• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

A Pinch of Healthy

Simple, tasty recipes with a healthy twist

Display Search Bar
Follow me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramFollow me on PinterestFollow me on TwitterFollow me on YouTube
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
    • My Cancer Diagnosis
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
    • Resources for Bloggers
    • How I Turned My Food Blog Into a Career
    • Shop My Favorites
      • Favorite Kitchen Goodies
      • Best Mineral Makeup (+Video Demo)
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Salads
    • Basics
    • Desserts
    • Recipe Index
  • Shop
    • My Amazon Store
    • Essential Oils
      • What Are Essential Oils (+ How They Work)
      • Essential Oils Starter Kits
      • New Member Special
      • Best Mineral Makeup (+Video Demo)
Home » Food » Recipes » Main Dishes » Chicken Fried Rice {better than take-out!}

Chicken Fried Rice {better than take-out!}

308355 shares
  • Share786
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Skip the take-out and make this easy chicken fried rice recipe at home. It’s a simple weeknight dinner that’s so budget friendly, and it’s a real crowd-pleaser!

chicken fried rice in a bowl with chopsticks

I used white jasmine rice here because it is my family’s favorite, but feel free to use brown rice. I have done that many times before, and it is equally delicious.

closeup of chicken fried rice

Ingredients

For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.

Ingredients with label text on white surface

To make this easy chicken fried rice recipe you will need the following:

  • cooked jasmine rice
  • boneless skinless chicken breast
  • butter
  • frozen peas and carrots
  • onion
  • green onion
  • garlic
  • eggs
  • Tamari (gluten free) or low-sodium soy sauce
  • toasted sesame oil
  • Salt and black pepper

How to make chicken fried rice

Preheat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 Tablespoon butter to the pan.
Add the chicken, salt and pepper generously, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 6 – 7 minutes.

chicken cooking in a pan

Put the cooked chicken on a clean plate, and set aside.

Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan. Cook the onions, carrots and peas until tender, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook one more minute.

cooking veggies in a pan


Push the veggies aside, and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the pan.

cooking veggies and eggs in a pan

Stir everything together, and add the last 1/2 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and chicken and combine.

cooking chicken fried rice in a pan

Allow the rice to “fry” and get a little toasty by leaving it alone for a minute. Stir everything up, and allow the rice to sort of crisp up again.

Turn off the heat, and add the toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine.

chicken fried rice in a pan

Serve immediately.

chicken fried rice in a bowl with chopsticks

Recipe notes

I make my chicken fried rice with leftover rice. If you are making rice just for this recipe, I’d suggest doing it ahead of time and putting it in the fridge to cool. It just makes the texture of the fried rice better.

Also, can we just talk about sesame oil for a second? Where has this stuff been all my life?! I am using the toasted sesame oil from Trader Joe’s. It is perfection!👌🏻

It gives the chicken fried rice this awesome, authentic flavor. It is what my fried rice has been missing all along.

And let’s talk about butter. You can totally make this recipe with canola oil instead, but let me highly recommend butter!

If you’ve ever been to one of those Japanese steakhouses where they cook in front of you, this will come as no shock to you. There is a reason they use butter. It is truly better.

And I am not using a stick of it a la Paula Deen.😉 I used two tablespoons for the whole dish, which is plenty in my opinion.

Toasted sesame oil is different than regular sesame oil. I use it like a flavorful finisher in this dish. I highly recommend not skipping it.

FAQs

Why do you put eggs in chicken fried rice?

Eggs are part of the traditional recipe. If you don’t like eggs or are allergic, feel free to leave them out.

What kind of rice do Chinese restaurants use for fried rice?

Usually some variety of white rice. White jasmine rice is what is most commonly used, which is what this recipe is using.

Which oil is best for chicken fried rice?

This recipe uses butter for the frying and toasted sesame oil for the finisher (flavoring).

How long is chicken fried rice good for?

Chicken fried rice is good for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container. Reheat leftovers.

Other Copycat Recipes You May Like

I am obsessed with re-creating my favorite restaurant meals in my own kitchen. Here are some of my best copycat recipes.

  • Greek Pasta with Chicken (Taziki’s Friday Special)
  • Greek Red Wine Vinaigrette (Better than Zoe’s)
  • Creamy Jalapeno (Chuy’s Copycat Recipe)
  • Epic Beef Nachos Supreme (Better than Taco Bell)
  • Greek Salad with chicken (Zoe’s Copycat)
  • Copycat Newk’s Favorite Salad
  • Chicken Burrito Bowls (Better than Chipotle)
  • Copycat Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
  • Greek Potato Salad (Zoe’s Copycat)

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.

  • Large skillet or Wok
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

If this recipe looks good to you, please pin it and share it. If you make it, give it a star rating. Or snap a picture and tag me on Instagram.

chicken fried rice in a pan
5 from 13 votes
Print

Chicken Fried Rice

Skip the take-out and make this easy chicken fried rice at home. It’s a simple weeknight dinner that’s so budget friendly, and it’s a real crowd-pleaser!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword chicken fried rice
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 376 kcal
Author Marjorie @ APinchOfHealthy.com

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked jasmine rice preferably left over rice. Brown rice is fine too
  • 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 1/2 Tablespoons tamari (gluten free) or low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
  2. Add 1/2 Tablespoon butter to the pan.
  3. Add the chicken, salt and pepper generously, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 6 – 7 minutes.
  4. Put the cooked chicken on a clean plate, and set aside.
  5. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan.
  6. Cook the onions, carrots and peas until tender, about 4 minutes.
  7. Add the garlic and cook one more minute.
  8. Push the veggies aside, and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the pan.
  9. Stir everything together, and add the last 1/2 tablespoon butter to the pan.
  10. Add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and chicken and combine.
  11. Allow the rice to “fry” and get a little toasty by leaving it alone for a minute.
  12. Stir everything up, and allow the rice to sort of crisp up again.
  13. Turn off the heat, and add the sesame oil.
  14. Stir to combine.
  15. Serve immediately.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

