Homemade Chicken Fried Rice is cheaper than going out to your favorite Chinese restaurant and will probably have fresher flavors, all made from the comfort of your own kitchen.  This is a great recipe for when you’re serving a crowd or simply want delicious leftovers to nosh on throughout the week.  

The Best Chicken Fried Rice

Using just a few simple ingredients and leftover rice, we’ve created an easy chicken recipe that we promise will be requested again!  Be sure to leave enough time for your chicken to marinate and grab some frozen veggies from the grocery store to help save time.  Now let’s get cooking!

What You Will Need

Fried Rice Sauce

• soy sauce – The base of this savory sauce.
• chili garlic sauce – The secret ingredient that adds so much flavor.
• fresh ginger – Adds a spicy and warming flavor. 
• sesame oil – A mild flavored oil that allows all these flavors cover this hearty chicken recipe.

Chicken Fried Rice

• ​soy sauce – Brings complex flavors of saltiness, umami, and a slight bitterness.
• chicken thighs – We like boneless and skinless for this recipe for easy assembly.  You could always use leftover chicken, but it just won’t be as flavorful as the marinated version.
• oil – We like extra virgin olive oil, but use whatever you have on hand.
• garlic, yellow onion, & frozen peas and carrots – Classic veggies for any stir fry dish.
• eggs – Adds little bits of egg in every bite.
• cooked rice – The secret to any good fried rice recipe is leftover rice!  Because it is slightly dried out, it really soaks up all the yummy sauce flavors. 
• ground black pepper & kosher salt – Just a bit to heighten all the flavors.
• green onions – Just a few for garnishing.
• red pepper flakes – For those who like some heat!

How To Make Chicken Fried Rice

Start by mixing together your fried rice sauce ingredients and gathering everything else that you’ll need for this easy recipe.

Then pour some soy sauce over the top of your chicken and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Next, bring a large skillet to medium-high heat and once hot, add in the oil and marinated chicken thighs, discarding the leftover soy sauce.  Let the thighs cook for 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Then transfer your cooked chicken to a plate, let rest for 5-ish minutes, and then cut into bite sized pieces.

Add another drizzle of oil to the same cast iron skillet and add in your garlic and chopped onion, moving them around the pan until the onion is softened.  Then add in your frozen vegetables and let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Push the veggies off to the side to create a little bowl in the middle of the skillet for your eggs.  Add a little bit more oil to keep your eggs from sticking and then pour in your beaten eggs, moving them around the pan until they’re cooked through.  Then mix in the veggies.

Now it’s time to put it all together!  Add in your cooked rice, chicken pieces, pepper, half of the green onion slices, red pepper flakes, and around 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.

Stir everything together in the pan until all the ingredients are warmed through.  Last, but definitely not least, add in half of the stir fry sauce and mix thoroughly.

To give this dish some more authentic flavor, top it all with more sauce, green onions, red pepper flakes, and my personal favorite, a fried or poached egg. Serve this as your next incredible main course for the family, date night, or to nibble on all week long. And yes, you might have just found your new favorite rice dish!  

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