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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dinner Recipes / Asian Dinner Recipes / Easy Chicken Fried Rice (Better than Takeout!)

Easy Chicken Fried Rice (Better than Takeout!)

March 31, 2020 By Alia 2 Comments

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

This easy Chinese Chicken Fried Rice recipe is the best ever! It tastes even better than takeout and is ready to eat in just 20 minutes. Learn how to make homemade chicken fried rice with this quick, restaurant-style recipe.
 Close-up overhead view of a bowl of Chinese Chicken Fried Rice with chopsticks on the side on a neutral background. 
This chicken fried rice recipe is one you need to add to your regular dinner rotation, because it is bursting with flavor and is one the whole family will love. โ€‹In addition, it is so simple to make and uses common ingredients that you probably already have on hand in your kitchen.

Not only does this recipe taste better than takeout, it takes less time to make than your favorite Chinese restaurant takes to deliver. Now you can toss those takeout menus and make perfect fried rice in the comfort of your own kitchen, in no time at all.

Tips for Making Chinese Fried Rice

Here are a few important pointers I have learned with time about how to make the best fried rice:

  • Use cold, cooked rice: The key to making perfect fried rice is using leftover, refrigerated rice. This is because chilled (preferably day-old) rice will separate nicely and wonโ€™t clump together in the pan. A freshly-cooked batch of warm rice will not fry well when it hits the hot pan, and will result in mushy clumps.
  • Use long-grain, white rice: It cooks up fluffy and not sticky, with individual grains remaining distinct and firm. I find that Jasmine or Basmati rice gives the best consistency, fragrance, and flavor.
  • Use a wok or large skillet: You want to use a pan that seems large for the amount of rice and other ingredients you are using. This allows the ingredients in the pan to heat up quickly and evenly. It also gives you plenty of room to toss everything together without anything falling out of the pan.
  • Use butter: Japanese steakhouses use a big pat of butter when theyโ€™re making fried rice for good reason. Using butter (rather than oil) makes the rice brown up perfectly and just makes everything taste so much better.

Close-up overhead view of a skillet of Chinese Chicken Fried Rice on a neutral background.

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients

To make this homemade chicken fried rice recipe, you will need:

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: They add protein and flavor to this dish. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead. I recommend using organic, pasture-raised chicken whenever possible.
  • Yellow onions, carrots, peas, green beans, and corn: This is the base mix of vegetables that I used to make this recipe, but feel free to substitute any other stir-fry vegetables you have on hand.
  • Garlic, ginger, and green onions: These three ingredients are collectively known as the holy trinity of Chinese cuisine. They are used to build a solid foundation of flavors and aromas in Chinese-style meals. 
  • Cooked, chilled rice: Make sure your rice has been cooked in advance and thoroughly chilled in the fridge in a sealed container. As I said before, freshly-cooked rice will not work well in this recipe.
  • Eggs: These add a good dose of protein, as well as flavor and texture. If possible, you should use organic, pasture-raised eggs for maximum health benefits.
  • Tamari: This is gluten-free soy sauce. I recommend always purchasing high-quality organic tamari and soy sauce. Soybeans are one of the top GMO and pesticide-laden crops, so itโ€™s worth spending the extra money on organic.
  • Sriracha: This spicy sauce adds a good amount of heat without overpowering the rest of the flavors in the dish.
  • Butter: Again, butter just makes everything better. I recommend using grass-fed butter if you can.

Click here to learn more about my favorite healthy products and resources!

How to Make Homemade Chicken Fried Rice

This recipe is prepared in stages so that everything gets cooked perfectly. Here are the basic steps to make this easy chicken fried rice recipe (full instructions included in the recipe below, as always):

  1. Cook the chicken: Start by sauteing the chicken pieces in some butter and then set aside once cooked through. This is done so that the chicken doesn’t overcook while the rest of the ingredients are in the pan.
  2. Saute the veggies & eggs: Next, cook the vegetables and aromatics in the last bit of butter until tender. Then push them to one side of the pan and cook the eggs on the other side.
  3. Stir-fry the rice, sauces & chicken: Then add the rice, tamari, Sriracha, and cooked chicken. Stir-fry the mixture for a couple minutes to pull all the flavors together.
  4. Garnish and serve: Finally, sprinkle some sliced green onions over top and serve up your rice.

That’s it! ๐Ÿ™‚

Overhead view of a bowl of Chinese Chicken Fried Rice with chopsticks on the side on a neutral background.

More Takeout-Style Recipes to Try

Interested in cooking more takeout-fakeout meals? Here are a few of my favorite takeout-style recipes on the blog:

  • Ground Beef Bulgogi
  • Chinese Pineapple Fried Rice
  • Simple Sesame Noodles
  • Honey Teriyaki Chicken
  • The Best Fried Rice

For this Chinese Fried Rice Recipe, I recommend:

Here are some kitchen tools that will make prepping the ingredients in this recipe an absolute breeze:

  • Ultra Chef Express Food Chopper โ€“ This is one of my most-used kitchen tools. I use mine all the time to quickly chop up vegetables. I especially love using it to dice onions, because it saves me from all the tears!
  • OXO Stainless Steel Scraper โ€“ I purchased a bench scraper after seeing them being used on my favorite cooking shows. It is SUCH a handy tool for scraping up and transferring chopped food from the cutting board into the pan.

If you make this Chinese Chicken Fried Rice recipe, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating โ˜… below, because I love hearing from you! ๐Ÿ™‚

Close-up overhead view of a bowl of Chinese Chicken Fried Rice with chopsticks on the side on a neutral background.

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice (Better than Takeout!)

This easy Chinese Chicken Fried Rice recipe is the best ever! It tastes even better than takeout and is ready to eat in 20 minutes.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Best Fried Rice, Chicken Fried Rice, Chinese Fried Rice
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 444kcal
Author: Alia | Everyday Easy Eats

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • 2 tablespoons organic tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a wok or a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a separate bowl.
  • Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the onion and frozen vegetables. Cook for 4 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute further until fragrant.
  • Push all of the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the eggs to the other side and scramble constantly until cooked through.
  • Add the cooked rice, tamari, Sriracha, and chicken to the pan. Stir-fry mixture for 2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with green onions and serve warm.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5009IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under: Asian Dinner Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Easyfoodsmith says

    April 1, 2020 at 3:39 am

    5 stars
    Love meals that are healthy, delicious and come together easily.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      April 1, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      Me too! Thanks for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

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