I had not made fried rice in a long time (you know how you just sometimes forget about yummy things?), but I recently decided to make it as a side dish. I was not expecting my girls to not only gobble it down but fight over the leftovers the next day! So, I thought to myself, I’ve got to make this into a whole one-dish meal … and here it is, chicken fried rice with veggies!
The Secret to Flavorful Chicken Fried Rice
Here’s the secret though: instead of making a separate sauce to flavor the fried rice at the end like other recipes, you actually use all that yummy goodness to marinate the chicken in before getting started. It’s oh. so. good! And it may even be my 16-year-old’s new favorite meal. It’s even great leftover heated up and placed in a Thermos for lunch at school, work, or on the go. I’m definitely not going to forget about this one again anytime soon!
Can I Add Other Protein?
Yes, if you aren’t a fan of chicken feel free to use steak or shrimp for this recipe. You’ll just have to adjust some of the cooking times for the meat.
Featured Comment
It was a HUGE hit with all three of my kids! Thank you for this recipe. It is in regular rotation and gets rave reviews every time!
Why Does Fried Rice Include Egg?
When you order from your favorite take-out restaurant you’ll notice they usually add egg in the chicken fried rice. Not only does it add extra protein, but it gives it a delicious richness, too.
Can This Recipe be Frozen for Later?
Yes. You can store it in an air-tight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, simply thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it up in the microwave or stovetop.
I’ve got three teenagers and it’s nearly impossible to make something for dinner that pleases them all on the same night. I made this bc it sounded wonderful to me (sometimes mom has to come first!!) and it was a HUGE hit with all three of my kids! Thank you for this recipe. It is in regular rotation and gets rave reviews every time!
Glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! – Nicole
My kids like it! I find that there’s too much sauce for me. I prefer drier fried rice. I recommend using only half the marinade when you add it to the rice. Otherwise it tastes great and we made it with shrimp instead of chicken.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you still enjoyed it, and adding shrimp sounds great! – Nicole
Oh this looks so yummy. We are always on the lookout for healthy and easy recipes when we travel in our motorhome. We will keep this in mind when we head out on our next roadtrip.
How much dry rice equals 4 cups of cooked?
For brown rice, it usually doubles. So 4 cups of dry rice will be about 8 cups cooked. – Nicole
It looks great! Thanks! I will sure for my kids and to take away! Can I ask you what you do with the left over marinade after boiling it, please? Thanks a lot!
Let us know how everyone likes it. Step 5 says to add the boiled marinade in with everything. – Nicole