Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice — One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is!! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!!
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Easiest Fried Rice Recipe with Chicken
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make fried rice, this recipe will help you in no time! It’s an easy, one-skillet recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and better than takeout. You’ll never be tempted again to eat rice from a flimsy white takeout container after trying homemade.
The chicken is moist and juicy and there are green onions, garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce for layers of flavor. My favorites are the bits of scrambled eggs. Fried rice just isn’t fried rice without those coveted bits of eggs that I go searching for and devour those little treasures first.
It’s such an easy and healthy weeknight dinner you can whip up in no time and the leftovers are great for lunches!
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients
For this straightforward chicken fried rice recipe, you’ll need:
- Vegetable oil (or another neutral oil like canola oil)
- Sesame oil
- Chicken breasts
- Frozen peas and carrots
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Cooked white rice (use pre-cooked rice packets if you’re in a rush)
- Soy sauce (I use low-sodium soy sauce)
- Salt and pepper (to taste, optional)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
This truly is the BEST fried rice. It’s a straightforward recipe that uses simple ingredients and is easy to customize depending on what you have on hand (more on that in a bit!).
Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Add the oils and diced chicken to a large skillet (or wok, if you’re lucky enough to own one!). Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken to a plate while you stir-fry the veggies.
- To the same skillet, add the peas, carrots, and green onions. Once softened, add the garlic.
- Push the veggies to one side of the skillet, and scramble the eggs on the other side.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, followed by the cooked rice.
- Drizzle everything with soy sauce and cook until everything is heated through.
Recipe Tips
To save time if you don’t have leftover rice on hand or don’t want to cook a batch, use two pouches of ready-to-serve rice. Works like a charm.
If cooking the rice yourself, I highly recommend making it the day before or adding slightly less water than you normally would. You want the rice to be a little dry so it soaks up the soy sauce (but not crunchy, though!). That’s why day-old rice works perfectly for stir-frying!
I don’t even bother thawing the frozen peas and carrot blend that’s mixed into the rice. You can add the veggies straight to the skillet!
Recipe Variations to Try
Chicken stir-fried rice is a great clean out the fridge meal. Here are some fried rice variations you can try:
- Swap the chicken: Use chicken thighs, ground chicken, or ground turkey instead. Or, use a different protein entirely (see the related recipes linked below the recipe card for all of my fried rice recipes!).
- Use different vegetables: I used a frozen vegetable blend for ease, but you can also shred fresh carrots yourself, finely chop onions, etc. to add to the pan. Pretty much anything will work! Chop fresh veggies into bite-sized pieces, and remember that different veggies have different cook times, so adjust the recipe as needed.
- Use a different rice or grain: I use a white long-grain rice to keep this recipe as close to the takeout version as possible, but brown rice or another grain like quinoa would also work.
- Make it vegetarian: Omit the chicken entirely or replace with firm tofu (smoked tofu would be great here!).
- Make it gluten-free: Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free soy sauce or use tamari sauce instead.
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Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- ¾ to 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas and diced carrots blend, I don’t thaw and use straight from the freezer
- 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 cups cooked rice, I use white, long-grain or brown may be substituted. To save time use two 8.8-ounce pouches cooked and ready-to-serve rice
- 3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- salt and pepper, optional and to taste
Instructions
- To a large non-stick skillet or wok, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces.
- Remove chicken with a slotted spoon (allow oils and cooking juices from chicken to remain in skillet) and place chicken on a plate; set aside.
- Add the peas, carrots, green onions, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir intermittently.
- Push vegetables to one side of the skillet, add the eggs to the other side, and cook to scramble, stirring as necessary.
- Add the chicken, rice, evenly drizzle with soy sauce, optional salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until chicken is reheated through.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Homemade Fried Rice Recipes:
15-Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fried Rice – Easy HEALTHIER “fried rice” that’s actually baked and not fried!! Full of authentic flavor and ready faster than you can call for takeout!!
Pineapple Fried Rice – A Hawaiian-inspired shrimp fried rice recipe that’s EASY, ready in minutes, and has so much authentic flavor!! A family favorite that’s better-than-takeout!!
Shrimp Fried Rice — There’s garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, and soy sauce for layers of flavor while peas, carrots, corn, and bits of egg add texture!
Skinny Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry — Even people who don’t like cauliflower will be amazed at how authentic and DELICIOUS this SKINNY version of chicken fried rice tastes!
Beef Fried Rice — This better-than-takeout beef fried rice is EASY, ready in 20 MINUTES, and made in ONE skillet! Everyone loves the big juicy strips of steak and perfectly fried rice that’s speckled with bits of onions, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs.
Amazing! This was my first time making anything like this and it was so easy. I added bacon as well. Will make again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was amazing and you’ll make it again!
I do the same basic recipe for years, except I use some thinly sliced fresh or pickled ginger in the mix. I also marinade my chicken first in soysauce and sesame oil and a little five-spice.
I made this recipe and it was simply delicious my husband loved it….
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was delicious and he loved it!
I’ve been craving chicken fried rice but staying at home has made it impossible to get take out. I’m not a cook and have rarely tried to make much more than breakfast and PBJ’s.
But…
This recipe was super easy and it tastes amazing. I’ve tried it a couple times now and can’t believe how easy and good it is! The only problem is that my wife keeps asking me when I’m gonna make it again.
Thank you!
Thanks for the five star review and glad you got resourceful and made your own fried rice and that it’s been a bit hit at your house!
Made this tonight and used chicken, spam and egg as my proteins. It was excellent!! Thank you
Thanks for the five star review and glad your proteins worked out excellent for you!
I make this recipe all the time. Sometimes I won’t include all the ingredients, but if you have most of them then it turns out great. I’ll say I normally end up using more soy sauce than suggested.
Thanks for the five star review and glad this is a favorite for you that you make often!
This was the most amazing Fried Rice I have ever made. It only took me 10 minutes to make ( with already cooked rice ) and my family of 6 devoured it! I have very picky eaters! Really really impressed!
Thanks for the five star review and glad this was picky eater approved and the most amazing fried rice you’ve made!
It was fabulous!! I also added shrimp
That’s great to hear – a chicken and shrimp combo!
This recipe is delicious!! I just made it and am taking it to my daughter’s for dinner. I know they will love it too. It is not complicated to make and doesn’t take that long to make. Great to make if you have left over rice from another dinner too. That would cut down some time too, Thanks for posting this recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Glad you will definitely make it again!
Followed this recipe and it turned out great. No next time I’m going to try shrimp.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was great and that you’re going to give the shrimp version a try next time! https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-better-takeout-shrimp-fried-rice/
Absolutely DELISCIOUS!!!!! Best ever
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s the best ever for you!
Big hit it my family. I ditch the peas and use water chestnuts (personal preference). Sometimes add bean sprouts. Leftovers last less than 24 hours in my house.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s a big hit with your family! I love water chestnuts so would welcome them in this dish!
This was so simple and really good! Makes a ton also!
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was a winner!
Absolutely yum, loved this recipe. so easy to make as well. 🙂
Thanks for the five star review and glad you loved it and was easy for you too!
Made this tonight..
Easy & delicious..
Thanks Averie cooks..🥡
You’re welcome and thanks for the five star review!
Can I make this dish if I don’t have sesame oil?
Yes use all olive oil or canola/vegetable oil, or something similar.