This chicken fried rice recipe is so tasty and full of delicious flavors! This easy 30-minute recipe is cooked in one skillet. The chicken and vegetables have the perfect texture. This recipe tastes just like takeout, but it is made with much healthier ingredients. It is a quick midweek dinner option. The whole family will love it!
For other easy chicken recipe, try these air fryer chicken thighs or this recipe for buffalo chicken pasta.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Chicken fried rice is the ultimate comfort food recipe!
- It is a great way to use up leftover veggies in the fridge.
- Fried rice is healthy and nutritious. It is loaded with healthy vegetables and lean chicken.
- It has all the savory goodness you want from a stir fry.
- The leftovers are delicious as lunch the next day.
- This is a one-pot recipe with minimal cleanup needed.
- This fried rice recipe is versatile and customizable. Feel free to change the veggies or use another protein.
- Shrimp, steak, and pork fried rice are all great options.
- Chicken fried rice is a family-friendly recipe. Kids love it!
- This is a good meal prep dish. It can easily be reheated.
- This fried rice is made with all gluten-free ingredients. In addition, this recipe is dairy-free and sugar-free.
- Check out this Chicken Veggie Fried Rice for another similar favorite! This Mar Far Chicken is another Chinese inspired dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full chicken fried rice recipe.
Use chilled or day-old brown rice because it has a firm texture. This means it will not get mushy during cooking. Freshly cooked rice can become sticky.
Olive oil or avocado oil are great for this takeout inspired recipe.
Choose chicken breasts that are lean and tender. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer. They are slightly higher in fat but come out juicy and tender.
Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
The slight sweetness of carrots adds a nice contrast to the savory elements in the dish. Use parsnips in their place if needed.
Frozen peas add color and a touch of sweetness to the chicken fried rice dish. They are also really convenient to use and hold their shape well.
Also known as scallions, green onions have a mild onion flavor. They also add color and flavor to the dish.
Coconut aminos is the key flavor in this recipe. Choose regular, low-sodium, or gluten-free soy sauce.
Adding eggs to the chicken fried rice makes an authentic dish. They also add extra protein!
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Taste and Texture
Chicken stir fried rice has a delicious umami flavor. The chicken adds a meaty taste, while the vegetables bring sweetness. The coconut aminos (or saoy sauce) is salty, sweet, and rich.
This fried rice dish has a well-balanced texture. The rice and vegetables have a slight bite to them. The chicken is juicy and tender. In addition, the eggs add a little creaminess to the recipe.
How to Make
Step 1
First, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breasts and cook until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Step 2
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, add the diced carrots and frozen peas. Stir-fry the vegetables for about 2 to 3 minutes until they are tender.
Step 3
Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet and pour in the beaten eggs. Allow the eggs to cook for a few seconds until they start to set. Next, scramble them with a spatula or spoon. Once the eggs are cooked, combine them with the vegetables.
Step 4
Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir-fry everything together. Break up any clumps of rice with the spatula and mix well with the vegetables and eggs.
Step 5
Then, pour the coconut aminos (or soy sauce) over the rice and stir to coat everything evenly. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 6
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss it with the rice and vegetables. Cook for a few more minutes until the chicken is heated through.
Step 7
Season the fried rice with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sliced green onions and cook for another minute.
Step 8
Finally, serve the chicken fried rice!
Expert Tips and Tricks
Use chilled or day-old cooked rice for the perfect texture in chicken fried rice. Freshly cooked rice can get sticky. Cold rice separates easily, keeping it fluffy.
Chicken fried rice is a fast-cooking dish. Having all the ingredients prepared and ready before the start is important.
Use a wok or a large, deep skillet and cook over high heat. This will give it an authentic classic fried rice taste.
Avoid overcrowding the pan. Stir fry the chicken and vegetables in batches if needed. This gives them enough space to sizzle and sear properly.
Choose crisp vegetables, aromatic garlic, and green onions to enhance the overall taste.
Be careful with salt, as coconut aminos is already salty. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
How to Serve and Store
Serve this chicken fried rice dish hot or warm as a main course.
It can also be served in small portions as an appetizer.
You will also love this Chicken and Rice!
Store leftovers in an airtight container once cool.
Any leftover chicken fried rice can be frozen.
Pack it into a freezer-friendly container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. Swap the chicken for tofu, shrimp, pork or beef. The cooking times of each protein will differ and must be considered.
Cook the chicken until just done or slightly underdone initially. It will continue to cook through as the rest of the dish cooks.
Yes, add fresh chili or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dish. Or, add a drizzle of hot sauce on top.
Use coconut aminos for the gluten-free version of soy sauce. Otherwise, yes, this fried rice is gluten-free.
Equipment Needed
Large Nonstick Skillet: This large pan is great for cooking fried rice!
You May Also Enjoy
- Quick Chicken Piccata
- Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Oven Fried Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
- Chicken Pesto Pizza
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Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 chicken breasts (cubed)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 green onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- chopped green onions
Instructions
- First, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken breasts. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, add the diced carrots and frozen peas. Stir-fry the vegetables for about 2 to 3 minutes until they are tender.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet and pour in the beaten eggs. Allow the eggs to cook for a few seconds until they start to set. Next, scramble them with a spatula or spoon. Once the eggs are cooked, combine them with the vegetables.
- Next, add the cooked rice to the skillet. Stir-fry everything together. Break up any clumps of rice and mix well.
- Pour in the coconut aminos (or soy sauce) over the rice. Stir to coat everything evenly. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss it with the rice and vegetables. Cook for a few more minutes until the chicken is heated through.
- Season the fried rice with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sliced green onions and cook for 1 minute.
- Finally, remove from the heat. Serve the chicken fried rice!
Notes
- This fried rice is great with chilled or day-old brown rice. If you only have freshly cooked, that works too!
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if possible.
- We love coconut aminos because this ingredient is gluten-free. If you are not gluten-free, feel free to use soy sauce.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Enjoy this easy chicken fried rice recipe!
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