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Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

I make this chicken fried rice on nights when I don't feel like waiting on delivery or standing over the stove for an hour. It comes together in one pan, uses up whatever rice I have sitting in the fridge, and tastes better than most of the takeout containers I've paid for
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced small so they cook fast and evenly
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil for that deep nutty flavor you can't fake with any substitute
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to keep the pan hot without the sesame oil burning
  • 4 cups cooked white rice cold and day-old works best so the grains stay separate
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots no need to thaw, they cook right in the pan
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten so they scramble into soft ribbons through the rice
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce for savory depth without over-salting the dish
  • ½ teaspoon salt to round out the flavor adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper for a little warmth in every bite
  • 3 green onions sliced, for a fresh, sharp finish right before serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the sesame oil and vegetable oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken along with a pinch of the salt and pepper. Let it cook for four to six minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's fully cooked through and lightly golden on the edges. Move it to a plate and set it aside for now.
  2. Using the same skillet, without wiping it out, add the frozen peas and carrots straight from the freezer. Sauté them for about two minutes, just until they're heated through and slightly tender. I like keeping the pan on medium-high here so the vegetables pick up a little color instead of steaming and turning soft.
  3. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan to clear some open space. Pour the beaten eggs into that empty side and let them sit for a few seconds before stirring gently. Scramble them until just set, then break them into smaller pieces and mix them in with the vegetables already in the pan.
  4. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the rice, soy sauce, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir everything together so the rice breaks up and every piece gets coated in sauce. Let it cook for three to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is heated through and starting to crisp slightly on the bottom.
  5. Turn off the heat and scatter the sliced green onions over the top. Give it one more quick stir, then serve it straight from the skillet while it's hot. This whole meal comes together in one pan, so cleanup is just as easy as the cooking.

Notes

  • I always use cold, leftover rice instead of freshly cooked rice, because warm rice turns mushy and clumps together in the pan.
  • I keep my pan hot the entire time I'm cooking, since a pan that cools down steams the rice instead of frying it.
  • I like to season in layers, adding a little salt and pepper with the chicken and finishing with the rest at the end, so nothing tastes flat.
  • I don't overcrowd the skillet, because a packed pan traps steam and keeps the rice from getting that slightly crisp edge I'm after.
  • I taste before adding the last bit of soy sauce, since different brands vary a lot in saltiness.