 

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Fried Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 376 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 133mg44%
Sodium 658mg29%
Potassium 445mg13%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 5355IU107%
Vitamin C 9.2mg11%
Calcium 51mg5%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Chicken fried rice originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy September 22, 2016. It has been updated with new photos. Here is what it used to look like.

chicken fried rice in a pan
chicken fried rice on a plate with chopsticks
(Visited 715,325 times, 14 visits today)

Related posts:

  1. One Pot Chicken and Rice
  2. Corned Beef Hash (and eggs!)
  3. Stuffed Sweet Potato (easy, satisfying meal)
  4. Greek Salad with Chicken (Zoe’s Copycat)
308355 shares
  • Share786
  • Yummly

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Betina Jessen says

    October 17, 2022 at 4:50 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I’ve tried over the years to make chicken fried rice and this recipe is Fantastic!! Wow! Thank you! So easy and soo good!

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      October 17, 2022 at 5:47 pm

      Yay Betina! I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.❤️

      Reply
  2. Heather says

    April 14, 2022 at 11:00 pm

    5 stars
    We love this recipe. So easy to make and so good. We’ve even been able to make it when we go camping.

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      April 15, 2022 at 7:58 am

      Woo hoo Heather!🙌🏻 Very happy to hear that.

      Reply
  3. Debbie says

    February 25, 2022 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best fried rice recipe ever! So much better than any restaurant!

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      February 27, 2022 at 11:11 am

      So glad you are enjoying it Debbie!🙌🏻

      Reply
  4. Stacey says

    October 21, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    My family loves this recipe! So much so that I just found out my hubby volunteered me to make a “big crock pot” full for a meal at his work. I’m probably going to have to quadruple (at least) the recipe! If I put it all in my crockpot on warm and send him with some chicken broth to keep it moist, do you think it will be ok?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
  5. Renee says

    September 25, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    I’m out of sesame oil. Is it going to work without it?

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      September 27, 2020 at 7:26 am

      Hi Renee! It will still be good without the sesame oil.👌🏻 Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Mindy says

    August 31, 2020 at 12:37 pm

    What is the Tamari used for?

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      September 3, 2020 at 9:21 am

      Hi Mindy! It is just a gluten free version of soy sauce.👌🏻

      Reply
  7. Diana says

    June 18, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    5 stars
    The only changes I made were 12 green onions instead of 2, and 4 eggs. It was great! Thanks for the recipe and helpful tips for cooking.

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      June 19, 2020 at 7:53 am

      I love that you made it your own. So glad that you enjoyed it!💖

      Reply
  8. Ashley says

    May 12, 2020 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    This is my family’s favorite dinner. If my mother in law hears we are cooking it she just happens to drop by for a visit to see my kids, haha! I make a triple batch and it is gone in 2 days with people that “drop by” for a visit. I did the rice both ways and it definitely does fry better after sitting overnight, so I boil the night before.

    Follow all instructions to the letter and will not make changes!!

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      May 13, 2020 at 6:11 am

      That makes me so happy to hear, Ashley!💖 Thank you for letting me know and taking the time to leave a review.🙏🏻

      Reply
  9. Rose Martine says

    January 30, 2020 at 11:40 pm

    i love chicken. i will definitely try a new one. thanks for the recipe. i will go look around a bit. have a Happy Thanksgiving!! ( :

    Reply
  10. Tammi says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    this recipe is INSANELY DELICIous!!! My boys were reluctant at first, but both asked for seconds! My husband went back for thirds and I said no so I could have it for lunch tomorrow!!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I cannot wait to make it again:)

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      May 14, 2019 at 9:23 am

      Yay Tammi! Thank you so much for taking the time to submit a rating. I am glad y’all enjoyed it!💖

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

I am a home cook, recipe developer, coffee drinker, wife and mom of two. My recipes are simple and tasty. I enjoy lots of fresh, healthy food, plus full treats without guilt. Thanks so much for stopping by! Read more here.

Reader Favorites

  • Tender Air Fryer Chicken Breast RecipeTender Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
  • Air Fryer Baked Potatoes (crispy skin, fluffy middle)Air Fryer Baked Potatoes (crispy skin, fluffy middle)
  • Thai Chicken Lettuce WrapsThai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Footer

Recipes

closeup shot of baked chicken thighs on baking sheet

Baked Chicken Thighs

January 18, 2023

air fryer bratwurst on a plate with veggies

Air Fryer Bratwurst

January 15, 2023

Big bowl of Thai noodle salad

Thai Noodle Salad

January 10, 2023

Styled baked oatmeal in a white casserole dish

Baked Oatmeal

January 4, 2023

Life

All racially diverse hands on deck

I’ll Be Your Ally: A Pledge

June 7, 2020

hands making heart shape together

Silver Linings

April 2, 2020

Ideal weight and weight neutrality

Why I practice weight neutrality

January 30, 2020

Are you sensitive?

Sensitive is my superpower. Is it yours too?

December 17, 2019

Video

The best mineral makeup Savvy Minerals by Young Living

Best Mineral Makeup (+Video Demo)

March 29, 2018

What I Bought at Sprouts (Grocery Haul)

March 14, 2018

What I Bought at Trader Joe’s (Grocery Haul)

March 9, 2018

My Entrepreneur Story

February 28, 2018

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Theme by Once Coupled · Copyright© 2023 · Privacy