Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Make a quick meal of this Easy Chicken Fried Rice recipe, while still enjoying authentic Chinese takeout flavor. Chicken, eggs, and vegetables sauté in a healthy oil, then fry up with rice and soy sauce until crispy.
Ingredients
- ½ cup carrots finely diced
- 1 cup bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup sweet onion cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1 lb. chicken thighs or breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 eggs whisked
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. salt to taste
- 4 cups cooked rice*
- 4 Tbsp. soy sauce gluten-free, or Tamari
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seed oil
- ½ cup frozen peas
- Green onions optional
- See this recipe in Meal Plan #10
Instructions
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In a large wok, or large skillet, combine 2 tablespoons oil with bell peppers, onions, and carrots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.
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Push vegetables to the side and drizzle 1 tablespoon oil into the skillet and place chicken in oil. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Mix with vegetables.
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Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. Either push all vegetables and chicken to one side, or remove and place on a separate plate.
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Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons oil in the spot you have cleared and add in eggs, salt, and pepper. Scramble in that spot for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked. Once cooked, you can combine the eggs with the rest of the vegetable mixture.
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Add in cooked rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
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If you like extra crispy fried rice, let rice sit over medium to medium-high heat for a full minute before mixing again. Rice likes to stick to the bottom of the pan, so be sure to scrape all of the crispy goodness off of it! Repeat this process until it reaches your desired crispiness.
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Mix in frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
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Top fried rice with green onions to serve and enjoy! See this recipe in Meal Plan #10.
Recipe Notes
- It is best to use leftover white rice instead of freshly cooked white rice. Freshly cooked rice tends to clump together and does not crisp up as easily.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: It is highly recommended to cook the rice between 1-2 days ahead, as that makes the texture better for frying. The chicken and vegetables can also be cut into pieces ahead of time. The vegetables will keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, and the chicken can be cubed up to 1 day ahead.
- To Store: With or without chicken, this dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Fried rice can be frozen in an airtight container or sealed Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3-4 months. Individual servings can also be portioned out to make reheating easier.
- To Reheat: It is recommended to reheat fried rice in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through, but reheating in the microwave will suffice as well.