Got leftover cooked chicken and rice? Then you’ve got the makings of a great meal. This chicken fried rice is super easy to make and better than takeout!
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Since my youngest daughter was officially diagnosed (through extensive testing) with a peanut and walnut allergy, our Chinese takeout experiences have dwindled. To nothing. It’s probably a good thing. I never read the ingredients list for a Panda Feast, but I’m guessing it probably wasn’t much that I could actually put in a shopping cart.
So, I’ve been experimenting. My kids aren’t super impressed – yet. But they will be. Someday.
One thing that I am pleased with is my Fried Rice. My kids were a bit confused the first time I made it. It was perfectly authentic, complete with the scrambled egg. But since we’ve never ordered fried rice at an Asian restaurant, they didn’t know what to make of it. They politely asked me to omit the egg in the future. Ha!
Anyway, this is a dish that I’m made many times over the last few months. It’s a great way to use up leftover cooked meats and any cold, cooked rice you have on hand. It has to be cold rice, otherwise it won’t work. This last batch I made with a mixture of both brown and white rice. Obviously, it will seem more like Lui’s Kitchen if you use long-grain white rice, but it’ll be more whole-grainy if you use brown. Choose your poison.
The ultimate beauty of this recipe is that it comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients for this chicken fried rice recipe:
- oil – We used sunflower oil, but another neutral tasting oil, such as canola or vegetable, would also work.
- cooked rice – The key to a good fried rice is using already cooked and cooled rice.
- cooked chicken – Leftover chicken makes this come together super easy and a great way to use up leftovers.
- mixed frozen vegetables – We love a mixture of green peas, carrots, and corn.
- green onions – A few green onions lends freshness and flavor.
- chicken broth – Vegetable broth would also work here.
- soy sauce – Of course you can’t have fried rice without soy sauce!
- sesame oil – This oil goes a long way and imparts flavor like no other.
- honey – A little sweetness. Other recipes I’ve seen call for sugar, I’ve substituted honey instead. You can do either. It tastes great both ways.
- black pepper – A little seasoning
How to make this chicken fried rice recipe:
Tips for making this chicken fried rice recipe:
- Use cold rice. It’s a must for properly cooked fried rice. Freshly cooked rice that is still hot won’t fry properly. All you will end up with are sticky clumps. So it’s best to cook the rice the day before. We just love using any leftover rice when we have some to make this dish.
- Sesame oil. Yes we use just tablespoon. But that little bit goes a long way in imparting a classic flavor that you just can’t get without it.
- Classic veggies. Fried rice is typically made with what we used here, carrots, onions, peas, and corn but you could use up any leftover veggies you have.
- High heat is a must. If you want to really “fry” the rice properly you need to crank up that heat.
- Flavor it your way. Not enough soy sauce? Feel free to add additional soy sauce at the end to your liking.
What do I serve with chicken fried rice?
You can absolutely serve this just on its own for a hearty meal. But you can also serve it alongside some other great asian-inspired meals such as this Asian Chicken Noodle Salad or this Asian Cabbage Salad with Chicken and Mandarin Oranges.
Can I add scrambled egg to this fried rice?
Like I said, my kids don’t prefer having the scrambled egg in it. But it’s a classic! If you want to add eggs, be sure to scramble them seperately in a different saute pan. Then add them in at the end, being sure to break up the eggs with a spatula.
Can I omit the chicken?
Of course. You can keep it vegetarian and just use the vegetables. Or try using another protein such as diced ham, chopped cooked pork, cooked ground beef or shrimp.
Can I use brown rice instead of white?
Sure! Brown rice is healthier and add more nutrients. So feel free to swap it out and use brown instead.
How I make this cheap:
Here are some of the strategies I use to make this recipe more economical:
- Use up leftovers. We always make this when we have some leftover rice and chicken to use up!
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Buy chicken at a great price and put a few packages in the freezer so that you can make this whenever you want!
