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Skip the Chinese takeout this week and make up this delicious chicken fried rice instead. Ready to serve in 20 minutes, this chicken and vegetable rice dish is effortless to cook and so delicious to eat!
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Chinese takeout is one of my weaknesses in life, and when it comes to fried rice, it’s extra hard to resist!
This easy chicken fried rice recipe is made with fresh veggies and seasoned with ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and fish sauce for a rich and aromatic dish that the whole family will love. Quick to cook and easy to prep, it’s my favorite Friday night fakeaway!
Be sure to try my Beef Fried Rice and Shrimp Fried Rice too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Quick and easy: All made in one skillet on the stovetop, this stir fry rice dish is quick to prep and quick to cook, it’s a great option when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
- Healthier: This homemade chicken fried rice recipe is a much healthier alternative to your usual Chinese restaurant takeout. Lower in sugar and salt and made without soy sauce so it’s gluten-free.
- Make ahead: This is a great dish that can be made ahead of time and is a great option for your weekly meal prep.
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
- Butter: For cooking. Butter adds a nice rich flavor, though you can use oil if you prefer.
- Vegetables: Carrots, onion, frozen peas and green onions.
- Garlic and ginger: Use freshly minced garlic cloves and one-inch pieces ginger for the best flavor.
- Large eggs: Eggs are scrambled and mixed into the other ingredients for a rich flavor.
- Long grain rice: Use cooked and chilled long-grain white rice for the best results but brown rice or cauliflower rice will work as well.
- Chicken: Use cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. I prefer breast, but you can make this recipe with thighs as well. You could also use another protein like pork, ham, shrimp, sausage or beef if you have any leftovers.
- Fish sauce: This adds a salty and umami flavor to make the best chicken fried rice. A few tablespoons soy sauce or tamari sauce can also be used.
- Sesame oil: A little toasted sesame oil adds that nutty flavor that we know and love in Chinese dishes.
How to make chicken fried rice
- Heat 1 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, garlic and ginger to the pan, and season with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute for about 3 – 4 minutes or until the carrots and onion are soft.
- Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet (or set them aside on a plate if your skillet is small), and add an additional 1 Tbsp butter to the other side of the skillet and stir until melted. Add eggs to the empty side of the skillet and scramble them as you cook, stirring occasionally. You don’t want to mix the eggs with the vegetables yet, you want them to be fluffy. When eggs are scrambled, you can mix them with the vegetables in the skillet.
- Add the last 1 Tbsp of butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Immediately add the chilled cooked rice, cooked chicken, fish sauce, sesame oil, and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice.
- Remove the chicken and fried rice from heat. Add the sliced green onions and stir until combined. Serve warm.
What’s the best chicken to use?
Use cooked chicken for this recipe. You can cook up some chicken breasts ahead of time to use, and thighs will work too. For ease, you can use rotisserie chicken or leftover whole roasted chicken. Use any of these recipes to cook the chicken before cubing it to add to the dish:
What’s the best rice to use?
Use cooked and chilled rice for the best results. If possible, plan ahead and make the rice the night before and let it sit in the fridge. As the rice chills it absorbs the moisture and the grains separate rather than clump together. I prefer to use Jasmine rice, but basmati will work well too. Chill the rice for at least a couple of hours.
Can you make it ahead of time?
This easy chicken fried rice with egg is great for make-ahead meals and the leftovers are easily reheated. Once cooked, let the dish cool completely before storing it in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 4 days and can be reheated on the stovetop.
Can you freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze this healthy chicken fried rice once it cools completely. Keep it in an airtight and freezer-safe container in the freezer for about 3 to 4 months for the best texture and taste.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Fried Rice with Chicken
- Make sure that your rice is chilled before using. Ideally make the rice the day before or use leftover rice, at the very minimum chill it for two hours.
- You can easily add in other vegetables to this fried rice and chicken recipe. Mushrooms, red peppers, or even pineapple would make an excellent addition.
- Don’t overcook your vegetables, they should be tender but still have a slight crunch to them when you add in the eggs as they will continue to cook.
More Rice Dishes
If you loved this easy fried rice with chicken recipe, make sure you try some of my other recipes.
Chicken Fried Rice
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Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- salt and pepper
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 4 cups cooked and chilled rice, I prefer jasmine rice
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken, about 1 lb chicken breasts
- 3-4 Tablespoons fish sauce, or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, or more to taste
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, garlic and ginger, and season with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute for about 3 – 4 minutes or until the carrots and onion are soft.
- Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet (or set them aside on a plate if your skillet is small), and add an additional 1 Tbsp butter to the other side of the skillet and stir until melted. Add eggs to the empty side of the skillet and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. You don’t want to mix the eggs with the vegetables yet, you want them to be fluffy. When eggs are scrambled, you can mix them with the vegetables in the skillet.
- Add the last 1 Tbsp of butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Immediately add the chilled rice, cooked chicken, fish sauce, sesame oil, and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice.
- Remove from heat. Add the sliced green onions and stir until combined. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Make sure that your rice is chilled before using. Ideally make the rice the day before, at the very minimum chill it for tow hours.
- You can easily add in other vegetables to this recipe. Mushrooms or bell peppers would make an excellent addition.
- Don’t overcook your vegetables, they should be tender but still have a slight crunch to them when you add in the eggs as they will continue to cook.