Chicken Fried Rice
This chicken fried rice tastes like your favourite takeout and uses up leftover rice. Cold, day-old rice is the secret: the grains are drier and firmer, so they fry and separate instead of turning mushy. Diced chicken thighs stay juicy over high heat, and soy sauce, oyster sauce and a little sesame oil season everything in one quick toss.
By Priya Raman
Published
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cook Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 25 mins
- Servings
- 4 servings
How do you make Chicken Fried Rice?
Brown 400 g diced chicken thighs in a hot oiled wok for 5-6 minutes until they reach 74°C (165°F), then set aside with 3 softly scrambled eggs. Fry onion, garlic, peas and carrots, add 4 cups cold cooked rice and stir fry for 3-4 minutes until hot. Toss in soy sauce, oyster sauce, the chicken, eggs, green onions and sesame oil.
- Total time
- 25 mins
- Calories
- 530 per serving
- Protein
- 31 g
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Stir frying
Ingredients
Chicken
Fried rice
Equipment
Wok or 30 cm (12 inch) skillet · Wok spatula or wooden spoon · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Prepare the rice and chicken
Break up the cold rice with your fingers so there are no large clumps.
Cook the chicken
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers.
Scramble the eggs
Add another 1 tbsp oil and pour in the eggs.
Fry the vegetables and rice
Add the last 1 tbsp oil, the onion and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes until the onion softens.
Season and finish
Drizzle the 3 tbsp soy sauce and the oyster sauce around the edge of the pan and toss to coat the rice evenly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect chicken fried rice.
Prepare the rice and chicken
Break up the cold rice with your fingers so there are no large clumps. Toss the diced chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce and the pepper.
Cook the chicken
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer, let it sear for 1 minute, then stir fry for 4-5 minutes more until browned and cooked through to 74°C (165°F). Move it to a plate.
Scramble the eggs
Add another 1 tbsp oil and pour in the eggs. Stir gently for about 1 minute, until just set in soft curds, then slide them onto the plate with the chicken.
Fry the vegetables and rice
Add the last 1 tbsp oil, the onion and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes until the onion softens. Add the peas and carrots for 1 minute, then the rice. Spread the rice across the pan, leave it for 30-60 seconds so it toasts a little, then toss. Repeat for 3-4 minutes until every grain is hot.
Season and finish
Drizzle the 3 tbsp soy sauce and the oyster sauce around the edge of the pan and toss to coat the rice evenly. Return the chicken and eggs, add most of the green onions and the sesame oil and toss for 1 minute more. Taste, add a splash more soy sauce if needed, and serve topped with the remaining green onions.
Recipe Tips
- No leftover rice? Cook it, spread it out on a tray and refrigerate it uncovered for at least 30 minutes to dry it out before frying.
- Keep the heat high and don't stir constantly. Letting the rice sit for a moment gives it the light toasting that makes fried rice taste right.
- If you double the recipe, fry the rice in two batches. A crowded pan steams the rice and makes it sticky.
Variations
- Leftover chicken: skip step 2 and add about 2 cups (280 g) diced cooked or rotisserie chicken with the eggs, tossing until it is hot through.
- Pineapple fried rice: add 150 g diced fresh pineapple with the peas and carrots.
- Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce and an oyster sauce labelled gluten-free.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 530 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 31 g |
| Carbs | 53 g |
| Fat | 19.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.3 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2.5 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cool quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour if you can, and no later than 2 hours after cooking. Eat within 3 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat once only, in a hot skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave, until steaming and hot to 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Chicken Fried Rice FAQs
Why do you use day-old rice for fried rice?
Rice that has chilled overnight is drier and firmer, so the grains fry and stay separate. Freshly cooked rice is soft and steamy and tends to clump and turn mushy in the pan. In a pinch, spread fresh rice on a tray and chill it for 30 minutes first.
What kind of rice is best for chicken fried rice?
Long-grain white rice such as jasmine is the classic choice because the grains stay distinct. Medium-grain rice works too. Brown rice makes a nuttier, chewier fried rice and fries well once it has been chilled.
Can I make chicken fried rice with leftover or rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Skip cooking the raw chicken and stir in about 2 cups of diced cooked chicken with the eggs near the end. Toss until it is heated through and steaming hot.
Is leftover fried rice safe to eat?
Yes, if you handle it properly. Cooked rice should be cooled quickly and refrigerated within 1-2 hours, because spores of bacteria that can survive cooking may grow at room temperature. Eat it within 3 days and reheat it only once until it is steaming hot.
What sauce goes in chicken fried rice?
Soy sauce is the main seasoning, and a spoonful of oyster sauce adds savoury depth and colour. A few drops of toasted sesame oil at the end give it aroma. Add the soy sauce around the edge of the hot pan so it sizzles before it hits the rice.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
