Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
This easy chicken fried rice recipe is the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you want a satisfying meal in just 20 minutes. It’s made with tender chicken, cooked rice, scrambled eggs, and colorful vegetables.
Using simple ingredients and one pan, this easy chicken fried rice is faster, healthier, and more affordable than ordering takeout. This easy chicken fried rice recipe is a reliable way to use up leftover rice and get a better-than-takeout meal on the table fast.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice preferably day-old
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast diced
- ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add the beaten eggs and scramble until firm, with no liquid egg remaining. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the diced chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).
- Add the peas and carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked rice, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Return the scrambled eggs to the skillet, add the green onions, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Stir everything together and cook for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat and serve hot.
Notes
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fried Rice
This easy chicken fried rice is quick, flavorful, and simple to make. It comes together in one pan, making cleanup simple while still delivering rich flavor.
Whether you’re cooking for your family or prepping meals ahead of time, this recipe is filling and easy to adjust with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
If you like quick chicken dinners that use pantry staples, these cheesy chicken quesadillas come together just as fast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses everyday ingredients that work together to create a balanced and satisfying meal. Cooked rice is essential for the best texture, while chicken adds protein and substance.
Eggs, soy sauce, garlic, and green onions provide classic fried rice flavor, while peas and carrots add color and freshness to every bite.
How to Make This Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Start by heating oil in a skillet or wok and scrambling the eggs until just set. Remove them from the pan to prevent overcooking. Set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet, add the diced chicken, and cook the chicken until no longer pink.
Next, remove the chicken and set aside, then add the cooked chicken back to the pan along with the rice and seasonings. Stir-fry everything together until heated through, then return the eggs to the pan and toss until evenly combined.
Tips for the Best Fried Rice
For the best texture, use cold or day-old rice to prevent the dish from becoming mushy. Cooking over medium-high heat helps create that classic fried rice flavor. Frozen peas and carrots can be added straight from the freezer — no thawing needed.
Avoid overcrowding the pan, and stir frequently to ensure even cooking and balanced seasoning throughout the dish.
Season the chicken with salt and black pepper before cooking for better flavor throughout the dish.
How to Customize This Recipe
One of the reasons this easy chicken fried rice recipe works so well is how easy it is to adjust. Swap chicken breast for leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time. Use brown rice instead of white rice for added fiber, or keep it classic with long-grain white rice. Add extra vegetables like diced bell peppers, corn, or mushrooms without changing the core method. For a lower-sodium version, reduce the soy sauce and add a splash of sesame oil for depth. Making fried rice at home gives you full control over every ingredient. You can also use jasmine or long grain white rice instead — both work well.
For a lighter version with the same weeknight speed, try this easy chicken stir fry instead.
Swap the rice for quinoa and you’re most of the way to a quinoa veggie power bowl.
Why Homemade Fried Rice Is Better Than Takeout
Takeout chicken fried rice is convenient, but homemade fried rice gives you full control over the ingredients, making this one of the best chicken fried rice recipes you can make at home. You can reduce the oil, skip the MSG, and use fresh chicken instead of mystery protein. The cost difference is significant, too — a single takeout order costs as much as a full batch of this recipe, which serves four. Once you make this chicken fried rice at home, it’s hard to justify the cost of takeout.
Serving and Storage
Serve this homemade chicken fried rice hot, garnished with chopped green onions or sesame seeds if desired. It works well as a complete meal on its own or paired with a simple side dish.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days and reheated quickly in a skillet or microwave.
Leftover fried rice keeps well, but if you want something built for the week ahead, this baked chicken and sweet potato meal prep portions out cleanly into containers.
Need another fast dinner? Our 30-minute ground turkey tacos are a lighter take on taco night.
It also pairs well with our honey garlic shrimp.
