Skip the takeout with this one pan chicken fried rice.
Chicken, veggies, and eggs are cooked with rice, and seasoned with garlic and ginger for a quick and easy takeout-style dinner right from your kitchen!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: A perfect balance of savory and slightly sweet with a hint of garlic and soy.
- Skill Level: This beginner-friendly recipe is perfect for using up leftovers and works well with substitutions. It’s an easy one-pan recipe.
- Technique: Use day-old rice for the best chewy, not mushy texture.
- Time-Saver: Use rotisserie chicken and frozen mixed veggies to cut down on prep time.
Ingredient Tips for Chicken Fried Rice
- Chicken: Cooked chicken breasts or thighs make this recipe come together fast. Leftover rotisserie chicken works great, too!
- Rice: Day-old, cold white rice works best because it has the perfect texture for pan frying.
- Vegetables: Peas and carrots add sweet pops of color to chicken fried rice. Use frozen or canned veggies that are drained and rinsed.
- Eggs: Scrambled eggs are a key ingredient in fried rice. You can also add an extra egg and omit the chicken for a vegetarian version.
- Seasonings: Ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil add savory flavors. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce.
Variations
- Tofu, seitan, shrimp, pork, or steak work well in this recipe, too.
- Any kind of rice works; try brown rice or even cauliflower rice for fewer calories and carbs.
- Feel free to add extras like baby corn, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, or edamame. Sliced almonds or chopped peanuts add visual appeal and extra crunch.
- Zest it up with a pinch of red pepper flakes, some sriracha, chili paste, or Thai sweet chili sauce.
Leftovers?
Store leftover chicken fried rice in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Portions can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add them to a cashew chicken stir fry or a hearty, unwrapped wonton soup.
Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to one month.
Take Out Favorites
Did your family love this Chicken Fried Rice? Leave a rating and comment below!
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil, divided
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 4 green onions thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 4 cups cooked white rice cold
- 1 cup cooked chopped chicken or pork or shrimp, optional
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- sesame seeds optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 12-inch wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and salt and cook, breaking up the eggs, just until set. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and the white portion of the green onions. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the mixed vegetables, and cook 2-3 minutes until heated.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the cooked rice. Cook until the rice is slightly crisped and brown, about 7 minutes. Don’t stir too often to allow the rice to brown.
- Once browned, stir in the cooked egg, cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, and half of the green part of the sliced green onion.
- Garnish with the remaining green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Asian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I plan to use snap peas and carrots from the garden do I need to freeze them first or can I put them in after they’ve been washed and cut.
You do not need to freeze them first. Enjoy!
Just want to say that it’s okay to use fresh cooked rice for fried rice. Still taste great!
When cooking eggs, I assume they are chopped up scrambled eggs?
Yes, cooked and chopped scrambled eggs.
What if I don’t have ginger on hand? Anything I can substitute? Have everything else just no ginger.
You can leave the ginger out or use a little bit of dried ginger if you have it. It will change the flavor slightly but still be delicious!
Aw, I love fried rice a lot. Especially, it’s super nice when we can mix many ingredients together.
Tbh, I Just made a big plate yesterday but looking at yours makes me wanna do it again for dinner xD
Let me know how it turns out Natalie!
I am a vegetarian, so this was so easy to make without the meat. I did add some extra soy sauce, and sesame oil, as I really like the flavors! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Love fried rice 1. Can use wild alaskan Pollack don’t have shrimp in the fridge 2. Peas and carrots do have to be frozen
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not, almost any protein is great in fried rice! You’ll want to be very gentle when stirring to make sure it doesn’t break apart and add it towareds the end of cooking. :)
This was delicious and quick! I added ground pork and put the frozen peas in after the cooking was done. They thaw but stay firm♡ adding texture.
That sounds yummy! I would love this with ground pork!
Thought maybe you had a different recipe but pretty much just like I make! I would mention to anyone new to cooking with soy sauce, it will burn easily and quickly! I normally don’t add it until I’ve turned off the heat from my pan.
I really like and enjoy looking through the recipes, I will be making several of the dishes, Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you Tammy! Enjoy!
Want to try this – have some leftover chicken to use up. Just wondered about how much of the chopped chicken to add? Also, do I scramble the egg? And can I use dry ginger or does it have to be fresh? Thank you very much!
I would add about 1 1/2 cups of chicken. I usually just whisk the egg, fry it flat and chop/slice it. If fresh ginger is available, it is definitely the best choice in this recipe. If using dry ginger you will need to reduce the amount you use.
Love fried rice. You are very true when you said you can use whatever rice or quinoa you want and along with your favorite veggies. It’s easy and quick and filling.
Thanks for sharing your recipe for fried rice with us.
Enjoy Sharleen!
Thank you – looks so good
My wife would love this recipe.
My kind of comfort food :D
I love fried rice and can’t wait to make this! Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy Sam!
This looks amazing! Love the flavors and comfort feel to it! :)
I agree, I love anything with garlic and ginger!
I absolutely love fried rice and this looks like a fantastic weeknight meal!
Thank you Rebecca, this is one of our favorite quick weeknight meals!
This recipe will be a hit with my boys. I make a fried rice recipe too but never thought of using day old rice. What a great idea. I will try this soon. Thanks.
Thank you Ali! I hope your boys love it as much as we do!
YUM! Thanks for the fried rice recipe! Looks amazing and I will have to add it to my recipe list for next week. Thanks!!!
Enjoy Becky!
Looks amazing! And as I told you earlier, I have a fried recipe coming up…thankfully it’s different enough than yours is :)
That’s the great thing about fried rice, there are so many yummy ways to make it!