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This chicken fried rice has moist and tender chicken with flavorful peas and carrots and long rice cooked together. Make this unique and your own with this favorite Chinese rice!
So many varieties of fried rice can be made. These better than takeout fried rice recipes are a collage of all my favorites!
Chicken Fried Rice
I mean really. Who doesn’t like fried rice? Ok maybe my six year old doesn’t because of the veggies inside, but I am pretty sure he is the only one out there. 🙂 For my birthday dinner with my family I chose to go to our favorite little chinese restaurant. And it was the bomb. But their fried rice was excellent. But I kept thinking, I can make this just as good at home and I have been craving it ever since!
Since I learned a few awesome tricks on how to get the perfect fried rice in my recipe here, I wanted to make a big old batch for myself for lunch. The baby was craving it that day. But I thought, why don’t I add in some protein and make a meal out of it. You guys. The chicken gave it such amazing flavor! I really couldn’t believe how good it turned out. I promise that you can stay at home and have this better than take out chicken fried rice. You will really be impressed with yourself.
Get Ready to Make Some Rice:
- Vegetable Oil: This helps with cooking the chicken and adding flavoring at the same time.
- Soy Sauce: Chinese favorite sauce that is authentic and brings rich flavoring.
- Chicken: Cut into small pieces and add into the skillet or wok.
- Cooked Rice: It is best to have already cooked rice that has been cooled in a refrigerator.
- Sesame Oil: Brings in a subtle and rich flavoring.
- Onion: Small white onion chopped up.
- Peas and Carrots: Frozen vegetables work best then leave them overnight to be thawed.
- Soy Sauce: More of this delicious sauce!
- Eggs: Lightly beaten and added in the wok.
- Green Onions: Chopped and sprinkle in for added texture, color and flavoring!
Cooking Fried Rice:
- Cook in a skillet: In a large skillet or wok, add vegetable oil and soy sauce. Add in the chicken and cook until lightly brown and cooked throughout. Remove and set aside.
- Add oil and vegetables: Pour sesame oil in the bottom. Add white onion and peas and carrots and fry until tender.
- Pour egg mixture: Slide the onion, peas and carrots to the side, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetable mix.
- Stir in remaining ingredients: Add the rice and chicken to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top. Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until heated through and combined. Add chopped green onions if desired.
The Recipe Critic Pro Tip:
I cooked my chicken in this teriyaki sauce recipe here. It added amazing flavor to the chicken and it just shredded apart. Other wise, you can boil your chicken, or even cook it in a medium skillet until no longer pink.
Tips for Making the Best Fried Rice:
Enjoy making the this fried rice using these tips to help accomplish the authentic Chinese taste. It is simple to make and comes together quickly and easily. Once you make it you will be making it over and over again!
- Cold Rice: To make the best rice you have to plan a little bit ahead of time. Chilled cooked rice is the best way to use up left over rice as well as fried rice. Rice that is cooked and still warm does not cook well when making fried rice. It tends to turn out mushy and very sticky.
- Make Cold Rice: If you are on a time crunch and craving fried rice simply place the warm rice on a sheet pan and stick it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or until cold. For an even quicker remedy, place the rice in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes long. Just enough for it to chill but not be frozen.
- High Heat: It is best to cook on high heat to help fry and brown the rice and veggies throughly. Try not to have the rice steam in the pan or stick together too much. Stir frequently.
- Soy Sauce: Add in extra soy sauce towards the end as you are trying the fried rice as you are cooking it. A light soy sauce is what I prefer for flavor.
Variations:
Try new things and mix it up with all these new and fun variations when making the best fried rice recipe. The best part is using up the leftover rice. Find more left overs that can be added into this chicken fried rice recipe to make it easier. Mix and match ingredients and create more delicious flavors of rice.
- Protein: Mix up your protein with ham, shrimp, bacon or enjoy it with vegetables.
- Oil: Instead of adding in all the oils, butter is just as great! Add in butter to create a rich, flavorful taste.
- Rice: It is best to have cold or chilled rice for this recipe. Quinoa or long grain rice are great ways to enjoy a variety.
- Vegetables: Create a combination of a few to several of your favorite vegetables to enhance this recipe. Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas or water chestnuts are great vegetables to add in.
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Equipment
- Large Skillet or Wok
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 pound chicken cut into small pieces
- 3 cups cooked rice *
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots thawed
- 2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce more or less to taste
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons chopped green onions optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, add vegetable oil and soy sauce. Add in the chicken and cook until lightly brown and cooked throughout. Remove and set aside.
- Pour sesame oil in the bottom. Add white onion and peas and carrots and fry until tender.
- Slide the onion, peas and carrots to the side, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetable mix.
- Add the rice and chicken to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top. Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until heated through and combined. Add chopped green onions if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is one of my go to recipes for weeknights. My family loves it. We leave out the chicken and double the eggs. Also, I always use chicken stock instead of water when making my rice to add some extra flavor.
Perfect fried rice ! Thank you for a great recipe.
How would I make this with a rotisserie chicken
Warm up your rotisserie chicken in some teriyaki sauce) and then add your cooked chicken to your rice and veggie mixture.
A family favourite. I make this all the time and double the recipe because everyone wants the leftovers the next day.
My family loved this recipe! It’s a winner! I combined avocado oil and plant based butter to cook the chicken along with the soy sauce. Very easy and delicious recipe. Remember to use cold rice, made the day before for best results!! Thank for sharing. ❤
I’m so glad to hear that you loved it! It’s a favorite at my house!
im sorry this was gross. not what i expect an asian cuisine to taste like.
You made my day. This chicken fried rice are perfect. I will make this twice times a week. Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe! But maybe you’re eating it thinking “hm, this is missing something”. That missing ingredient is MSG and you’ll find Every Chinese takeaway uses it (even if they say they don’t!)
You can find it in any Oriental supermarket or possibly even in the spices section or world foods section of your local supermarket.
Wow! I don’t usually rate things online….but this Fried Rice is so easy, tasty,
It’s so easy to switch up proteins and vegetables plus so many other little addons – But your recipe is a Friday Fried Rice here.
Thank you for making this so easy and thank you for sharing!
We loved this meal ! Thank you!
We agree with the title, it is better than any take out!! I added long grain and wild rice and red rice and quinoa and it was a healthier meal. Fast and delicious! We will make and enjoy this again.
🥰🥰🥰
Add bacon to the ingredients!
Super easy to make! Great side to use up left over steamed rice. I added l some thinly sliced cabbage. Extra filler. It was great. Will make again.
You’re right. This was much better than takeout. This recipe made my day. Here is winter and it keep me warm. I got chicken and followed the instructions, and it was super delicious and perfect.
Me and my husband enjoyed. Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe.
Very tastey.
Omg this is great. I was making another recipe at the same time and accidently added ginger, onion and minced garlic but it didn’t change it any. It was the best rice I’ve ever made.
My partner and I are constantly arguing over which Chinese take out place to order from. Thanks to Alyssa and this Better Than Take Out Rice recipe we always agree it’s best too cook it at home. It’s a great couples activity! Thanks Alyssa for encouraging us to try new things in the kitchen and keeping our relationship together.