This Chicken Fried Rice recipe makes the perfect easy weeknight meal made with leftover rice, chicken, and fresh or frozen veggies. It’s better than takeout fried rice and it’s on the table in 20 minutes!
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
When it comes to easy weeknight meals, this Chicken Fried Rice recipe is at the top of our list! It’s one of our favourite meals to make because it’s SO quick and simple, it’s kid-friendly, and it calls for ingredients we almost always have on hand already in the fridge and pantry.
Aside from how simple and easy it is, our family loves homemade fried rice because it tastes BETTER than Chinese take-out fried rice and it can be customized to your family’s favourite flavours!
Skip the take-out or delivery and follow our pro tips and tricks for making the BEST fried rice at home in your own kitchen!
It’s best to use cooked rice that has been cooled for a few hours or overnight. This helps the rice maintain shape while being fried. Warm rice would become mushy when used in homemade fried rice, so day-old rice is the best choice.
The variety of rice you use matters – long grain rice varieties like Jasmine rice or Basmati rice are far superior to short grain varieties (like arborio rice, for example) because they soak up less moisture and keep their shape well once cooked.
Pre-chop vegetables and chicken before cooking so everything is ready when it needs to be added to the pan.
Cook the chicken breast, then the veggies and then eggs separately before adding the other ingredients. This helps all the ingredients maintain the proper texture.
Make sure to season the chicken and the veggies while you cook them. This will add layers of flavour to your fried rice.
Don’t crowd the ingredients in the pan or it won’t cook evenly. Cook the ingredients in batches to ensure that everything is evenly coated in seasoning and is cooked properly.
Vegetables release water when cooked so it’s best to cook them before you add the rice and other ingredients so they don’t add too much moisture to the rice.
Cool the rice in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before using it in your fried rice. This gives time for the rice to dry so it won’t be mushy and sticky when you fry it.
Make sure you cook the vegetables separately so you’re able to cook them properly and stop them from cooking when they’re done.
If the vegetables seem too firm, it means they haven’t cooked long enough. Make sure vegetables that need more time to cook are added to the pan first so that all the vegetables will be cooked evenly.
Make sure to season the chicken and the fried rice while it’s cooking. More soy sauce, salt and pepper can be added if the rice seems bland – it all depends on your tastes and preferences.
Use enough oil in the pan when frying the rice and veggies so they don’t stick to the pan and burn. Stirring the rice constantly while frying keeps it from burning to the pan and helps it cook evenly. Be sure to heat the pan to the correct temperature – too hot and your ingredients will burn!
You’ll need these kitchen items on hand to make this chicken fried rice recipe (paid links):
- measuring cups and spoons
- liquid measuring cups
- large knife
- Cutting Board
- wooden cooking utensil
- large skillet or wok
- Garlic Press
To make this chicken fried rice recipe you’ll need these ingredients on hand (paid links):
- 1 large chicken breast (or 1 1/2 cups chopped or shredded pre-cooked chicken)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil substitute with vegetable oil if you don’t have sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or use vegetable oil
- 1 leek thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or add more, to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups day-old rice (we like to use this long grain rice)
- more soy sauce to taste
- sliced green onions for serving
Looking to try something new? Here’s some ideas for how you can make this chicken fried rice according to your tastes!
- Curry Chicken: Add curry powder or curry paste for curry chicken flavour.
- Teriyaki: Substitute some of the soy sauce for Teriyaki sauce for added sweetness.
- Lemon Pepper: Add the zest of a lemon and cracked black pepper for some bright flavours.
- Pineapple: Add in some diced canned pineapple for some Hawaiian flavour.
- Vegetarian: Skip the chicken and add more veggies like peas, extra carrots, bell peppers, and even frozen corn for a colourful and flavourful option.
- Shrimp: Substitute the chicken with shrimp and enjoy our Shrimp Fried Rice recipe!
- Grain-Free Cauliflower: Substitute the rice for cauliflower rice to make this recipe grain-free and low carb!
- Gluten-Free Tamari: Be sure your fried rice is gluten-free by using Tamari instead of soy sauce.
Time needed: 20 minutes
Follow these simple steps to make homemade fried rice!
- Start with cooked rice.
Next time you make rice for dinner alongside a stir fry or curry, make an extra 3 cups or so (1 to 1 1/2 cups uncooked) and freeze it in a freezer bag or airtight container or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Pre-cooked, day-old rice is the best kind to use in this recipe.
