Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice — 🥕🥡🫛 One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, with loads of juicy chicken nestled in seasoned rice along with peas, carrots, and green onions. A true FAVORITE dish!
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Easiest Fried Rice Recipe with Chicken
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make fried rice, this recipe will help you in no time!
- It’s an easy, one-skillet recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and better than takeout. You’ll never be tempted again to eat rice from a white takeout container after trying homemade.
- The chicken is moist and juicy and there are green onions, garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce for layers of flavor.
- My favorites are the bits of scrambled eggs. Fried rice just isn’t fried rice without those coveted bits of eggs that I go searching for and devour those little treasures first.
- I also love the bits of sweet juicy peas, carrots, and optional corn which balance the saltiness from the soy sauce.
- It’s such an easy and healthy weeknight dinner you can whip up in no time and the leftovers are great for lunches!
What Readers Are Saying
It’s not just my family who’s raving about this fried rice recipe that I originally published in 2016. With nearly 800 5-star reviews, this Chinese chicken fried is an ultimate favorite! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This was so delish! It was easy to make, which is a huge bonus for this pregnant mama with 3 other littles. Even my 1 year old really liked this, and she can be so picky! Thank you for this recipe!
Leah
Definitely as good as takeout. I subbed onion and garlic powders and still tasted great!
Kate
This recipe is amazing! Very easy and it actually is better than take out! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Lisa P.
Fun Fact: These are my original photos from 2016 that have inspired thousands of people to make this recipe and I am so proud of that!
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
For this straightforward chicken fried rice recipe, you’ll need:
- Vegetable oil – Or another neutral oil like canola oil. I’ve even used olive oil and it’s fine.
- Sesame oil – This helps give the rice an authentic Chinese rice taste. Look for toasted sesame oil which is how most sesame oil tends to be sold.
- Chicken breasts – I like boneless skinless chicken breasts but if you prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs they will work. See the Flavor Variations section below for more info.
- Frozen peas and carrots – I also like to add some frozen corn like I do in my Shrimp Fried Rice, but it’s optional.
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Eggs – Scrambled eggs are a key element of fried rice and shouldn’t be missed.
- Cooked white rice – For optimal results, use cold rice that’s leftover. To save time, use pre-cooked rice packets if you’re in a rush.
- Soy sauce – I use low-sodium soy sauce and recommend it so the dish doesn’t get too salty.
- Salt and pepper to taste, optional
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
This truly is the BEST fried rice. It’s a straightforward recipe that uses simple ingredients and is easy to customize depending on what you have on hand – more on that below!
Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Add the oils and diced chicken to a large nonstick skillet (or wok, if you’re lucky enough to own one!). Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken to a plate while you stir-fry the veggies.
- To the same skillet, add the peas, carrots, and green onions. Once softened, add the garlic.
- Push the veggies to one side of the skillet, and scramble the eggs on the other side.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, followed by the cooked rice.
- Drizzle everything with soy sauce and cook until everything is heated through. Taste, add to a bowl, and serve!
Recipe Tips
To save time if you don’t have leftover rice on hand or don’t want to cook a batch, use two pouches of ready-to-serve rice. Works like a charm.
If cooking the rice yourself, I highly recommend making it the day before or adding slightly less water than you normally would. You want the rice to be a little dry so it soaks up the soy sauce (but not crunchy, though!). That’s why day-old rice works perfectly for stir-frying!
I don’t even bother thawing the frozen veggies that are mixed into the rice. You can add them straight from the freezer. They’re small and take mere minutes to thaw and soften.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or is the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as needed.
Recipe Variations to Try
Chicken stir-fried rice is a great clean out the fridge meal. Here are some fried rice variations you can try:
- Swap the chicken: Use leftover teriyaki chicken, chicken thighs, ground chicken, or ground turkey instead. Or, use a different protein entirely like diced pieces of ham or crumbled bacon. See the related recipes linked below the recipe card for all of my fried rice recipes! My Beef Fried Rice always hits the spot.
- Use different vegetables: I used a frozen vegetable blend for ease, but you can also shred fresh carrots yourself, finely chop onions, saute mushrooms, add bean sprouts, and more. Chop fresh veggies into bite-sized pieces, and remember that different veggies have different cook times, so adjust the recipe as needed.
- Use a different rice or grain: I use a white long-grain rice to keep this recipe as close to the takeout version as possible, but brown rice or another grain like quinoa would also work. I have a fantastic recipe for Cauliflower Chicken Fried “Rice”.
- Make it vegetarian: Omit the chicken entirely or replace with firm tofu, or smoked tofu would be great here!
- Make it gluten-free: Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free soy sauce or use tamari sauce or liquid aminos instead.
Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, (I've used olive oil too)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas and diced carrots blend, (I don’t thaw and use straight from the freezer; optionally add 1/2 cup frozen corn as well)
- 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 cups cooked rice, (I use white long-grain rice, brown may be substituted. To save time use two 8.8-ounce pouches cooked and ready-to-serve rice)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- salt and pepper, optional and to taste
Instructions
- To a large non-stick skillet or wok, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces.
- Remove chicken with a slotted spoon (allow oils and cooking juices from chicken to remain in skillet) and place chicken on a plate; set aside.
- Add the peas, carrots, optional corn, green onions, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir intermittently. Tip – If you like the flavor of ginger, add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or freshly grated ginger along with the garlic.
- Push vegetables to one side of the skillet, add the eggs to the other side, and cook to scramble, stirring as necessary.
