Chicken Fried Rice

[Hoca]

Chicken Fried Rice​

This healthy Chicken Fried Rice combines brown rice, any vegetables you have around, and tender chicken in a simple, savory stir fry sauce. One pan. 30 minutes. You’ve got this!

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Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe​

• Fast One-Skillet Meal. We are in 30-minute meal territory, my friends. This entire chicken fried rice recipe is also made in a single skillet! (If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of one pot meals.)
• It’s Versatile. I make fried rice at home with a bag of frozen peas and carrots, which we always keep on hand, then toss in whatever extra vegetables we have lurking around.
• The Leftovers Rock. Half the reason I cook fried rice is for the leftovers. They reheat like a dream. Also, if you are one of those people who likes to eat leftover Chinese food cold out of the fridge (I see you and I salute you), this Chinese chicken fried rice recipe hits the spot.
• So Delicious. Everyone loves fried rice (and General Tso’s Chicken). And if someone tells you they don’t, it’s because they haven’t had homemade chicken fried rice from scratch yet!

5 Star Review​

“Excellent tasting and healthy recipe!! We loved every bit of it.”

— Susan —

How to Make Chicken Fried Rice​

The Ingredients​

• Leftover Rice. You can use any kind of rice, including jasmine, basmati, or long grain white rice, but I prefer brown rice. (If you’d like to make fried rice with cauliflower rice, see this Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe.)
• Chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts make an excellent addition to fried rice recipes like this one. If you prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs, you can use those instead.
• Egg. Egg adds textural interest, absorbs the sauce’s flavor, and adds protein.
• Vegetables. A blend of fresh and frozen vegetables is my go-to for bulking up the nutrition of homemade fried rice (and Vegetable Lo Mein). For fresh veggies, I love using a red pepper, broccoli, or mushrooms. For frozen, a bag of frozen peas and carrots is quick and convenient.
• Canola Oil + Butter. It is better to use butter for fried rice than just oil alone. The butter adds exceptional flavor. Canola oil is my go-to for high-temperature cooking, but vegetable oil, peanut oil, and grapeseed oil all work well.
• Soy Sauce. The umami king! If you need your fried rice to be gluten free, be sure to opt for tamari over regular soy sauce and check your labels to ensure they do not contain gluten or wheat-derived ingredients.
• Oyster Sauce. This is what gives fried rice its GREAT flavor and is the secret to restaurant fried rice. Oyster sauce is intensely savory, thick (in a good way), and does not taste like oysters. It’s a critical part of establishing umami.
• Red Pepper Flakes or Hot Sauce. I’ve listed this ingredient as optional, but if you are looking for spicy chicken fried rice, add red pepper flakes or your hot sauce of choice (my go-to hot sauce for recipes like this is sriracha).

The Directions​

1. Make the Sauce. Stir the oyster sauce and part of the soy sauce together.

1. Cook the Eggs. Scramble the eggs, then remove them to a bowl.

1. Cook the Chicken. Sauté the chicken with soy sauce. Add it to the bowl with the eggs.

1. Stir-Fry the Veggies. Sauté the vegetables. Add butter, peas, carrots, and minced garlic.

1. Finish. Incorporate the cold cooked rice and oyster sauce mixture. Add everything back to the skillet and heat through. ENJOY!

What to Serve with Chicken Fried Rice​

• Asian-Inspired Apps. Start your meal with Air Fryer Egg Rolls for a restaurant-style dinner.
• Salad. Keep things light with my Asian Cucumber Salad or Asian Cabbage Salad recipes.
• Stir Fries. Fill a bowl with chicken fried rice and serve Zucchini Stir Fry over the top.

Recipe Tips and Tricks​

• Be Ready to Cook Fast. Stir fry recipes move quickly. Be sure to have all of your chicken fried rice ingredients prepped, measured, and near the stove before you begin.
• Get a Head Start. Use Shredded Chicken, Baked Chicken Breast, or rotisserie chicken to streamline the process of making this chicken fried rice recipe.
• Cold Rice is a Must. No matter what kind of rice you use, for the best, most authentic-tasting fried rice, YOU MUST USE COLD RICE. In the refrigerator, the rice grains firm up. This causes them to separate more easily when you stir fry them, resulting in a noticeably superior texture. Day-old rice is best for fried rice, but even a few hours make a HUGE difference.

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Chicken Fried Rice​

The BEST chicken fried rice at home! Featuring brown rice, your favorite vegetables, and chicken in a simple stir fry sauce. Better than takeout!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 368kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients​

• ⅓ cup oyster sauce (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce divided, plus additional to taste (swap for tamari if you need gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or grapeseed oil, or peanut oil, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3 cups chopped fresh vegetables of choice (I use 1 red bell pepper plus a small head of broccoli or 8 ounces mushrooms)
• 12 ounces frozen peas and carrots thawed
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 ½ cups COLD cooked brown rice break up large clumps with your fingers
• ⅔ cup green onions chopped (about 4 medium)
• Red pepper flakes or Sriracha, or hot sauce of choice (optional)

Instructions​

• In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Set aside. Keep a large bowl or plate and a large, flexible rubber spatula near the stove.
• Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the eggs. Cook without stirring until they barely begin to set, about 20 seconds. With your spatula, scramble and break the eggs into little, bite-sized pieces. Continue to cook, stirring constantly now, until eggs are just cooked through but not yet browned, about 1 additional minute. Transfer eggs to the bowl and set aside. With a paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet clean.
  
  
• Return the skillet to the heat, and increase the heat to high. Let the skillet warm until it is nice and hot, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the canola oil, and swirl to coat. Add the chicken and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to the bowl with the eggs.
  
  
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add the fresh vegetables and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  
  
• Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and peas and carrots. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds (do not let the garlic burn!).
• Add the brown rice and the oyster sauce mixture. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and breaking up any remaining rice clumps, until the mixture is heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved eggs/chicken and green onions. Cook and stir until the mixture is completely heated through, about 1 minute more. Enjoy immediately with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or dash of hot sauce and additional soy sauce as desired.
  
  

Video​

Notes​

• Adapted from my Homemade Fried Rice.
• ABOUT OYSTER SAUCE: Oyster sauce is readily available in the Asian or international food aisle of most major grocery stores. It has a unique flavor and texture, and if you substitute something else for it, your fried rice won’t taste the same. If you’d like to experiment with making the recipe without oyster sauce, you can simply omit it or swap in 1 tablespoon sesame oil to add flavor.
• TO STORE: Refrigerate fried rice in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
• TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
• TO FREEZE: Freeze chicken fried rice in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition​

Serving: 1(of 6) | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Potassium: 687mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8148IU | Vitamin C: 105mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg​

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