Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice is simply a meal my husband and I really enjoy. Rice, scrambled eggs, peas, carrots, and onion come together with sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar for a filling homemade dinner.
We like ours with bite-size pieces of chicken breast cooked in a little olive oil and Mrs. Dash seasoning. Chicken is our choice, but you can also make this with shrimp, beef, pork, or another meat you prefer.
A Simple Dinner We Enjoy
This Chicken Fried Rice brings rice, vegetables, eggs, and seasoned chicken together in one filling meal. A batch makes approximately six to eight main-dish servings, depending on how generously you fill each bowl.
There’s room to choose how you prepare the chicken, so you can follow our method or use cooked chicken you already have available. You can also change the protein to suit your taste.
Start With the Rice
This recipe uses one pound of dry rice, cooked before it goes into the pan with the vegetables and eggs. That means one pound measured before cooking, rather than one pound of cooked rice.
Use your preferred method to prepare it. Follow the directions for the rice you choose, and avoid overcooking it so it holds its shape when everything is stirred together.
You can use freshly cooked rice, but I’ve found that we prefer the texture when I cook it the day before.
Why I Like Refrigerating the Rice Overnight
Once the rice is done, I fluff it, then refrigerate it overnight. The next day, I add the cold rice directly to the cooked vegetables and eggs and heat everything together.
I find this gives the rice a firmer texture that my husband and I enjoy more. It also lets me finish one part of the meal ahead of time.
For this method, divide the freshly cooked rice into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly rather than leaving it on the counter to cool completely. Cover once chilled and keep refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble the fried rice.
The cold rice may form a few clumps. Gently break those apart as you stir it into the vegetable mixture so it heats evenly.
How We Prepare the Chicken
For one batch, I use approximately two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast. My husband and I prefer it cut into bite-size pieces rather than shredded.
I cook the pieces in a frying pan with a little olive oil and Mrs. Dash seasoning. Once the chicken is cooked through, it’s ready to combine with the rice mixture.
This gives us pieces of seasoned chicken throughout the finished dish without needing to cook a whole chicken first.
Other Chicken Options
You can prepare the chicken another way if that works better for you. A store-bought rotisserie chicken is a convenient option. Remove the meat from the bones and cut or shred it before adding it to the rice.
You can also simmer a whole chicken until cooked and tender, then remove the meat carefully, checking for small bones and gristle.
Another option is to slow cook chicken breasts with your preferred seasonings, then shred the cooked meat. Each method gives the finished dish a slightly different texture and flavor.
Whatever method you choose, the chicken should be fully cooked before it is combined with the rice mixture.
Try Shrimp, Beef, or Pork
Although I make this as Chicken Fried Rice, you can substitute shrimp, beef, pork, or another meat you enjoy. Keep the rice, vegetables, and eggs as the base, then choose the protein and seasonings you prefer.
Cut beef or pork into small pieces so it mixes easily throughout the rice. For shrimp, peel and remove the tails before adding it to the finished dish.
Cook your chosen meat or seafood separately until done, then combine it with the rice mixture near the end. Cooking times will vary with the protein you use, so follow a method appropriate for that ingredient.
It’s an easy way to make a different version of the same meal without changing the whole recipe.
Cook the Onion and Vegetables First
Use a very large pan or pot so you have enough room to stir the cooked rice without spilling.
Start by sautéing the chopped onion in sesame oil until translucent. Add the frozen peas and carrots, then continue cooking until the vegetables are hot.
The frozen vegetable mix keeps preparation simple. There’s no need to peel and dice carrots or measure the peas separately.
Scramble the Eggs in the Same Pan
Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add the butter to the cleared space. Once it melts, add the eggs and scramble them until cooked.
Break the eggs into small pieces as you stir. Then combine them with the vegetables before adding the rice.
This keeps the vegetable-and-rice portion of the recipe in one pan and spreads the scrambled eggs throughout the finished dish.
Bring Everything Together
Add the rice to the cooked vegetables and eggs. If you prepared it the day before, add it cold from the refrigerator.
Stir over medium heat, gently breaking apart any rice clumps and reaching along the bottom of the pan to help prevent sticking. Continue until the rice, vegetables, and eggs are thoroughly heated.
Remove from the heat before adding the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Stir thoroughly so the seasonings are distributed throughout the rice.
Finally, add the cooked chicken or your chosen substitute and mix everything together. If needed, return the pan to the heat and stir until the entire dish is hot before serving.
Make It Work for Your Kitchen
This is a straightforward meal with a few choices along the way. You can prepare the rice a day ahead for the firmer texture we prefer, or cook it the same day if that fits your schedule better.
Our favorite is the bite-size chicken breast version, but rotisserie chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork gives you other options to suit what you have on hand.
Serve it as a main meal, with the rice, vegetables, eggs, and your chosen protein all together in each bowl.
More From My Kitchen
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Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preparing the Rice
- Cook the rice using your preferred method, following the package directions. Avoid overcooking.
- Use the rice freshly cooked, or prepare it the day before for a firmer texture. To prepare ahead, fluff the cooked rice, divide into shallow containers, and refrigerate promptly. Cover once chilled and refrigerate overnight.
- Cooking the Chicken
- Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bite-size chicken pieces and season with Mrs. Dash to taste.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Cook in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Set aside while preparing the rice mixture.
- Cooking the Vegetables and Eggs
- Heat the sesame oil in a very large skillet or wide pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the frozen peas and carrots. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are hot.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the butter to the cleared space.
- Once the butter has melted, add the eggs. Scramble until cooked, breaking them into small pieces. Stir the eggs into the vegetables.
- Finishing the Fried Rice
- Add the cooked rice. If refrigerated overnight, add it cold directly from the refrigerator.
- Stir frequently over medium heat, gently breaking apart any clumps, until the rice, vegetables, and eggs are thoroughly heated.
- Remove from the heat. Add the soy sauce and rice vinegar, stirring until evenly combined.
- Add the cooked chicken and stir to distribute throughout. Return to the heat if needed until the entire dish is hot. Serve.
