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.
Easy Chicken & Veggie Fried Rice
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 1/2 cup soy sauce ((preferably low sodium))
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (peeled and minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pinch cayenne (red) pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the Fried Rice
- 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 eggs (whisked)
- 1/2 onion (peeled and diced)
- 3 large carrots (peeled, trimmed, and cut into a small dice)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- sliced green onions ((optional garnish))
Instructions
For the Chicken and Marinade
- Place all the marinade ingredients in a loaf pan or similar size dish and whisk to combine. Cut the chicken into thin slices* (about 1/2" thick and 2" long) and place in the marinade. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed to fully submerge the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.*If marinating the chicken for a lot longer or overnight (up to 24 hours), I'd recommend waiting to cut it into strips after marinading it so the flavor is not too intense.
For the Fried Rice
- Heat your largest skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the eggs and cook just until no longer runny, stirring occasionally, and season with salt and pepper. Immediately transfer the scrambled egg to a clean plate and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, while stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 2 or 3 minutes.
- Move the carrots and onions over to one side and then use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the marinade (be sure to RESERVE THE MARINADE, and slice the chicken if it hasn't been done already) and add it to the pan. It's okay if some of the marinade goes into the pan with it. Cook while stirring occasionally until the chicken starts to brown and is done all the way through (no longer pink in the middle), 4 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the remaining marinade to a small pot and bring to a boil. Keep at a light boil for 3 to 5 mintues to kill the bacteria from the chicken.
- Add the frozen peas (no need to defrost), cooked rice, boiled marinade, and scrambled eggs to the pan with the veggies and chicken, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taaste, garnish with sliced green onions if desired, and serve.
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