- Add the chicken back in, add the rice, evenly drizzle with soy sauce, and stir to combine, making sure toss and flip the rice so it evenly absorbs the soy sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until chicken and rice are through. Taste, check for seasoning balance, and if desired add the optional salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Flavoring Tips– If the rice is dry, add more soy sauce as desired or until the rice is nicely coated and flavored since rice varies in how dry it is. Cold rice will absorb more soy sauce than freshly made rice. If you want it to have a slight spiciness, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Homemade Fried Rice Recipes:
15-Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fried Rice – Easy HEALTHIER “fried rice” that’s actually baked and not fried!! Full of authentic flavor and ready faster than you can call for takeout!!
Pineapple Fried Rice – A Hawaiian-inspired shrimp fried rice recipe that’s EASY, ready in minutes, and has so much authentic flavor!! A family favorite that’s better-than-takeout!!
Shrimp Fried Rice — There’s garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, and soy sauce for layers of flavor while peas, carrots, corn, and bits of egg add texture!
Skinny Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry — Even people who don’t like cauliflower will be amazed at how authentic and DELICIOUS this SKINNY version of chicken fried rice tastes!
Beef Fried Rice — This better-than-takeout beef fried rice is EASY, ready in 20 MINUTES, and made in ONE skillet! Everyone loves the big juicy strips of steak and perfectly fried rice that’s speckled with bits of onions, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs.
This is the delicious recipe I go to every time. Averie, all the recipes I have tried have been winners. I always look on your site first for a recipe!
Thank you Laura for the 5 star review on this one and for your vote of confidence on my recipes in general. Love to hear they’ve all been winners!
This is wonderful – love it
Thanks, Colleen, and glad it’s a winner for you!
the recipe sound wonderful but diabetic and I would have to change to much of it. Do you have recipes that would be more conducive
Since I’m not sure what you do eat, it’s hard for me to suggest recipes. I have tons of recipes that are protein and vegetable based. Use the searching tools in the header area of my website. There are drop-down menus that you can search that way, or you can type the first few letters of the name of the recipe into the search bar that you would like, such as ‘chicken and broccol’ and so many recipes will pop up for you.
Love this with an extra dab of minced ginger. Cook rice and put in frig before making. Less sticky
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe Donna!
Perfect 👌
Thank you!! 👌🏻
I am not a cook! I made this and it is very GOOD.
Thanks for the 5 star review Jim and glad you nailed it!
My family loved this, first time and every time. So easy to make in my big wok. I used Uncle Ben’s precooked Jasmine rice.
Thanks for the 5 star review JoAnn and glad to hear that your family loves this and that you are having great success with that Uncle Ben’s rice!
I have been making this for my family since the first time this was published … everyone is always happy when I say we are having!
Thank you so much for the five star review and I love hearing that you’ve made this since I first published it! Thank you for your loyalty to this recipe and your support!
My wife and I loved this dish! Very tasty, easy to make and clean up after, definitely our new got-to when we crave fried rice! Can’t wait to try different proteins too!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Dace, and I love hearing that this is your new go-to when you’re craving fried rice! Enjoy the other proteins, too!
absolutely delicious thank you
Oh that’s great to hear it was absolutely delicious!
The result looked good but the taste was still a little bland. I am thinking of mixing in a tablespoon or two of oyster sauce – a so called Asian secret in their cooking. Thoughts or other suggestions?
You could try using regular soy sauce rather than reduced sodium or light soy sauce. You could add oyster sauce, you could just add salt, definitely season to taste. Since all soy sauces and condiments tend to vary brand to brand with exactly how salty they are, you may need to play around with it just a bit for your own preferences.
I love this recipe! I’m an avid Chinese food fan and love making Beef and broccoli, rangoons, and teriyaki chicken. I thought I’d give this a whirl and it was FANTASTIC! My normally picky family wolfed it down and came back for seconds! I’ll definitely be trying some of the variety suggestions like the shrimp version!!! Thanks!
Thanks for the five star review, Tim, and I’m glad you and your family loved this! I have a lot of Asian inspired recipes on my site, including beef and broccoli and teriyaki chicken which I’m linking to so you can check them out if you’re interested!
https://www.averiecooks.com/better-than-takeout-beef-with-broccoli/
https://www.averiecooks.com/15-minute-sheet-pan-beef-broccoli/
https://www.averiecooks.com/better-than-takeout-teriyaki-chicken/
I have made this before and it’s amazing! If I want to use left over teriyaki chicken from the night before, do you add it at the beginning with the oils or at the end? If you add it at the end, do you still start out with the sesame oil and canola oil for the vegetables?
Let the chicken come to room temp, so take it out of the fridge about 20-30 mins prior, and then just add it at the end. I would use both sesame and canola oil for the veggies (maybe scale back a bit on them) and at the end, after you add the chicken, if things look dry, add more oil as desired.
I cook frequently but had never tried fried rice. I looked at several recipes before choosing this one and it was a good choice. Easy and very delicious 😋
Thanks for the 5 star review, Chadwick, and I am glad to hear you chose my recipe and that it turned out to be easy and delicious for you!
Tried this the same day I first saw it. I had no carrots on hand so I used two pouches of stir fried rice. At our age I only used a pinch of onion powder and I did add in some ginger, the dish came out better than restaurants.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Joe, and I’m glad to hear that it came out better than restaurants for you! Love that!
Did the chicken fried rice last night and it was wonderful. Simple and quick. I used chicken thighs and brown rice. Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Matthew, and so glad to hear it was simple, quick, and wonderful!
I have a question I’m making your chkn stir fry tonight when u use the rice can it be made and prepared before? Or do I need to do it right from rice cooker? My Family is happy if I didn’t burn anything. Yea I want to make it right
Yes you can make it before, save it on the counter for a few hours, or make a day or two in advance and refrigerate it, then use it in the recipe. Many people say that you “must” make chicken fried rice w/ leftover (cold and old) rice, although I don’t think it’s absolute – but it’s fine if you do.