This chicken fried rice is one of my favorite easy dinners! With chicken breast and frozen vegetables, this one pan recipe is a great way to use leftover rice.
Better Than Takeout Chicken Fried Rice For Busy Nights
When I need an easy dinner that my whole family loves, I make this chicken fried rice! It’s quick to make, warm, filling and comforting. Adding chicken to classic Fried Rice brings enough protein to make it a complete meal. I usually keep things simple and serve it with fresh or canned pineapple on the side. You’ll find a few more side dish ideas below.
The key to making great chicken fried rice is to use rice that’s been cooked ahead of time and chilled overnight. As the rice rests in the fridge, the grains dry out and firm up, which helps them stay separate rather than clumping together. When the dried-out rice hits the hot pan, each grain can crisp up and get lightly browned, giving your dish that perfect fried rice texture.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredient list for this recipe is short and simple! Here are a few notes about key ingredients:
- Chicken Breast: You can use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
- Oil: I like to use avocado oil in this recipe because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil, so it’s perfect for stir-frying over high heat.
- Onion and Garlic: For flavor.
- Frozen Peas and Carrots: I use frozen vegetables in this recipe to save time. They’re the perfect size and it saves me some chopping!
- Butter: For scrambling the eggs.
- Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs.
- Cooked, Chilled White Rice: Sometimes I substitute brown rice to boost the fiber and nutrition.
- Soy Sauce: I use low sodium soy sauce to keep the finished dish from being too salty.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds warm, toasty flavor.
- Green Onions: For a pop of fresh, mild onion flavor.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
Cook the chicken: Chop the chicken breast into 3/4-inch pieces and season it with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet, add the chicken and cook for 4-7 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
Cook vegetables: Sauté the onion in a little more oil, then add garlic and the frozen peas and carrots. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add eggs and rice: Move the vegetables to one side of the pan. To the empty side of the pan, add the butter, followed by the eggs. Cook, stirring gently, until the eggs are scrambled. Mix the scrambled eggs into the veggies, then stir in the cooked rice, cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil and green onions. Cook, stirring, until the rice is heated through.
Season with salt, pepper and more soy sauce to taste, as needed. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken Fried Rice
- Use leftover rice or cook it ahead of time and chill it. Chilling overnight is best, but if you forget to plan ahead and only have fresh rice, you can spread it out on a baking sheet and let it cool in the fridge or freezer for 30 to 60 minutes to dry it out a bit.
- Chop the chicken into small similar-sized pieces so that it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Add more soy sauce, salt and/or pepper to your tastes when serving.
What to Serve with Fried Rice
Chicken fried rice can be a meal on its own, or add in one of these simple side dishes:
- Fresh or frozen pineapple. The sweet flavor is the perfect balance to the savory fried rice.
- A crisp Cucumber Salad is a great light side dish.
- Add more veggies to the meal with Sautéed Broccoli or Sautéed Cabbage.
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Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil, or canola or olive oil, divided
- ¾ cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots, do not thaw
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked, chilled white rice*
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into ¾-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, salt and pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cubed chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and fully cooked, about 4-7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
- Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the skillet, followed by the onion. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.¾ cup chopped yellow or white onion
- Add the garlic and frozen peas and carrots and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots
- Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the butter to the empty side of the pan. Once the butter is melted, add the eggs to the butter side of the pan and cook, stirring gently, until scrambled.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 large eggs
- Mix the scrambled eggs into the veggies and then add the cooked rice, cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil and green onions. Cook, stirring, until rice is heated through.3 cups cooked, chilled white rice*, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 3 green onions
- Season with salt, pepper and more soy sauce to taste, if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- 1 cup uncooked rice will yield 3 cups cooked rice. See How to Cook Rice.
- It’s best if the rice is cooked ahead of time and chilled overnight. If you forget to plan ahead and only have fresh rice, you can spread it out on a baking sheet and let it cool in the fridge or freezer for 30 to 60 minutes to dry it out a bit.
