Chicken Fried Rice

Fried Rice if one of the best take out dishes from Chinese restaurants. You can learn how to make Chicken Fried Rice right at home with simple ingredients and in just a few minutes. If you don’t feel like having chicken, make it with shrimp, pork, extra vegetables, or serve it as a side dish. 

THE BEST CHICKEN FRIED RICE

Fried rice is probably the best way of eating rice and it’s so easy and fast. Anytime I have leftover rice from a Chinese restaurant take out, I look forward to saving that plain rice that comes with the meat and turning it into a delicious dinner. I even make extra rice for other dishes just so I can save it and use leftover rice in fried rice the next day. 

Once you learn how to make your own Chicken fried rice at home, you’ll never look at the cardboard box filled with white rice with sadness again. All you need is a few simple ingredients, 30 minutes of your time, and don’t forget the leftover rice. Your family will thank you!

You know what’s another great thing about this dish? It has a base recipe but the rest is totally customizable. You can add or omit vegetables you love or hate. Use different cuts of chicken or substitute for another protein all together. If you don’t have leftover rice, you can make some using your favorite type of rice. And, don’t be afraid to add a little extra soy sauce if your taste buds call for it.

HOW TO MAKE IT

Prepare your ingredients first because this is a fast recipe. So dice chicken and vegetables, whisk eggs with a splash of soy sauce, and whisk together soy sauce and oyster sauce. 

First, brown the chicken with a little oil and a splash of soy sauce until done and take it out of the pan. Next, saute garlic and ginger in a some oil until flagrant and add the vegetables. Saute the vegetables until softened and also take it out of the pan. 

After that, pour in whisked egg into the oiled pan and let it cook for a few minutes, until cooked through. Add cold rice into the pan and quickly stir it together. Finally add back the chicken and vegetables and stir it all together. Pour soy sauce mixture over the rice and stir to coat everything evenly with sauce. 

MOST COMMON QUESTIONS:

IS CHICKEN FRIED RICE GLUTEN FREE?

Yes, chicken fried rice can be gluten free IF you use gluten free soy sauce and gluten free oyster sauce. There are brands of both sauces that make it in a gluten free version. So check the labels when shopping and find ones marked “gluten free.”

CAN I USE OTHER CUTS OF CHICKEN?

Absolutely! Everyone has their favorite chicken meat, whether it’s light or dark. You can easily use chicken thigh meat or chicken breast meat. Chicken thigh meat is the dark meat that is more juicy and flavorful because it contains more fat. Chicken breast meat is the white meat that is much leaner. 

DO I HAVE TO USE LEFTOVER RICE?

Not necessarily. It’s better to use leftover rice for the texture of fried rice dish but you can make rice specifically for this recipe and just let it cool down all the way. Don’t forget to fluff it up after it’s cooked and after it’s cooled. 

Best rice to choose is either jasmine rice or long grain rice. You can also use brown rice if you want to keep it a little healthier. 

WHAT OTHER VEGETABLES CAN I USE?

Garlic, onions, carrots, and peas are the most common vegetables you’ll find in fried rice. You can also add corn, bell peppers, green onion, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans. Any dense and hearty vegetables would be nice, just make sure to finely dice it so there are no large chunks. 

CAN I MAKE THIS HEALTHIER?

Of course you can! Personally, I don’t like making fried rice with butter and that is already healthier. I use either peanut oil or canola oil. 

Substitute white rice for brown rice is another way to make it a little healthier. 

You can also try Cauliflower Fried Rice .

Use low sodium soy sauce to minimize sodium amount in the recipe. 

Throw it extra vegetables even when making chicken fried rice or shrimp fried rice. 

Use chicken breast meat because it’s leaner. 

CAN I REHEAT FRIED RICE? 

Yes, technically you can but you need to add a little moisture. Rice is like a sponge that soaks in any moisture around it so it gets pretty dry after sitting in the fridge overnight. When reheating fried rice, I like to use a combination of water and a little soy sauce to introduce some of the moisture back into the rice. 

Depending on how much rice I need to reheat, I add a tablespoon mixture of equal parts of water and soy sauce. A tablespoon per serving is usually enough to get it moist. 

You can reheat it in the microwave but make sure to cover with a microwave-safe lid. Another way to reheat it is to pan-fry it with a little oil, water, and soy sauce. 

Make sure to also store rice in an air-tight container, that will help it from drying out too much.

OTHER KINDS OF FRIED RICE

If you don’t like chicken or dimly don’t have any, there are many variations of fried rice you can try:

Shrimp Fried Rice

Pork Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice

Fried Rice with Pineapple

Fried Rice with Ham

You can also utilize holiday leftover turkey and ham. 

MORE ASIAN INSPIRED RECIPES TO TRY

Shrimp Stir Fry

Chicken Teriyaki

Sesame Steak Stir Fry

Pad Thai

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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