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!
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.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.
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.
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.
Push the veggies aside, and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the 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.
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.
Serve immediately.
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
Eggs are part of the traditional recipe. If you don’t like eggs or are allergic, feel free to leave them out.
Usually some variety of white rice. White jasmine rice is what is most commonly used, which is what this recipe is using.
This recipe uses butter for the frying and toasted sesame oil for the finisher (flavoring).
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.
Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
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Chicken Fried Rice
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Push the veggies aside, and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the 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.
- 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 sesame oil.
- Stir to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
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.
Ronny M says
This is the best fried rice recipe ever! So much better than any restaurant!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So glad to hear that Ronny!!