The BEST easy Chicken Fried Rice recipe! This chicken fried rice recipe contains a secret ingredient that brings lots of great flavors to this easy classic Asian dish. Seasoned rice is stir fried with chicken, eggs and mixed vegetable, and makes the perfect easy weeknight dinner.
Skip Chinese takeout and make this delicious easy chicken fried rice recipe in under 30 minutes! Step-by-step photographs and video instructions included.
Love a good easy fried rice recipe? Check out my Hibachi Fried Rice, Bulgogi Fried Rice, Spam Fried Rice, and Thai Pineapple Fried Rice recipes as well!
Why This is the BEST Chicken Fried Rice
Warning: this is not just another easy chicken fried rice recipe!
We are all about a good fried rice, and refused to settle for mediocre. And that’s why I’m sharing this delicious and easy chicken fried rice recipe – it’s one that I’ve made repeatedly for decades. So you know it has been perfected.
And not only is it delicious, it’s very straight forward, low maintenance, and easy to execute.
I might even be bold enough to say this is the BEST chicken fried rice recipe ever.
Our homemade easy chicken fried rice is a super straight-forward dish to make – toss leftover rice with seasoning and sauce, combine with veggies and egg pieces, and cook it using a wok or a skillet. MUCH better than any Chinese takeout.
The execution is fairly simple, but I am excited to share a few tricks (and ingredients) to take fried rice from just okay to fantastic.
I have spent years testing and figuring out the secret behind making a good solid fried rice at home. And here it is: chicken bouillon.
This tiny and powerful secret ingredient will transform this easy chicken fried recipe.
Chicken bouillon brings incredible flavors to the fried rice, actually flavoring the rice and bringing complex flavors. Another close substitute is MSG (monosodium glutamate), a flavor enhancer that will also bring a similar complex flavor.
Both are easy ways to bring incredible flavors to the rice with just ONE ingredient!
Just using soy sauce (which is what most chicken fried rice recipes use) is NOT enough to really bring truly yummy flavors to your rice and other ingredients in it.
Kitchen Tools
- Wok or large skillet: A wok is traditionally what’s used for Asian stir fry, but a large, high-quality non-stick skillet that retains heat well and gives you enough room to toss ingredients around the pan works just as well – this is the one I’ve used for years and love.
- Turner or spatula: Something sturdy that can withstand high heat and let you flip and toss ingredients quickly. I use this turner.
Ingredients
Next, let’s talk about the ingredients needed for our chicken fried rice recipe.
Being a fairly easy chicken fried rice recipe, we are using pantry-friendly ingredients – all of them should be easily available in your regular grocery stores. That’s right, no obscure ingredients required!
- Cooked rice: Use day old rice for the best texture. The reason being freshly cooked rice is usually wet and sticky. When frying fresh cooked rice, your chicken fried rice will turn mushy really fast. That’s why day old rice that is refrigerated and slightly harden/dryer is preferred.
- Chicken breast: Cut into small pieces. Chicken tenders, chicken thighs can be used as well.
- Large eggs: Beaten and cooked into soft, scrambled pieces that add fluffy textures to every bite.
- Onion: Do not substitute with onion powder, it doesn’t bring the same level of flavor.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh, minced garlic – do not substitute with garlic powder, it doesn’t bring the same level of flavor.
- Chicken bouillon powder or chicken bouillon cube: An important ingredient! Do not substitute with chicken broth. Chicken broth isn’t concentrated enough to give your rice flavor. If you do want a substitute, MSG (monosodium glutamate) is the closest. The chicken bouillon powder link is to an Asian style product, but if you can’t find it, Better than Bouillon Chicken bouillon is a good option.
- Soy sauce: Adds a salty, savory backbone to the rice. Low-sodium soy sauce works great here too if you’d like to cut back on sodium without losing flavor.
- Mixed vegetables: A bag with a mixture of peas, carrots, corn and sometimes green beans. Available in the frozen section. You can use other vegetables as well. If it’s significantly larger pieces it may need a longer cook time.
- Sesame oil: A nutty, fragrant oil commonly used in Asian cooking.
- Green onions: Adds a fresh, mild bite and a pop of color as a garnish right before serving.
- Salt and black pepper: Add to taste.
- Vegetable oil: You’ll always need oil for stir frying! Canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil or another form of neutral oil works as well.
How to make chicken fried rice
This easy chicken fried rice recipe is straight forward to make. It’s one of our default easy meal on busy weeknights, especially when we don’t have a ton of new groceries lying around, and are trying to use up whatever we have at hand!
Step 1: Get ready to stir fry
Make sure you have your skillet/wok, turner or spatula, as well as all the other ingredients that will go onto the skillet.
Remember, the process of actually stir frying this easy chicken fried rice goes fast, so you’ll want to have everything close by you.
Step 2: Cook the eggs
You’ll want to heat your skillet and add vegetable oil to it. Make sure vegetable oil is heated.
First, you’ll want to crack an egg and basically making an omelette, then break it up in small pieces. When eggs are done, remove them from skillet and set aside.
step 3: cook the chicken
On the same skillet, you’ll want to cook chicken pieces. When chicken is done, remove them from skillet as well, and set aside.
Once again, you’ll find your skillet completely empty after setting aside chicken pieces.
step 4: Sauté the garlic and onion
Add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet if needed, then toss in the diced onion and minced garlic (fresh garlic cloves – not garlic powder – are a must here!).
Cook over medium-high heat just until the aromatics are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let the garlic brown or burn.
step 5: stir fry the rice and seasonings
Add additional vegetable oil if needed, then add dry, day-old cooked rice, along with seasonings: soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken bouillon, salt and black pepper. Give it a good stir.
step 6: add the vegetables
Then you’ll want to add frozen mixed vegetables in there, stir to combine and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
step 7: combine everything
Then bring the chicken and eggs that you cooked and set aside earlier back into the skillet. Stir to combine.
Keep in mind that this whole time while stir frying, you should be stirring continuously.
Once everything is mixed together, remove fried rice from heat promptly.
step 8: finish and serve
I like to garnish fried rice with some green onions before serving because green onions bring an additional layer of flavor and texture to it.
And that’s it folks! One bite into it, and you’ll get a mouth of flavor and textures.
The fried rice is fragrant and flavorful, chicken is juicy and soft, and I love the textures from the vegetables and eggs mixed in there.
Chicken fried rice is a simple, pantry-friendly meal that I think you, your family, and even picky kids will love! 20 minutes, no frills, and SO MUCH YUM!
Give it a try and let me know what you think! And if you get creative, you know I want to hear all about your variations too!
Variations And Substitutions
One of the best things about chicken fried rice is how versatile it is! It’s a great way to use up ingredients before they go bad! Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up:
- