As a big fan of Chinese takeout, I absolutely love perfectly crisp and flavorful chicken fried rice with that deliciously eggy texture. And my super easy homemade recipe for chicken fried rice tastes even better than takeout! Rice, veggies, juicy chicken breasts, a tasty sauce, and scrambled egg are all mixed together in one pan to make this simple dish that’s sure to please the whole family. Hundreds of positive reviews agree this recipe is a winner!
Top Reader Reviews
Excellent! I have made fried rice many times but this was the best. I had not previously fried the rice separately from the rest of the ingredients. I used broccoli and red pepper as the veggies
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I love this recipe so much. I have made it twice now and the first time I used chicken, the second time shrimp. Very delicious recipe. My husband loves fried rice and he said it tasted better than take out. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I have found so many, many recipes I make and we just love them all .
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Homemade Chicken Fried Rice
Not only is my simple recipe for chicken fried rice totally delicious, but it’s also really easy to make at home on the stovetop. It’s one of my go-to “leftovers” dishes because I can just use up chicken, rice, and veggies that are sitting in my fridge if I don’t want to make everything from scratch.
This homemade fried rice is truly tasty and easy to customize based on what ingredients you have. I make this recipe any time I have day-old rice to use up, and I’ve added everything from mushrooms to water chestnuts. I love to serve it with my chicken egg rolls for the full takeout experience and it always satisfies!
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Make it Even Easier!
To make this chicken fried rice recipe extra quick and easy at dinner time, start with leftovers. This dish tastes best when using day-old rice that has been cooked, cooled, and stored in the fridge — and this definitely saves time! I also like to use leftover shredded chicken when I have it, instead of cooking fresh chicken breast.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Equipment
- 12-inch Nonstick Skillet or Wok
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice (cooled*)
- 10 teaspoons canola oil (or vegetable oil; divided)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (**)
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 1 carrot (peeled and diced***)
- 3 scallions (thinly sliced diagonally)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup frozen baby peas (***)
- 3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (****)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon mirin (*****)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
Instructions
- Break the cooked and cooled white rice into individual grains with your hands.2 cups cooked white rice
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok), over high heat, until smoking. Add the rice; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes, or until the rice just begins to turn a little darker. Transfer the rice to a small bowl and set aside.3 teaspoons canola oil
- Turn the heat to medium, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil, and place the chicken breast in the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on each side.1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 teaspoons canola oil
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cut it into very thin slices, and then cut the slices into thirds.
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in the skillet and add the yellow onion, carrot, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes, or until the carrots are just lightly tender and the onions are translucent.1 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 3 scallions, 2 cloves garlic, 3 teaspoons canola oil
- Add the rice and frozen baby peas and stir to combine.1 cup frozen baby peas
- Add the cooked chicken, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and mirin, stir and cook another 2 minutes.3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon mirin
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.kosher salt, ground black pepper
- Push the chicken rice mixture to the sides of the skillet and add the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to the middle of the skillet.1 teaspoons canola oil
- Add the eggs (lightly beaten) and season with salt and pepper.2 large eggs
- 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.
Notes
- If you plan to cook your rice fresh, use ⅔ cup of dry, uncooked rice (this will make 2 cups of cooked rice). Immediately after cooking, spread it out on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or the fridge for 30-60 minutes to cool.
- The chicken breast will not be fully cooked after Step 3–this is just a par-cooking step to brown it and cut it into smaller pieces. I add it back to the skillet in Step 6, and it will continue to cook through as the rice dish finishes.
- Be sure to fully cook the chicken all the way through to 165°F after step 6.
- Don’t cook the final combined dish for too long, or you’ll end up with tough rice and chicken. A few minutes is plenty, then remove from heat.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Watch me make this on Youtube!
I’ve made this fried rice so many times, and it always comes out just right. Watch how easy it is!
Foolproof Tips
- Don’t use fresh rice. Hot, freshly-cooked rice contains too much moisture, which will make it difficult to fry. This common mistake often leads to a soggy, mushy result. Leftover refrigerated rice is best because it has had time to dry out, which is actually what we want here. If cooking fresh rice, be sure to let it cool and dry out first!
- Don’t forget to prep. Besides preparing your rice, it’s important to chop up all the extra veggies and add-ins before you begin. Just like a good stir fry, this recipe moves quickly. So having your ingredients ready to use will make things super easy.
- Don’t crowd the pan. I recommend using a larger skillet (at least 12 inches) for this dish, or a wok if you have one. If the pan is too small, ingredients will likely steam instead of fry. Plus, it’s tough to make room for frying the egg when your pan is too small!
- Don’t skimp on the heat. Remember, we are stir-frying this rice dish, so that requires a higher heat — especially when toasting the rice at the beginning. Give the pan time to fully heat up before beginning, then you can lower and adjust the heat as you go. And make sure to use the right type of cooking oil here: canola, vegetable, or another high smoke point oil works best!
- Don’t add everything at once. It’s tempting to just throw everything in the pan and let it cook, but a little par-cooking helps ensure each ingredient cooks through properly. As long as you follow my simple steps, everything will come together perfectly by the end!
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this easy chicken fried rice recipe. Dice the onion and carrot; thinly-slice the scallions; and mince the garlic. Feel free to swap in your preferred veggies — diced bell peppers or sliced mushrooms work great! Make sure you have cooked and cooled rice ready to use. If you need to cook fresh rice: spread it onto a baking sheet afterwards, then let it cool in the freezer before using.
Toast the Rice: Break up 2 cups of cooked and cooled white rice into individual grains with your hands. This will help prevent clumping and ensure it heats evenly. Then heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok) over high heat, until smoking. Add the rice, warming and stirring for 3-4 minutes, just until the rice begins to darken. Transfer the rice to a small bowl and set aside.
Cook the Chicken: Turn the heat to medium, and heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in the same pan. Brown 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast for 3-4 minutes on each side. If you have leftover chicken to use, you can simply warm it up for a few minutes.
Slice the Chicken: Then transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, cut it into very thin slices, and cut the slices into thirds. If you prefer, you can cube or dice the chicken instead. As long as we have bite-size pieces for our rice!
Sauté the Veggies: Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in the same skillet, then add 1 diced yellow onion, 1 peeled and diced carrot, 3 thinly sliced scallions, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes; or until the carrots are just lightly tender and the onions are translucent.
Add the Rice and Peas: Next, add the cooked rice and 1 cup of frozen baby peas to the pan, stirring to combine. No need to thaw the peas!
Season the Rice: Add the cooked chicken pieces back to the pan with the rice and veggies. Then add 3 teaspoons of soy sauce (or more if you prefer), 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of mirin. Stir and cook another 2 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Scramble the Eggs: Push the chicken and rice mixture to the sides of the skillet to create a well at the center, then add the remaining 1 teaspoon of canola oil to the middle. Lightly beat 2 large eggs in a bowl, then pour them into the center of the fried rice, and season with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs and stir to combine with the rice mixture.
Finish and Serve: Cook the chicken fried rice for another 3-4 minutes, to give time for the flavors to meld. Serve hot and fresh!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Let leftover chicken fried rice cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.
- Fridge: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat fried rice on the stovetop, stirring until warmed through. I add a splash of water, broth, or oil to help rehydrate the rice. If you’re in a hurry, reheat quickly in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
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