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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dinner Recipes / Asian Dinner Recipes / The BEST Chinese Fried Rice (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)

The BEST Chinese Fried Rice (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)

June 30, 2016 By Alia 34 Comments

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Chinese Fried Rice collage with title text overlay.

This restaurant-style Chinese Fried Rice recipe is the best ever! It tastes even better than takeout and is ready to eat in just 15 minutes! Keep reading to learn how to make homemade fried rice with this easy, classic recipe.

Side view of Chinese Fried Rice in a white plate on a dark background.

Better-than-Takeout Fried Rice

You will want to add this easy fried rice recipe to your regular dinner rotation, because it is super flavorful and is ready to eat in mere minutes. It is a fast meal because it not only cooks quickly, but it also requires a very minimal amount of prep. You probably already have most of the ingredients on-hand in your kitchen too.

I bet you could make this dish in less time than it would take to get takeout. Plus, with such fantastic flavor and the fact that you know exactly what’s going into it, who needs takeout anyway? Now you can toss those takeout menus and make perfect fried rice in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Tips for Making Fried Rice

Here are a few important things I have learned over the years about how to make the best fried rice:

  • Use cold, cooked rice: The key to making perfect Chinese fried rice is using leftover, refrigerated rice. This is because chilled (preferably day-old) rice will separate nicely and won’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 butter: Japanese steakhouses use a big pat of butter when they’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.
  • 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.

Close-up overhead view of Chinese Fried Rice in a white plate on a dark background.

Chinese Fried Rice Ingredients

Okay, let’s talk ingredients. To make this homemade fried rice recipe, you will need:

  • 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.
  • Onions, carrots, peas, and green onions: This is the base mix of vegetables that I always use for fried rice, but feel free to substitute any other stir-fry vegetables you have on hand.
  • Garlic and ginger: Always use freshly-minced/grated for the best flavor.
  • 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 essentially 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 it’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 Fried Rice

This recipe is prepared in stages so that everything gets cooked perfectly. To make homemade fried rice recipe, simply:

  1. Saute the veggies: Start by cooking the vegetables and aromatics in a bit of butter until tender.
  2. Cook the eggs: Push the veggies to one side of the pan. On the cleared side, scramble up the eggs in the last bit of butter. Then, stir to combine everything together.
  3. Stir-fry the rice and sauces: Next, add the rice, tamari and Sriracha. Stir-fry the mixture for a couple of minutes to pull all the flavors together.
  4. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with some sliced green onions over top the fried rice, then serve it up nice and warm.

Overhead view of Chinese Fried Rice in a white plate on a dark background.

Chinese Fried Rice Variations

There are so different ways to make fried rice, so I encourage you to experiment with other ingredients you have on hand. Here are some ideas:

  • Tofu Fried Rice: Drain a package of firm tofu and dice into cubes. Pan-fry and then mix it into your rice.
  • Pineapple Fried Rice: Canned or fresh pineapple can be traditional in Chinese or Thai fried rice. Just dice and stir it in to combine.
  • Kimchi Fried Rice: Kimchi adds an incredible flavor boost to fried rice. Just chop and mix it in your fried rice.
  • Chicken Fried Rice: Cook a couple of chicken breasts in a pan. Then shred or dice and add it to your fried rice. For a shortcut, use leftover or rotisserie chicken.
  • Shrimp Fried Rice: Pan-fry a pound of peeled, raw shrimp and then stir it into your fried rice.
  • Pork Fried Rice: Cook a boneless pork chop in a pan, then dice and add to your rice.
  • Beef Fried Rice: Sauté steak or brown ground beef in a pan, then crumble or dice and add to your fried rice.

More Takeout-Style Recipes to Try

Here are a few of my favorite takeout-inspired recipes on the blog:

  • Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
  • Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi
  • Pineapple Coconut Rice
  • Healthy Teriyaki Chicken
  • Easy Sesame Noodles

For this Chinese Fried Rice Recipe, I recommend:

Finally, here are some tools that will make prepping the ingredients in this recipe an absolute breeze:

  • Ultra Chef Express Food Chopper – 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 – 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 easy Chinese Fried Rice recipe, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating ★ below, because I love hearing from you! ♡

Easy Chinese Fried Rice Recipe | EverydayEasyEats.com

The BEST Chinese Fried Rice (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)

Alia | Everyday Easy Eats
This restaurant-style Chinese Fried Rice recipe is the best ever! It tastes even better than takeout and is ready to eat in just 15 minutes!
4.5 from 22 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Main, Side
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings
Calories 284 calories

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups cold cooked rice
  • 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a wok or large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and peas. Cook for 4 minutes, until the onions and carrots are softened.
  • Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute further until fragrant.
  • Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter on the other side, then add the eggs and scramble until cooked through. Stir to combine with the vegetables.
  • Add the cooked rice, tamari, and Sriracha and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Notes

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

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
The BEST Chinese Fried Rice (Easy 15-Minute Recipe)
Amount per Serving
Calories
284
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
97
mg
32
%
Sodium
 
662
mg
29
%
Potassium
 
302
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
 
43
g
14
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
5591
IU
112
%
Vitamin C
 
14
mg
17
%
Calcium
 
56
mg
6
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Best Fried Rice, Chinese Fried Rice, Fried Rice
Did you try this recipe?Let me know what you thought!