Tools I use to make this recipe:
- plastic cutting boards – I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
- Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
- large skillet with lid – I have two of these since I love this model so much.
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 4 cup cold, cooked rice
- 1 to 1 ½ cup chicken (cooked and cubed)
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables peas, carrots, and corn
- 4 green onion sliced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring, breaking up any clumps. You want to "fry" each grain in the oil so that it's its own separate entity, about five minutes.¼ cup neutral oil, 4 cup cold, cooked rice
- Add the chicken, vegetables, and scallions and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.1 to 1 ½ cup chicken (cooked and cubed), 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, 4 green onion
- Add the broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and pepper. Cook, stirring for 1 more minute. Cover and cook another minute or so.½ cup chicken stock, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon honey, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Notes
- Use cold rice. It's a must for properly cooked fried rice. Freshly cooked rice that is still hot won't fry properly. All you will end up with are sticky clumps. So it's best to cook the rice the day before. We just love using any leftover rice when we have some to make this dish.
- Sesame oil. Yes we use just tablespoon. But that little bit goes a long way in imparting a classic flavor that you just can't get without it.
- Classic veggies. Fried rice is typically made with what we used here, carrots, onions, peas, and corn but you could use up any leftover veggies you have.
- High heat is a must. If you want to really "fry" the rice properly you need to crank up that heat.
- Flavor it your way. Not enough soy sauce? Feel free to add additional soy sauce at the end to your liking.
Nutrition
Make-ahead meals can make your month! Grab this month’s meal plans to take it easy and enjoy great home-cooked meals.
Brenna
Hey! This was really good stuff!! I used brown rice as that’s all we eat, and the texture gets a little gooey with lots of stirring, but I fried it a bit longer to dry it up a bit. Also, I used coconut oil instead of sunflower oil and cooked up a bit of onion and garlic instead of scallions; both of which add some delicate flavors. Love the idea about mushrooms! Thanks so much for a beautiful place to start!!
Jessica Fisher
I’m making it tonight, too! Glad you liked it.
Jose
This looks good. I’m just wondering the best way to do it with egg. We like the egg in fried rice. Would you whisk a few up and add it after the rice is fried? Thanks 🙂
Jessica Fisher
I like it, too! In the last stages of cooking, just push the rice, etc to one side of the pan. Add one or two beaten eggs to the empty space in the pan and cook it scrambled-style. Once cooked, mix that into the rest of the dish.
Janet
Funny, how we all do the same basic recipe so differently. I whisk my eggs and scramble them first. Remove from pan and prepare the rest and then add the eggs back in at the end. As for veggies, I use corn, peas, carrots and green peppers. Fried rice is a great way to incorporate vegetables into a meal.
Jessica Fisher
So interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Carla
Sounds good. When we add rice back in to our diet I’ll have to try this . . . make some for the boys.
Mary G
I love to make fried rice as a main dish. My mother grew up in Hong Kong, so this was just a practical thing she did with leftovers. Leftover rice was very common in my house when I was young. I like to save up bits of leftover rice and freeze it, and then make fried rice when I have enough. We are primarily meatless in my family, so I use about 4-5 cups of vegetables (fresh/frozen, what I have on hand). The great thing about this is you can use that half pepper or two mushrooms that you don’t know what to do with. My crew likes the eggs fine, so I use about three in our version. Also, I’m partial to using about 2 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil (and 2 Tbsp of some other vegetable oil) for fried rice. The sesame oil really adds to the flavor of the dish. You don’t indicate if your sesame oil is toasted or not. I think the flavor is a bit more intense with the toasted oil.
Jessica Fisher
I only have ever bought the toasted sesame oil, so yes, toasted. I, too, love the versatility of this dish. Just like soup, it can be made from practically nothing.
Sandi
No egg in the fried rice? ROFL. We love fried rice. I can’t remember the last time I made it, though. Hmm…