Chicken Fried Rice: fluffy grains, savory glaze, and nimble Weeknight energy—great with a fried egg on top.
Weeknight Chicken Fried Rice That Actually Feels Fast
A quick, flavor-forward fried rice that turns day-old jasmine and a few pantry staples into a satisfying family dinner (extra points for a fried egg on top).
This version of chicken fried rice exists for the nights when everyone needs dinner—fast, filling, and not fussy. Fluffy long-grain jasmine is the blank canvas: it soaks up a savory soy–oyster glaze while remaining light and separate, and bite-size pieces of chicken give the dish real chew and comfort without heavy sauce. It’s a one-skillet dinner that comes together in about 20 minutes once your mise en place is ready.
The aroma is half the fun: hot oil, minced garlic, and ginger hit the pan first, then the chicken browns and the kitchen fills with that toasty, savory scent. Frozen peas and carrots add sweet pops of color and a tender-crisp bite; a drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the end brings the whole pan a nutty finish. Finish it with sliced green onions for brightness, or top each serving with a runny fried egg to make everything gloriously saucy.
A few small technique notes make a big difference. Use day-old refrigerated rice if you can—cool rice fries up with better texture—otherwise rinse and cool freshly cooked jasmine before frying. Cook the chicken first, set it aside, then work the aromatics on high heat; add the rice in a single layer so it gets a little color before you fold in the sauces and eggs. Keep neutral oil for stir-frying and save the sesame oil as a finishing touch.
This is a great meal-prep dish: it reheats beautifully for lunches and makes a reliable leftover dinner for busy nights. It feeds a crowd (about six servings) and lends itself to simple swaps—swap chicken for tofu or add extra veg—to keep weeknight routines interesting without extra effort.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
- If you don't have day-old rice, rinse 2 cups jasmine rice until water runs clear, combine with 2 1/4 cups water in a medium pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes; remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes, then fluff and cool. Leftover refrigerated rice works best for fried rice.
- Trim and cut chicken into 1/2-inch bite-size pieces and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Add chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes; transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the pan, then add the diced onion, minced garlic and grated ginger; stir-fry until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Push the aromatics to one side of the pan, add the beaten eggs to the empty side, scramble quickly until just set, then mix with the aromatics. Add the frozen peas and carrots and cook until thawed and warmed through, about 1–2 minutes.
- Increase heat to high, add the cooked rice (break up any clumps with a spatula) and return the chicken to the pan. Drizzle soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil over the rice, sprinkle the sugar, and toss continuously until everything is evenly coated and heated through, about 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in sliced green onions, taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt or more soy sauce if desired. Finish with a grind of black pepper and remove from heat.
- Serve hot. To make ahead: cool quickly, store in airtight containers in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or in the microwave until steaming.
Recipe Card
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice: fluffy grains, savory glaze, and nimble Weeknight energy—great with a fried egg on top.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- If you don't have day-old rice, rinse 2 cups jasmine rice until water runs clear, combine with 2 1/4 cups water in a medium pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes; remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes, then fluff and cool. Leftover refrigerated rice works best for fried rice.
- Trim and cut chicken into 1/2-inch bite-size pieces and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Add chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes; transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the pan, then add the diced onion, minced garlic and grated ginger; stir-fry until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Push the aromatics to one side of the pan, add the beaten eggs to the empty side, scramble quickly until just set, then mix with the aromatics. Add the frozen peas and carrots and cook until thawed and warmed through, about 1–2 minutes.
- Increase heat to high, add the cooked rice (break up any clumps with a spatula) and return the chicken to the pan. Drizzle soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil over the rice, sprinkle the sugar, and toss continuously until everything is evenly coated and heated through, about 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in sliced green onions, taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt or more soy sauce if desired. Finish with a grind of black pepper and remove from heat.
- Serve hot. To make ahead: cool quickly, store in airtight containers in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or in the microwave until steaming.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Saturated Fat
- 2.2
- Sodium
- 700
- Fiber
- 3.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 10.8
- Protein
- 33
- Fat
- 13
- Cholesterol
- 125
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 490
- Sugar
- 3.5