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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!
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 leftover strips of beef are good options for 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!
Chicken Fried Rice
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.
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Woohoo it’s not a big deal
Wow, this recipe is easy to understand. I will try to make it at home.
Made this for my wife and I last night, wow what a hit. Thanks for your recipes!!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, John!
Good and easy. Omitted sesame oil bc I didn’t have any.
Delicious. Everyone loved it. I pretended it was a lot of work ;-)
LOL! Your secret is safe with me ;)
Loved the stir fry recipe. Can’t stop eating it ❤️
My Wife and I love the Fried Rice. It easy and very good. I made this for the 3rd Time. The first two times I did not have sesame oil. This time I put the sesame oil in and it makes a big difference . Thank you for the recipe!
This looks really good! Reading through all the comments, you give 3 different replies to how the egg should be cooked, boiled, scrambled then fried! Traditionally it is always mixed, then fried very thinly, then cut into thin strips.
Sorry for the confusion Lesley. I whisk/scramble the egg and pour it into a frying pan. I cook it and then once cooked, I chop it finely.
Have not tried yet but it looks and sounds delicious
Not so quick if you have to use day old cold rice.
Love the fried rice recipe. Quick, easy, and delicious.
Another great recipe that I have made from your website. I must say each one I try turns out great and tastes delicious! Everytime a friend says wow that tastes great..i simply say: go to spendwithpennies!
Thank you for all your hard work!! Your recipes are perfect!!
Thank you Carrie! So happy you are enjoying the recipes at Spend With Pennies!
Beautiful
Wow! I should really try out your recipe It looks great!
Simple, fast, and delicious!!
I have tried several of your recipes and have loved them all. Today was the first time I have ever made fried rice and OMG how easy your recipe was compared to all the others out there. I look forward to my email each day to see what I will find there from you!! Thank you Holly!!!
Aww, thank you so much Paulette! I’m so glad you loved it!
I never did this before and I will use this recipe for all times Chinese Food is my favorite type of food.
Amazing! I can’t stop eating it hehehe…
5+ Stars
We are right there with you Dewa! So delicious.
My husband loves fried rice
Hope he loves this one too Brenda!
This is my go to fried rice recipe. I mostly follow it but after the veggies are added I just push them to the side and cook the scrambled egg in the same pan. I usually cut down on the white rice to 2.5 cups but add the same amount of soy sauce and sesame oil. Great recipe!
That sounds delicious Kim!
is the eggs scrambled, boiled ? etc I want to try this recipe but want to b sure I am doing this right
Hi Mary, they are scrambled and then chopped.