best results, start with cold-cooked rice. Do not use freshly cooked warm rice or it will become gooey and sticky in the pan.
- Fried rice should be cooked quickly over high heat. Give your skillet a chance to preheat before adding ingredients and avoid the urge to stir constantly, especially when the rice is added. Allow things to crisp and brown slightly.
- This recipe moves fast so prep all of your ingredients before firing up the stove.
- Add ingredients in the right order. If you add everything at once, the pan will cool too quickly and steam-cook your ingredients.
Ingredients for Fried Rice
- Chicken – we love using trimmed chicken thighs for juicy bites of chicken. See substitution options below.
- Extra light olive oil – to help the rice crisp up without smoking
- Eggs – Add protein, great flavor and fluffy texture to the fried rice.
- Cooked Rice – be sure it’s cooked and chilled (see instructions and tips below)
- Soy Sauce – we use regular soy sauce but you can also use Tamari for gluten free. If using reduced sodium, add it to taste.
- Sesame Oil – we use pure unrefined sesame oil. It adds authentic Asian flavor to the fried rice and I don’t recommend substituting it.
- Frozen Peas and Carrots – an easy way to add veggies without any special prep required besides thawing.
- Green onion – adds vibrant color and flavor and aroma to the fried rice
The Best Chicken for Stir Fry
Adding chicken to fried rice is a great way to incorporate more lean protein. We prefer chicken thighs for chicken fried rice. The dark meat has more flavor and is more forgiving; it remains tender even when it is overcooked. It also works great with chicken tenders or Baked Chicken Breasts. Just use what you have on hand.
Substitutions
- Ham – you can use diced ham which is also a great way to use up leftover Baked Ham.
- Turkey – if you have leftover Roast Turkey, you can use light or dark-meat turkey.
- No Meat – you can leave out the protein altogether and make it a basic Egg Fried Rice which still has plenty of protein.
- Seafood – you can use shrimp as we did in our Shrimp Fried Rice or other shellfish such as crab or lobster.
How to Cook Rice for Fried Rice
Leftover chilled white rice is best and is less likely to turn gummy on the skillet. If you want to cook rice for fried rice, you will need 1 1/2 cups of raw rice to make 5 cups of cooked rice. We use Jasmine rice but any long-grain rice will work.
- Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear – this removes extra starch to ensure your rice isn’t sticky.
- Cook rice according to package instructions or follow our tutorial on how to cook white rice.
- Cool Rice – Spread rice into a casserole dish or baking sheet and cool to room temperature then refrigerate until chilled.
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Allow the fried rice to cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days, which is the USDA recommendation for storing cooked chicken.
- Freezing: Transfer the cooled fried rice to freezer-safe zip containers, remove as much as possible and seal. If you freeze the bags flat and in a thin layer, they will thaw faster. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: If frozen, defrost the fried rice in the refrigerator then sautee on a skillet until hot and steamy.
More 30-Minute Meals
If you love quick and easy dinner ideas, you’re sure to find some new favorites in this list. It’s no wonder these are some of the most popular recipes on our blog.
- Beef and Broccoli – better than takeout
- Philly Cheesesteak – just like in Philly
- Lemon Chicken Pasta in alfredo sauce
- Taco Soup – perfect for taco night
- Chicken Salad – great for meal prep
- Chicken Parmesan – feeds a crowd
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and trimmed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp extra light olive oil, or high heat cooking oil
- 4 large eggs
- 5 cups cooked white rice, chilled*
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, (or GF Tamari) or added to taste*
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil, or to taste
- 12 oz frozen peas and carrots, fully thawed
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp oil then scrambled eggs and stir and scramble for a minute, breaking up the egg with your spatula. Cook just until no longer wet and immediately transfer to the plate with chicken.
- Use tongs to wipe skillet clean with a paper towel. Swirl in another 1 Tbsp oil then spread 5 cups rice evenly over the pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes without disturbing then stir and sauté another 1 to 2 minutes. Rice should sizzle.
- Drizzle 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil over the rice and stir well. Add fully thawed vegetables and mix well.
- Add cooked chicken and scrambled eggs back to the pan. Add 1/4 cup green onion and mix well. Continue to cook until veggies and rice are hot and rice sizzles, stirring frequently. Add more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi, I know it says not to use warm rice but could I put the rice in the fridge to cool it if I use day of rice
Hello Melissa! Yes, you can refrigerate cooked rice in the fridge but after cooking, make sure to spread it out to allow the rice to cook equally. Once the rice has cooled down to room temperature, you can store them in an airtight containers to maintain freshness and prevent it from absorbing other odors and use it within 3-4 days.
Can I substitute bean sprouts for peas and carrots?
Hi Paula! Although it’s not traditional, using other veggies can work too.
Excellent recipe. Friends could not believe it was made at home.
That’s wonderful feedback, Ron! Thank you.