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, and loads of juicy chicken!!
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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 flimsy 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.
It’s such an easy and healthy weeknight dinner you can whip up in no time and the leftovers are great for lunches!
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
For this straightforward chicken fried rice recipe, you’ll need:
- Vegetable oil (or another neutral oil like canola oil)
- Sesame oil
- Chicken breasts
- Frozen peas and carrots
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Cooked white rice (use pre-cooked rice packets if you’re in a rush)
- Soy sauce (I use low-sodium soy sauce)
- 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 in a bit!).
Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Add the oils and diced chicken to a large 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.
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 peas and carrot blend that’s mixed into the rice. You can add the veggies straight to the skillet!
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 chicken thighs, ground chicken, or ground turkey instead. Or, use a different protein entirely (see the related recipes linked below the recipe card for all of my fried rice recipes!).
- Use different vegetables: I used a frozen vegetable blend for ease, but you can also shred fresh carrots yourself, finely chop onions, etc. to add to the pan. Pretty much anything will work! 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.
- Make it vegetarian: Omit the chicken entirely or replace with firm tofu (smoked tofu would be great here!).
- Make it gluten-free: Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free soy sauce or use tamari sauce instead.
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Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- ¾ to 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
- 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 or 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, 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.
- 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, rice, evenly drizzle with soy sauce, optional salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until chicken is reheated through.
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.
After cooking and removing chicken as described, add cold pre-cooked rice to remaining oils in pan. Flatten into single layer and Do. Not. Stir. When bottom of rice is golden/brown, flip and fry other side. Then follow recipe w veggies, eggs, final mix w soy sauce. This is chicken FRIED rice. I use Presto 14” by 9” electric skillet w high sides at 375*.
Easy and delicious. The sesame oil is so important for an authentic flavour. I usually make one pan with chicken, and a second pan with tofu for my vegetarian daughter. The leftovers are great, too!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was easy and delicious! I agree about the sesame oil for the authenticity. Wonderful of you to make it with tofu, too, for your vegetarian daughter!
An amazing one wok meal!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out amazing! One skillet/wok is always my fave kind of recipe!
1st time making chicken fried rice and it was wonderful and a hit with my whole family! Perfect way to use the last chicken breast in the bag and to try something new during this time of cooking at home a lot!
Glad this was a hit with your whole family!
My first time making chicken fried rice and it was a total hit with the family and so easy!! Will def make it again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will definitely make it again!
Thanks for the recipe it was delicious now I need a good recipe for beef and broccoli and can leave the takeout in the dust.
Glad you loved it!
Here I’ve got two for you
https://www.averiecooks.com/15-minute-sheet-pan-beef-broccoli/
https://www.averiecooks.com/better-than-takeout-beef-with-broccoli/
I made this last night! I feel liberated from the $10 per order for take out fried rice! It was easy, delicious and will be on our menu for years to come! I’m going to need to try it with riced cauliflower as I am diabetic but sometimes you just gotta have the real thing!! This is definitely my go to recipe!! When my family is all together again I’ll make it
For the whole clan! Lots of thumbs up!
I am glad to hear that you feel liberated and that this will be on your menu for years to come!
I have a cauliflower rice version https://www.averiecooks.com/skinny-chicken-fried-cauliflower-rice/
Good recipe but fresh cooked rice will not work. I actually waited 3 hours after I cooked my rice to make this recipe. Also would recommend stir frying the rice with butter prior to adding it to the veggies.
I make it all the time with fresh cooked rice and others do too. It does work. Maybe it’s not ‘as perfect’ as if you wait a bit but sometimes there just isn’t the time to wait.
I have never added butter to the rice in this dish. Everyone has their own method for doing things though of course.
You are right Averie. It does work, just not as well as if it was cooked the day before. I guess I was setting the bar really high considering all the 5 star ratings. For a quick meal it works well. I would recommend it and it had a great flavor. Would be happy to amend my rating if there is a way to do so.
Made this last night. Super easy and is absolutely delicious. Thanks for Sharing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was super easy and delicious!
I made this and it was delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was delicious!
Delicious!!! I added an additional 3 TBSP’s of soy sauce though. Anyway, thank you so much for posting this tasty dinner. My husband and 3 boys loved it.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was delicious! With soy sauce, yes, always add to your liking and to how things look, i.e if they’re a little dry or it just needs more, always go with your gut instinct on that, good call.
Used Tofu & fresh veggies & it was delicious!!! Looking forward to trying other recipes! Thank you!! 😊
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was delicious with tofu!
Made this tonight for my Husband’s birthday dinner!! Delicious and our bowls were empty!! Can’t wait to add some shrimp next time!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it and will try adding some shrimp next time!
https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-better-takeout-shrimp-fried-rice/
Made it tonight! Excellent! Substituted broccoli and fresh carrots for frozen peas/carrots. Definitely a hit!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was definitely a hit!
Made this recipe tonight best fried rice I’ve ever made thank you so much for it.
Glad it’s the best fried rice you’ve ever made!
Followed recipe and it was great. Thanks for sharing, it’s a keeper!
I forgot to do my rating, 5+ stars for me. Excellent recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out excellently for you!
Just had it with my husband and 2 teenagers and they loved it thank goodness I can make something everyone eat.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a family-approved meal! Love it when everyone can agree!