This authentic easy chicken fried rice recipe is better than takeout and it’s quick and easy to make! Loaded with fresh veggies, this homemade version is healthier, while still being filled with flavor. It’s also great for meal prep, and the leftovers taste delicious!
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Best Chicken Fried Rice
I love a great Chinese take-out recipe, and Chicken Fried Rice is always a must! This homemade version still has all of the flavors you would expect from a restaurant-style dish, but it is a lot healthier thanks to a few simple swaps.
This easy chicken fried rice recipe is so quick and easy to make at home, so ditch the takeout this week and give this a try instead. Everyone will absolutely love it, and the leftovers are just as delicious!
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download nowWhy You’ll Love this Chicken Fried Rice Recipe:
- Super Easy: Making this dish at home is so simple! Just combine ingredients in a skillet, and it’ll be ready in no time.
- Better Than Takeout: Skip the takeout order and make your favorites at home! It tastes just as good, and you can make a healthier version.
- Flavorful: This fried rice is filled with chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and more, then seasoned and cooked up to absolute perfection!
How to Make Easy Chicken Fried Rice (Step by Step)
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cook the rice according to package directions, then let it cool and break it apart.
- Add rice to a nonstick skillet briefly to brown, then set it aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the chicken breast, then cut into thin slices.
- Cook the veggies until tender, then incrementally add the rest of the ingredients to cook together.
- Add the egg to the center of the rice and let it cook.
- Stir everything together to create the BEST Easy Chicken Fried Rice.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve hot!
Top Reader Review
- “I really loved this recipe because I have made several attempts on getting that take out flavor! Finally did absolutely easy. The recipes here are easy and I appreciate them because this mama and wife is getting bored with dinner! Easy chicken recipes is reviving my dinner choices.” – Kendre Wilson
What ingredients are in chicken fried rice?
Chicken Fried Rice is made with a handful of ingredients, including fresh and frozen vegetables, a good quality chicken breast, and a couple of eggs. Plus a few aromatics that give this fried rice recipe it’s authentic Chinese flavor.
- Chicken: use skinless chicken breast.
- Rice: I recommend using jasmine or basmati rice, but you can also use brown rice.
- Veggies: A mix of carrots, peas, onions, scallions.
- Eggs: The egg adds the most amazing flavor and texture to this rice dish!
- Soy Sauce: I recommend using a low sodium option.
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Garlic
- Mirin: this is a tangy rice wine that adds so much flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for the perfect pairing for this easy chicken fried rice recipe? This makes a great side dish, or main if you’re really craving it. We have some ideas to help you recreate a takeout meal at home! Check out these favorites:
The Perfect Rice Every Time
Make sure your oil is smoking hot before adding the rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking!
Easy Chicken Fried Rice with Vegetables
This fried rice is filled with peas, carrots, onion, and scallions, but it’s such a versatile recipe!
You can easily add in different vegetables depending on what you already have on hand. Sweetcorn, broccoli, or red peppers would all be wonderful additions. You could even add in a few handfuls of spinach at the end to add some greens. Frozen vegetables work really well here, but you can also use fresh.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t over cook the final dish, or you’ll end up with tough rice and soggy veggies.
- Use free range / organic eggs and chicken.
- Be sure to fully cook the chicken all the way through to 165F.
- Dice and cut up veggies ahead of time, so they’re ready to cook before dinner.
- Store leftover chicken fried rice in an airtight container, and store in the fridge up to 4 days. It tastes delicious hot or cold!
How can you make chicken fried rice healthier?
Although the restaurant version of this dish is delicious, it’s also loaded with calories, and I won’t even mention how high the sodium is! But with a few simple swaps, you can make a healthier homemade chicken fried rice.
- Be sure to use a low sodium soy sauce.
- Making this at home with skinless chicken breast ensures you’re using a light and healthy option.
- You just need a little canola/vegetable oil–don’t over do it!
- You could also use a whole grain brown rice instead of white.
Make this super delicious, easy chicken fried rice recipe ASAP. You’ll be craving this instead of takeout every week, and the whole family will love it too!
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice Jasmine or Basmati
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil divided
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled & diced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced diagonally
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- 3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions – after cooking, pour it on a plate and set aside to cool completely. Once the rice has cooled completely, break it up with your hands into individual grains.
- Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok), over high heat, until smoking. Add the rice, cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until the rice just begins to turn a little darker. Transfer the rice to a small bowl and set aside.
- Turn heat to medium, heat 1-tablespoon of oil and place the chicken breast in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cut into very thin slices and then cut the slices into thirds.
- Heat 1-tablespoon oil in the skillet and add the diced onion, carrot, scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring continuously, 2-3 minutes or until carrots are just lightly tender and onions are translucent.
- Add the rice and peas and stir to combine.
- Add the cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil and mirin, stir and cook another 2 minutes.
- Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Push the chicken rice mixture to the sides of the skillet and add 1-teaspoon oil to the middle of the skillet.
- Add the lightly beaten eggs and season with salt & pepper. Scramble the eggs and stir to combine with the chicken/rice mixture.
- Cook, stirring continuously, 3-4 minutes, to give time for the flavors to meld.
- Serve immediately and…
- Enjoy!
alayna q says
i changed it up a little bit since i didnt have all of the ingredients and my whole family loves it!
Becky Hardin says
That’s what I love to hear!
effie lambros says
I LOVE THIS FREID RICE RECIPE
CANT GET ENOUGH
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Effie!