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My go-to when I don’t feel like cooking? This easy chicken fried rice! I grab leftover rice and chicken, toss it all in a pan, and boom, dinner is ready in minutes. The best part? My kids devour it!
A Reader’s Review
Such a perfect recipe! I use leftover chicken AND rice, so with the frozen mixed veggies this comes together incredibly quickly! My husband and one daughter have both said they could eat this 3x a week – and thats a glowing compliment…believe me!
– Carrie
All the Reasons This Never Fails Me
- Meal Prep Magic: Tastes just as good the next day, making leftovers something to look forward to.
- One-Pan Wonder: Everything cooks in a single skillet, so there’s less mess, and cleanup is a breeze!
- Protein-Packed Upgrade: While I love my classic fried rice recipe, this one gets a protein boost from juicy chicken that makes it even more satisfying.
- Family Favorite: Even picky eaters can’t resist the savory combo of chicken, veggies, and rice.
Ingredients Needed
- Protein: Mix up your protein with ham, shrimp, or bacon.
- Low Carb: For a low-carb version of fried rice, try using cauliflower.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other favorite vegetables to enhance this recipe. Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, or water chestnuts work great.
- Soy Sauce: Regular or low-sodium soy sauce both work. You can add more at the end if you want a bolder flavor.
How To Make Chicken Fried Rice
You only need one pan and a few basic ingredients. This chicken fried rice comes together fast and makes the best use of leftovers. Want to try something quicker? Make this air fryer fried rice!
- Cook the Chicken: Add vegetable oil and soy sauce to a large skillet or wok and heat over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces, and cook until lightly browned and cooked throughout, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the Vegetables: Add sesame oil, diced white onion, and thawed frozen peas and carrots to the pan and fry until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Scramble the Egg: Slide the vegetables to the sides and then add the lightly beaten eggs to the other side of the pan. Use a spatula to scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetables.
- Add the Rice and Serve: Add cooked white rice and the cooked chicken to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add soy sauce and stir until combined and heated throughout. Top with sliced green onions, and fresh cracked black pepper if desired, and serve warm.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
High Heat: Cooking chicken fried rice over high heat is best for fried rice. It helps brown the rice and vegetables evenly. Avoid letting the rice steam or clump together by stirring frequently.
Tips For the Best Fried Rice
- Use Cold Rice: Leftover white, long grain or brown rice from the fridge is ideal, firmer grains = better texture for your chicken fried rice.
- Too Fresh? Chill It: You can cook rice fresh, then spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes, or pop it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes to cool it down fast.
- Shortcut: Use pre-cooked, ready rice to save even more time.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Fried Rice
- How long does fried rice last? Stored right in an airtight container, it stays fresh for 5–7 days in the fridge.
- Can you freeze it? Absolutely! Seal it up in an airtight container or ziplock, throw it in the freezer, and you’re good to go!
- Can you reheat it? Yep! Stovetop or microwave works best—just don’t reheat it more than once.
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Equipment
- Large Skillet or Wok
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 pound chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 cup diced white onion about 1 small onion
- 1 cup thawed frozen peas and carrots
- 2 lightly beaten large eggs
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to a large skillet or wok and heat over medium heat. Add 1 pound chicken cut into bite-sized pieces and cook until lightly browned and cooked throughout, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 cup diced white onion, and 1 cup thawed frozen peas and carrots to the pan and fry until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Slide the vegetables to the sides and add 2 lightly beaten large eggs to the other side of the pan. Use a spatula to scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetables.
- Add 3 cups cooked rice and the cooked chicken to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce and stir until combined and heated throughout. Top with 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, if desired, and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Updated May 28, 2025
Leftover Instructions: Fried rice lasts 5–7 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container, and it freezes great, too—just seal it up and toss it in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, but only once.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 17gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 474mgPotassium: 327mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1754IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Your recipes are wonderful. I love these recipes. There are very tasty.
What type of vinegar do you use for the terayki sauce?
I like to use a cider vinegar. Usually an apple cider vinegar or one that I already have at home.
Made this last night – everyone loved it! My husband especially was a big fan. Thanks for the recipe!
A great base for fried rice…… although my family likes a lot of flavor so we kicked it up a couple notches
Chicken marinated in homemade teriyaki sauce, grilled then shredded
Shrimp cooked in same homemade sauce
Lots of fresh garlic cooked in with veggies, 4 eggs, diced cooked and fried alone before adding to dish
It was perfect!
Made this tonite to compliment my homemade shrimp egg rolls and the rice was delicious!
I added shredded ginger and chopped snow peas to the mix. I used Basmati rice and it came out great! Thanks for the recipe! Had enough for lunch tomorrow.
Made your chicken rice dinner tonight and it was delicious
Thank you for recipe
This is amazing! I used a rotisserie chicken and tossed it in some teriyaki sauce. Delicious!!
I made the chicken fried rice (for the first time) last night for my family and they loved it. I even doubled the recipe thinking that I would have some leftovers for today at lunch and I thought wrong. This recipe is very easy to make, favorful, and extremely delicious. I would recommend it to everyone that loves chicken fried rice takeout. I will be making it again very soon.
Where do i find the teryiaki sauce reciple please?
The teriyaki sauce can be found in any local grocery store. It is always a great flavor to have on this fried rice! Enjoy! XOXO
How much teriyaki sauce did you use please
Thanks
I swear you are getting so popular!! This is the 5th recipe or so I have saved of yours I’m really excited to try one of them soon!
Hi!! I making this for dinner tomorrow so I hope that someone can reply. I bought a pet little over a pound of chicken breast to make this recipe. I making it in the suggested crackpot teriyaki sauce. But the amounts of chicken are different. Here it is cause for two breasts and with the teriyaki sauce recipe calls for four. So should I go with two because I am following this recipe to begin with? I making this for dinner tomorrow so I hope that someone can reply. I bought a pet little over a pound of chicken breast to make this recipe, 2 breasts. I am making it in the suggested crockpot teriyaki sauce. But the amounts of chicken are different. Here it calls for two breasts and with the teriyaki sauce recipe calls for four. So should I go with two because I am following this recipe to begin with ? Thank you
I use this as a base fried rice recipe and add in minced garlic, grated ginger, Sriracha, dry sherry or rice vinegar and use 3 eggs. I have made this using rotisserie chicken and ground pork. Both were delicious.
5 STARS (For some reason I nothing happens when I try to click on 5 stars) Just finished eating this for early dinner and it was delicious, just as if I had bought it from a Chinese restaurant. I’m so excited to continue making this recipe, and next time making my chicken with teriyaki sauce. This one has to be saved under my all-time favorite recipes!
Where’s the teriyaki recipe?
There is no teriyaki sauce in this recipe. The sauce is all mixed together in the ingredients! Hope you love this as much as my family does! XOXO
Can’t wait to try. Hubbys favorite.