My Favorite Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Say hello to one of my all-time favorite weeknight dinners. ♡
This chicken fried rice is one of those back-pocket, one-skillet, kid-friendly recipes I’ve leaned on for more years than I can count. It uses basic ingredients I almost always have on hand — rice, eggs, chicken, a few veggies, pantry seasonings. And best of all, it comes together easily in less than 30 minutes. One of those dinners that always saves the day!
I’ve included my best tips below to make sure the rice gets perfectly golden and crispy (no soggy, steamed rice!). And trust me when it comes to adding in butter — it’s the secret ingredient that makes this recipe go from good to great. Highly recommend serving it alongside egg drop soup (which is easy to multitask alongside the rice), along with some chili crisp in case anyone at the table wants to add some spice. It’s always a winning combo at our house!
Recipe Tips
If you’re new to making fried rice, here are a few quick tips to make your first batch taste restaurant-level delicious!
- Use cold, chilled rice. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and steamy. Day-old rice (or rice that’s been cooked and chilled for a few hours) fries up with a much better texture with those golden crispy bits.
- Slice the chicken very, very thin. I highly recommend slicing the chicken very thin so that it will cook quickly and stay nice and tender.
- Don’t skip the butter. The butter gives the rice so much extra flavor and helps it get crispy and golden. Feel free to add more butter if you’d like too!
- Let the rice sit undisturbed. Resist the urge to constantly stir. Spread it out and let it cook for about a minute at a time before flipping. That’s how you get golden edges instead of steamed rice.
- Season in layers. Lightly season the chicken, then taste at the end before adding more soy sauce. It’s easier to add salt than fix overly salty fried rice.
- Cook on high heat once the rice goes in. High heat = that slightly smoky, restaurant-style flavor. Just keep things moving enough so nothing burns.
- Finish with sesame oil off the heat. Toasted sesame oil is delicate! Stir it in at the very end so its flavor stays fragrant and fresh.
Recipe Variations
This is one of those recipes that happily adapts to whatever you have on hand. Try one of these:
- Add extra diced veggies to the sauté, such as bell peppers, mushrooms or zucchini.
- Swap the chicken for a different protein, such as beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.
- Make it spicy with chili crisp, sriracha, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Add chopped pineapple for a sweet-and-savory vibe.
- Stir in kimchi for a bold, tangy flavor boost.
- Swap white rice for brown rice for a nuttier, heartier version.
FAQ
You can, but it won’t crisp the same way. If you’re in a pinch, spread hot rice out on a sheet pan and refrigerate it for 30–60 minutes to dry it out.
Short-grain white rice is my favorite for this recipe because it has great texture. Medium or long-grain works too — just avoid overly sticky or mushy rice.
Yes! It reheats well in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or oil to loosen it up.
It adds depth and that subtle savory sweetness you expect from restaurant fried rice. If you don’t have it, you can add a tiny pinch of sugar and a little extra soy sauce instead.
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
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2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
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3 tablespoons butter, divided
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2 large eggs, whisked
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1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, very thinly sliced and then cut into bite-sized pieces
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2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
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1 small white onion, diced
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1/2 cup frozen peas
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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4 cups cooked and chilled rice, preferably short-grain white rice
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3 green onions, thinly sliced
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5–6 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
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1 tablespoon oyster sauce
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1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Scramble the eggs. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the whisked eggs and scramble just until set. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer to the same plate as the eggs.
- Sauté the veggies. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Sauté the carrots, onion, peas, and garlic for about 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Fry the rice. Increase heat to high. Add the butter, letting it melt briefly. Immediately add in the chilled rice, green onions, soy sauce, and oyster sauce and stir briefly to combine. Continue cooking the rice for about 4-5 minutes, letting it rest undisturbed for about 1 minute between stirs so that the bottom layers can get crispy and golden.
- Finish. Return the cooked chicken and scrambled eggs to the pan. Stir everything together to combine and warm through. Remove from heat, drizzle in the sesame oil, and stir one last time. Taste and season with additional soy sauce if needed and enjoy!
So glad I found you.
I want to make egg drop soup with dumplings, my grandson loves them.
What is your recommendation to add frozen dumplings.
Hi there, I have enjoyed getting your newsletter for several years now but wanted to inquire about the ‘new print function’. Why do I have to subscribe-again?!?- in order to print off a recipe? I’m old school and like to have a printed copy in front of me so very frustrating that I can’t print without entering my email.