- Use pre-cooked chicken, or one chicken breast.
Cut one chicken breast into small pieces, season it, and fry in a little bit of oil until cooked. You can also use pre-cooked chicken leftover from a rotisserie chicken or whatever cooked chicken is kicking around your fridge or freezer.
- Sauté your veggies.
I like using carrots, green onions, celery and leeks in fried rice, but a bag of frozen mixed veggies works great too!
- Add the eggs.
Adding a couple scrambled eggs to fried rice adds some great texture and extra protein!
- Don’t forget the soy sauce.
I like using a low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe because you can add a lot of the soy sauce flavour without making the dish too salty.
Can I make fried rice ahead of time?
Yes, it can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How do I store this chicken fried rice recipe?
Store the fried rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Can this fried rice recipe be frozen?
Yes, it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Do eggs have to be added to make fried rice?
If you’d rather not add eggs, feel free to leave them out of this recipe. In their place you can add some additional chicken, tofu or other protein.
Can I substitute chicken with other meat?
Yes, other meat options include pork loin, ground pork, thinly sliced beef such as sirloin, crispy bacon or smoked sausage. Meat has to be cooked beforehand and cut into bite size pieces.
Is fried rice vegan?
Fried rice can be made vegan without the meat and eggs. Feel free to add tofu or other vegan protein in place of the animal protein.
Is fried rice gluten-free?
It’s is easy to make gluten-free as long as you use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
What kind of rice do you use for Chinese fried rice?
We recommend using long grain rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice for homemade fried rice.
What makes Chinese fried rice taste so good?
Chinese take-out fried rice tastes so good because it usually contains MSG, a flavour enhancer. We like to make sure we use a high-quality soy sauce and other high-quality ingredients to enhance the flavour.
Is fried rice healthy?
It can be healthy because it contains fresh veggies and lean protein. Be sure to use low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium level low.
We hope you enjoy this fried rice recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to use up leftovers? We’d love to know!
More Easy Meal Ideas
- Easy One Pot Pasta Primavera
- Baked Chicken Tenders
- Easy One Pan Lentil Daal Curry
- Easy One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
- Creamy Enchilada One Pot Pasta
- Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
- Skillet French Onion Stuffed Chicken
- Skillet Pesto Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Breasts with White Wine Mushroom Sauce
Looking for MORE Easy meals? Check out this list of 75 Recipes you can make with basic pantry and freezer ingredients to feed your hungry family!
Watch the video below to see exactly how we make this delicious recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on our YouTube channel.
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Chicken Fried Rice
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast (or 1 1/2 cups chopped or shredded pre-cooked chicken)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil substitute with vegetable oil if you don't have sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or use vegetable oil
- 1 leek thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or add more, to taste
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups cooked long grain rice
- more soy sauce to taste
- sliced green onions for serving
Recipe: Instructions
- If you're starting with pre-cooked chicken, simply set it aside to add later. If you're starting with a raw chicken breast, heat your skillet over medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil.
- Cut up the chicken breast into 1-inch sized pieces and season the chicken with some salt and pepper. Cook in the hot skillet until the chicken pieces are golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the sesame oil and coconut oil (or vegetable oil) to the hot skillet.
- Add the sliced leek, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the soy sauce and pepper and stir well.
- Add the eggs into the middle of the pan (push the veggies to the sides of the pan) and scramble them, cooking until they're just cooked through.
- Add the cooked rice and the cooked chicken and stir everything together well over the heat until the rice absorbs the soy sauce and browns slightly.
- Add a little more soy sauce (if desired, to taste), top with some chopped green onions and serve!
Recipe: Notes
Storage Instructions
This recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, making it great for meal prep lunches or dinners.Freezer Instructions
This fried rice freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or bag.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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I wish I could break this down for 2 people. I live alone and can’t eat that much. So many recipes are for 6 or more people.
Hi Donna! You can! In the yellow box, where is the recipe, under Prep&Cook Time you can find ‘Servings’ and you can select if you want it from 1 portion up to 20. That should help!😊
This was so good!! Love the way it so easily came together!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Thanks Amy! Happy to hear that!!
delicious and give me three meals! (I had a double serving the first time – it was so yummy)
I added a little sriracha…
I appreciate your quick and easy and yummy recipes
Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for your feedback 🙂