Bowl of Easy Chicken Fried Rice with chopsticks

On nights when I don’t feel like making dinner, but want to save picking up take out for the end of the week or weekend, I make Easy Chicken Fried Rice for dinner. This customizable dish is SO quick, SO easy and, although I’m showing you how to make chicken fried rice, I usually use whatever we’ve got on hand in the fridge or freezer. We blaze through a wok of it incredibly fast – it’s delicious, cheap, and did I mention quick? It takes longer for it to cool down to a temperature that Cameron doesn’t consider “spicy” than it does to actually cook!

overhead photo of a bowl of fried rice

Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients:

I can say with 99% certainty that you’ve already got all the ingredients you need to make Chicken Fried Rice on hand in your refrigerator and cupboards. You’ll need:

  • White rice
  • Frozen vegetables
  • Garlic
  • Sesame or wok oil
  • Chicken breast or thighs
  • Eggs
  • Butter (yes, BUTTER!)
  • Gluten free tamari, or soy sauce if you don’t need to eat gluten free.

Tips for Making Fried Rice:

  1. Use leftover rice. Cold leftover rice works great for fried rice, so don’t toss extra cooked rice if you’ve got it from a meal during the week. I’ll show you my go-to method for cooking rice fresh below.
  2. No chicken? No problem! This recipe is great when made with chopped shrimp, leftover steak, shredded pork, smoked rib meat, or chopped kielbasa. Or, go meatless and double up on the vegetables.
  3. Pump up the veggies. If you want to pump up the nutrition of this recipe even more, you can replace some of the white rice with cauliflower rice in a 1:1 ratio. Add it when sauting the frozen vegetables.
  4. Gluten free? If you need to eat gluten free, be sure to use gluten free soy sauce, ie gluten free tamari. My favorite brand is San-J and I prefer their low-sodium variety.

Bowl of Easy Chicken Fried Rice

How to Make Fried Rice at Home:

Start by making the rice, or you can use 3 cups leftover cooked rice. To a small saucepan add long grain white rice (I like Lundberg Farms) plus water, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a bubble then turn the heat down to medium-low, place a lid on top, and simmer for 10 minutes. The water should just BARELY be bubbling.

Remove the pan from the heat then let it sit with the lid on for 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork and spreading it out onto a plate. Rice = done!

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Next heat a large wok or skillet over high heat then add sesame or wok oil. Once hot, add chopped chicken breast seasoned with salt and white pepper then stir fry until cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate then set aside.

Heat an additional teaspoon oil then, once hot, add frozen vegetables and stir fry until tender. Again, use whatever you’ve got in the freezer – I usually use peas and sweet corn. Add minced garlic then stir fry for another 30 seconds or so, being careful to not let it burn.

Scoot the vegetables to the side of the wok then add an egg whisked with sesame oil into the center and scramble.

Lastly, add a couple pats of butter then allow it to melt. I know, I know – butter in fried rice? Trust me – it’s DELISH!

Once melted, add the cooked chicken and rice then toss to combine and heat everything through.

Last step is to drizzle in reduced sodium gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce if you don’t need to eat gluten free) then toss again to combine.

That’s all she wrote! I like to let the fried rice cool a little before serving as you can taste the ingredients so much better when it’s not piping hot. I hope you love this super simple, quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe – enjoy!

Close up photo of Easy Chicken Fried Rice

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Easy Chicken Fried Rice

gluten free20 minute meal30 minute meal
5
5/5 (7 REVIEWS)

Description

Easy Chicken Fried Rice is a cinch to make at home with a few kitchen staples. This simple, 20 minute dish tastes just like take out!

Ingredients

serves 4

  • 3 cups prepared long grain rice (see notes)
  • 1 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • salt and white pepper
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 egg
  • 3 teaspoons sesame or wok oil, divided
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 - 4 Tablespoons gluten-free Reduced Sodium Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)

Directions

  1. Whisk egg with 1 teaspoon oil in a small dish then set aside.
  2. Heat another teaspoon oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Season chicken with white pepper and salt then add to hot skillet and stir fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
  3. Heat remaining teaspoon oil in the wok then add frozen vegetables. Stir fry until tender, 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and stir fry for 30 more seconds being careful not to let it burn. Push vegetables to the side of the wok then add egg and sesame oil mixture into the center and scramble.
  4. Add butter then, once melted, add cooked chicken and rice and then toss to combine. Drizzle in tamari, toss to combine, then serve.

Notes

  • How I make my rice: add 1 cup long grain white rice (I like Lundberg Farms) 1-3/4 cup water, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer then place a lid on top and turn heat down to medium-low. The water should barely be bubbling. Cook for 10 minutes then remove pan from the heat and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork then spread out onto a plate to cool. Yields: 3 cups cooked rice.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Photo collage of Easy Chicken Fried Rice