Fried rice with chicken! This takeout classic is an easy weeknight dinner! It is prepared on the stovetop with chicken, eggs, onions, carrots, peas and rice.
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As a kid, I always looked forward to the days my mom made fried rice for dinner. Like most Asian families, we ate regular rice for dinner almost every day, so every time my mom felt inspired to change our dinner routine, it felt like a treat to me!
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Fried rice with chicken
The best rice for fried rice
Fried rice is a dish meant to reuse leftover rice from a day or two. When I first tried to cook fried rice myself, I made the mistake of using freshly cooked rice.
Because it was still so moist and soft, the resulting dish was way too gooey—nothing like what my mom cooked. I can’t even remember if I ate much of that batch of fried rice, but I certainly learned a great lesson!
If you don’t have any rice left over from the night before, cook a portion of rice and spread on a large baking sheet or several large plates. Let the rice dry for about 1 to 2 hours before using it for fried rice.
Here is some more information on cooking rice:
The ingredients for Chicken Fried Rice
Now I often make fried rice at home and this version with it chicken is one of my favorites. I add Onions, carrots and peas to my rice, but you can throw in whatever veggies you have. Diced peppers, zucchini or chopped cabbage also go well.
I also add a little bit Chinese five spice powderr to flavor the rice, a habit I picked up from my mother, who always used it in her kitchen. This is a blend of star anise, peppercorns, cloves, fennel seeds and cinnamon, adding a warm spiciness to the dish. You are welcome to omit it if you wish.
The steps of making fried rice
This recipe is for chicken fried rice, but you really can use the technique to make fried rice with just about any protein like shrimp, pork, or tofu.
- Prepare the ingredients: Making fried rice is fast, so keep all your ingredients ready and near the stove. Dice your chicken into small cubes and salt, whisk in the egg, make sure all the veggies are diced and done.
- stir the egg then remove from the pan. You want to cook the egg first so it doesn’t overcook and leave the egg in larger chunks.
- Stir-fry the chicken, then also remove from the pan. Make sure it’s fully cooked through.
- cook the vegetables, but leave them IN the pan!
- add rice, season, then return the egg and chicken to the pan.
- Serve hot!
Storing and reheating leftover fried rice
Fried rice is really best eaten the day it’s made, but leftovers aren’t bad either! Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
You can reheat fried rice either in the microwave or on the stovetop. Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of water over it to keep it moist, and cover the bowl or pan to trap the moisture and prevent the rice from drying out.
Do you love fried rice? Try these recipes!
- Easy fried rice with pork and frozen vegetables
- Easy fried vegetable rice
- fried rice with shrimp
- Ginger Pineapple Fried Rice
- Fried rice with salmon
Fried rice with chicken
Fried rice is best made from leftover rice that is at least a day old. Otherwise it will get sticky in the pan.
If you don’t have any rice left over from the night before, cook a batch of rice and spread it out on a large baking sheet or several large plates. Let the rice dry for about 1 to 2 hours before using it for fried rice.
Rice sticks to the pan very easily, so make sure to use a wok or pan that doesn’t have a sticky surface. I typically cook stir-fries in my seasoned carbon steel wok, but cast-iron or non-stick skillets work well too. You may need to add a little more oil if things don’t come loose easily.
ingredients
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3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
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1 teaspoon Salt, divided
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3 tablespoon rapeseed oil (or any high temp oil), shared
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3 big eggs, whisked
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2/3 Cup yellow onions, rolled
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2 cloves Garlic, chopped
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2 teaspoon chopped Ginger
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1 big Carrot, peeled and diced
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2/3 Cup frozen peasRinse under warm tap water and thaw for a few seconds
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4 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably leftovers from at least one day before, see recipe note)
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2 spring onionssliced (separate the white and light green parts from the dark green part)
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1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder, Optional
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2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
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1 teaspoon sesame oil
method
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Prepare the chicken:
Chop the chicken into small 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch cubes. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the chicken and toss to combine. Set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes (I usually use this time to chop all the veggies).
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Beat the egg:
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in a tablespoon of oil and add the beaten eggs. Use a spatula to quickly whisk the eggs, breaking the curds into smaller pieces as they come together. Transfer the eggs to a plate.
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Cook chicken:
Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok or skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
Use your spatula to scrape off any chicken pieces that are still stuck to the wok so they don’t burn on the next step. You can also use paper towels to wipe down your wok or pan.
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Cook Vegetables:
Toss 1 tablespoon of oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until they start to soften, 1 minute. Mix together the minced garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the peas, stirring to incorporate.
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Cook rice:
Add the rice to the vegetables in the wok or pan and stir. Use the back of your spatula to smash any large pieces of rice to break them apart. Add the white and green parts of the chopped scallions (except for the dark green parts) and the five spice powder. Stir to incorporate. If the rice starts to stick to the pan, stir in a little more oil.
Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice and stir. Stir in the cooked chicken, scrambled eggs, and dark parts of the spring onions. Stir briefly to bring it together and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed.
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Serve hot immediately
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 248 | calories |
| 8g | Fat |
| 28g | carbohydrates |
| 16g | protein |