© Everyday Easy Eats. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use any of my recipes, text or images without prior permission.

Easy, 15-Minute Chinese Fried Rice Recipe | EverydayEasyEats.com

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Filed Under: Asian Dinner Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patrick McCowan says

    October 5, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Alia,
    I appreciate your comments before the recipe. This is information is as educational as it is useful. Great photos, too. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
    Thanks,
    Pat

    Reply
    • Alia says

      October 5, 2016 at 12:57 pm

      Hi Patrick, thank you so much for your kind words! I always try to include as much helpful information as I can with my recipes. I am so glad you find it useful! Thank you for your compliment about my photos too. I hope you enjoy the recipe, you will have to let me know how it turns out! Take care!! 🙂

      Reply
    • Karen says

      February 2, 2020 at 12:31 am

      What type of rice do you use?

      Reply
      • Alia says

        February 8, 2020 at 8:11 pm

        Hi Karen! I usually use Jasmine rice, but any type of medium to long grain rice will work well in this recipe.

        Reply
  2. Beth says

    October 29, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    4 stars
    Thanks for the recipe. I made it today and it was simple and good.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      October 29, 2017 at 11:07 pm

      Hi Beth, you’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Rachelrcurry143 says

    December 8, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    5 stars
    Made it for lunch with leftover chicken. Better than any take out. THANK YOU for a simple and delicious receipe.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      December 9, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      Hi Rachel!! You’re very welcome! 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind words, I’m happy you liked the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Kaushiki Dwivedi says

    January 5, 2018 at 11:48 am

    4 stars
    What is Sri raha??

    Reply
    • Alia says

      January 5, 2018 at 10:02 pm

      Hi Kaushiki! Sriracha is a type of hot sauce or chili sauce. You should be able to find it at most grocery stores as well as online! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Virginia carr says

    January 19, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    5 stars
    I’m going to try this recipe it looks delicious simple and easy

    Reply
    • Alia says

      January 19, 2018 at 8:46 pm

      Hi Virginia! You should definitely try it, and then let me know what you think! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Libby says

    January 26, 2018 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight, so happy I decided to try this one… never make another one. ?thank you for sharing your talent.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      January 26, 2018 at 10:45 pm

      Hi Libby! I’m so happy you tried it too! You’re very welcome!! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Melanie says

    January 29, 2018 at 11:04 am

    If I have raw chicken tenders when should I add it.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      January 29, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Hi Melanie! I recommend cooking the chicken tenders before you make the fried rice. First cut up the chicken into small cubes and add a little bit of oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan and cook for a few minutes until it is cooked through. Then transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside. Then you can make the recipe as it is written and add the chicken back to the fried rice at the very end. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Phyllis says

    March 12, 2018 at 5:57 pm

    What else could I use besides sirarcha?

    Reply
    • Alia says

      March 12, 2018 at 11:28 pm

      Hi Phyllis! You can use any other Asian chili sauce, like sambal oelek chili paste. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Terry says

    August 18, 2018 at 10:32 pm

    4 stars
    Making It Now. Fingers Crossed.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      August 19, 2018 at 2:34 pm

      Yay! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Nathalie says

    October 26, 2019 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    I’m trying this for dinner tonight. It looks delicious

    Reply
    • Alia says

      October 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm

      Hi Nathalie! Yay! Let me know what you think! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Patricia says

    January 8, 2020 at 12:16 pm

    Can I use frozen carrots and peas

    Reply
    • Alia says

      January 18, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      Hi Patricia! Absolutely! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Barbara says

    April 19, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    Made this recipe sent it to my daughter she made it too its easy taste great and I think its a recipe everyone will like.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      April 19, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      Hi Barbara! Yay I am so glad you and your daughter liked the recipe! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Isabel Aaronson says

    September 6, 2020 at 11:06 am

    3 stars
    This recipe makes it look very straightforward! However, one thing I will add is mung bean sprouts, stir-fried in during just the last minute or so. I am old enough to remember when fried rice in restaurants always included crunchy bean sprouts – before everyone got scared off them, as they don’t keep well. Also lots of room for variations! I’ve always used peanut oil – did not realize butter could make a difference – will try next time.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      September 9, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      Hi Isabel, thank you for your suggestions – they sound delicious! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Janice Cuddington says

    September 23, 2020 at 10:38 am

    5 stars
    My favorite fried rice recipe! It is so tasty and easy.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      September 23, 2020 at 7:13 pm

      Hi Janice! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you liked the recipe!

      Reply
  15. Aman Kang says

    September 27, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    I cooked this today. The whole family loved it.

    Reply
    • Alia says

      September 27, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Hi Aman! Yay! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the fried rice. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Laurie Rasor says

    July 23, 2021 at 6:49 pm

    5 stars
    Have A Good Day

    Reply
    • Alia says

      July 23, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      Thanks, you too!!

      Reply

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Hi! My name is Alia and I am the founder and author of Everyday Easy Eats.

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