Dump-and-bake dinner to the rescue!
It was late. We were STARVING. And Fielder was about two seconds away from a full-blown meltdown.
I had everything I needed to make chicken fried rice… except the time. So I used the same simple ingredients I use for my classic Chicken Fried Rice, diced chicken thighs and whatever veggies I could find in the fridge, popped it in the oven, and hoped for the best.
And y’all… I was shocked.
Not only were the flavors spot-on, but the rice got perfectly crispy around the edges, just like it does in a wok. Totally optional, but to really drive it home we did a quick egg scramble and finished it with a drizzle of my favorite sriracha mayo.
Now this dump-and-bake chicken fried rice is one of our favorite fast weeknight dinners. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do in our house!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce works great here, but this recipe is flexible. Tamari, no-soy soy sauce (tested!), liquid aminos, or coconut aminos all work too. Just keep in mind some options are a little sweeter or less salty, so taste and adjust as needed.
- Rice: This recipe was tested using basmati rice. If you swap in a different variety, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid slightly since not all rice cooks the same.
- Sesame oil: If there’s one ingredient you don’t want to skip, it’s this. Toasted sesame oil is what gives fried rice that classic flavor, and adding it after baking really helps it shine instead of getting lost.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts both work well. Thighs stay a bit juicier, while breasts are leaner, so go with what you prefer.
- Frozen vegetables: Frozen peas and carrots are ideal here. Raw carrots take much longer to cook and can stay crunchy, so frozen veggies help everything cook evenly.
- Eggs: Totally optional. You can mix them in for a more traditional fried rice feel or leave them out to keep things extra simple.
- Sriracha mayo: A quick mix of mayonnaise and sriracha makes an easy, creamy finishing sauce. If you want to take it up a notch, my garlicky sriracha mayo is always a hit.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Dump everything into the pan.
Stir the rice, water, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions directly in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Pro Tip: Make sure the rice is fully submerged so it cooks evenly and absorbs all that flavor.
Layer it up.
Add the chicken, broccoli, and frozen peas and carrots on top. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, pressing the chicken slightly into the rice.
Pro Tip: Pressing the chicken down helps it stay juicy while the rice steams underneath.
Bake and uncover.
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Pro Tip: Baking at the full 375°F is key here. Lower temps slow down the rice and can throw off the timing.
Finish it off and dig in!
Stir everything together, drizzle in the sesame oil, and fold in the green onion tops and scrambled eggs (if using). Serve warm with sriracha mayo on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they like.
Pro Tip: Adding the sesame oil at the end keeps that classic fried rice flavor front and center.
FAQs
You can prep the veggies and mix the sriracha mayo up to 2 days ahead and store them in the fridge. For best results, bake the rice and chicken fresh so the rice cooks properly and doesn’t dry out.
This recipe was tested with basmati rice. Other varieties can work, but they may need slightly different amounts of liquid or cook time.
Yes. Thighs stay a bit juicier, but breasts work just fine if that’s what you have.
It can be! Just use a certified gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, liquid aminos, or no-soy “soy” sauce.
Nope. They’re totally optional and mainly there if you want it to feel extra classic.
Oops! What Did I Do Wrong?
My rice isn’t cooked through.
This usually means the oven temperature was too low or the dish wasn’t tightly covered. Make sure you’re baking at 375°F and sealing the foil well so the rice can steam.
The rice cooked unevenly.
Give everything a quick stir at the end to redistribute moisture. Also double-check that the rice was fully submerged before baking.
My veggies are too soft.
Try cutting the broccoli into slightly larger florets next time, or add it halfway through baking if you prefer more texture.
The dish tastes a little flat.
A drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the end makes a big difference. You can also add a splash more soy sauce or a pinch of salt to taste.
It doesn’t taste like fried rice.
That final step matters! Adding the sesame oil, green onions, eggs, and sauce at the end is what really brings those classic flavors together.
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Chicken Fried Rice Dump-and-Bake
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or no-soy soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 bunch green onions chopped, white and green parts separated
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 scrambled eggs salt and peppered, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, stir together the rice, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions until evenly combined.1 ½ cups basmati rice, 2 ¼ cups water, 3 tablespoons soy sauce or no-soy soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- Add the chicken cubes on top and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Gently press the chicken down so it’s mostly submerged in the rice mixture.1 ½ pounds chicken thighs or breasts
- Scatter the broccoli florets and frozen peas and carrots evenly over the top. Drizzle with the avocado oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.1 head broccoli, 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through.
- While the dish finishes baking, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a bowl until smooth. If you prefer a drizzleable sauce, add water a teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.½ cup mayonnaise, 1-2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and gently stir to combine all components. Drizzle in the sesame oil and fold in the green parts of the green onions and the scrambled eggs, if using.2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 scrambled eggs
- Serve warm with the sriracha mayo on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they like.
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Notes
- Soy sauce options: Regular soy sauce works great here, but this recipe is flexible. Tamari, no-soy soy sauce (tested!), liquid aminos, or coconut aminos can all be used. Keep in mind some alternatives are slightly sweeter or less salty, so taste and adjust if needed.
- Chicken choice: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts both work well. Thighs stay a bit juicier, while breasts cook up leaner — choose what you prefer.
- Frozen vegetables: Frozen peas and carrots are ideal for this recipe. Raw carrots take significantly longer to cook and may stay crunchy, so frozen vegetables are recommended for even doneness.
- Egg shortcut: They won’t be quite as fluffy as cooking them separately, but if you want to save a dish, you can scramble the eggs directly in the pan during the last 10 minutes of baking by pushing the rice mixture aside and cooking them in the empty space.
- Prep ahead: Chop the broccoli and mix the sriracha mayo up to 2 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
Gluten-free: use gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, liquid aminos, or my favorite- no soy “soy” sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with it?
This is already a pretty complete meal on its’ own with veggies, protein, and grains, but this Asian Cucumber Crunch Salad or this Honey Roasted Broccoli would also taste amazing with it!
More Easy Fried Rice Recipes
You can’t go wrong with fried rice–it’s simple, delicious, and always a crowd favorite.
