Chicken Fried Rice (Use Your Leftover Rice)
Savory chicken fried rice with crisp, separate grains, scrambled egg and peas, made in one skillet in 25 minutes. The best use for leftover rice.
40% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 535
- Protein
- 34 g
- Per serving
- $1.99
Why this recipe works
Fried rice is built for the nights when you have leftover rice and not much else. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts here, and frozen peas and carrots mean no extra chopping.
- Cold, day-old rice is drier, so the grains fry and separate instead of turning mushy.
- Cooking the egg, chicken and rice in stages keeps each one at its best.
- Spreading the rice out and leaving it alone for a minute gives it lightly toasted edges.
Ingredients
For the sauce
You will need
- Wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prep
Toss the chicken with the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Break up any clumps of rice with your hands. Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Scramble the eggs
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until just set but still soft, about 1 minute. Move to a plate.
Cook the chicken
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the chicken in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Add the peas and carrots, scallion whites and garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Fry the rice
Push everything to the sides, add the last tablespoon of oil and the rice. Spread it out and let it sizzle undisturbed, then toss it all together.
Sauce and serve
Pour the sauce over the rice and toss until evenly colored and hot. Fold in the eggs and scallion greens and serve.
Techniques in this recipe
- Fish and seafood145°F / 63°C
- Pork chops, tenderloin, whole cuts of beef145°F / 63°C
- Ground beef, pork and sausage160°F / 71°C
- Chicken and turkey (all cuts)165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guideCrowded: steams and turns grey Spaced out: browns and crisps Don't crowd the pan
Give food space in the pan or on the sheet pan so moisture can escape. Crowded food steams and turns grey; spaced-out food browns and crisps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- No leftover rice? Cook rice, spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes.
- A very hot pan is the key. Wait for the oil to shimmer before adding anything.
- Add the sauce around the edge of the pan, not on top of the rice, so it sizzles and caramelizes.
Nutrition per serving
535 calories
$1.99 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 26% of calories | 34 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 40% of calories | 52 g |
| Fat | 34% of calories | 20 g |
| Fiber | 2 g | |
| Sodium | 790 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why is my fried rice mushy?
Freshly cooked rice is too moist and steams instead of frying. Use rice that has been refrigerated for several hours or overnight.
Can I make it with brown rice?
Yes. Day-old brown rice works well and holds its shape even better than white.
How do I make it gluten-free?
Use tamari instead of soy sauce and a gluten-free oyster sauce, and check that your sesame oil has no additives.
