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We were snowed in this weekend, which meant I wanted to cook something warm and comforting for supper. But also something easy with minimal cleanup. I made this spicy chicken fried rice that is simply amazing and made in only one skillet. What is so amazing about this recipe is that it combines the spicy flavors of freshly grated ginger, sriracha & chilis. Yes, I added all three of them, and yet the chicken fried rice was not overly spicy. You can adjust the spiciness by adding more or less according to your own liking.
You cook this recipe over medium-high / high heat and you don’t have time to prep your ingredients as you go. Your vegetables may burn and it won’t taste delicious.
Another secret for making a great chicken fried rice is to use cold or chilled rice. Warm rice is more likely to stick together and won’t be as fluffy. Chilled rice will brown better and you will get that nice fried rice texture. If you don’t have any leftover rice or refrigerated rice, you can cook it just before making this recipe and freeze it for 10 – 15 minutes. This is the perfect way to chill rice quicker.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken
- Vegetables: carrots, white onion, green peas, garlic, ginger, green onions
- Eggs
- Rice: cooked and chilled is best, or freeze for 10 – 15 minutes if rice is fresh.
- Condiments: butter, sesame oil, soy sauce (or coconut aminos, fish sauce), sriracha
How To Make Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
- Sauté veggies: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, peas, garlic, and ginger, then season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until soft.
- Cook eggs: Push the veggies to one side of the skillet (or remove them if needed). Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the empty side, let it melt, then scramble the eggs until fluffy. Mix the eggs with the veggies.
- Fry rice: Add the last 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt. Stir in chilled rice, cooked chicken, fish sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and chilis (optional). Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Finish & serve: Remove from heat, stir in green onions, and serve warm.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Prep your ingredients first. Fried rice cooks quickly, so have everything chopped, measured, and ready to go before you start cooking.
- Use a day old rice. Chilled, leftover rice is key! Freshly cooked rice is too moist and can turn mushy. Day-old rice is drier and fries up beautifully.
- Scrabled eggs separately. Cooking the eggs separately keeps them fluffy and ensures they don’t get overmixed with the rice too soon.
- Cook on high heat. High heat helps you achieve that classic, slightly crispy texture. A large wok or skillet works best for even heat distribution. Make sure you don’t burn the vegetables.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding can steam the ingredients instead of frying them. If needed, cook in batches to maintain the right texture.
- Customize the protein. Use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even shrimp, pork, or salmon – whatever you have on hand.
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Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
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Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 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
- 3 Tablespoons sriracha, or more/less to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Sauté veggies: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, peas, garlic, and ginger, then season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until soft.
- Cook eggs: Push the veggies to one side of the skillet (or remove them if needed). Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the empty side, let it melt, then scramble the eggs until fluffy. Mix the eggs with the veggies.
- Fry rice: Add the last 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt. Stir in chilled rice, cooked chicken, fish sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and chilis (optional). Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Finish & serve: Remove from heat, stir in green onions, and serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
Should I attempt to make the rice on the stove ? I use the rice cooker but I notice that it gets a little stuck together after I let it chill.
I don’t think it matters, Jessica. Even if it’s stuck together you can break it up once you cook it in the skillet for the fried rice recipe.
I’ve made fried rice so many times before, and now I can’t wait to implement your cooking technique with the chilled rice. I’m looking forward to seeing the improvement! I’m going to try the fish sauce vs. soy sauce too. Interesting!
Thanks! I am sure it will turn out amazing! 🙂
Great tip on chilling your rice before frying it. I’ve never been happy with my attempts at fried rice, so I’ll try and remember this for next time.
🙂 Let me know how you like it! Thanks for stopping by!
Yes, I love spicy foods! This looks divine!
Thanks, Valentina!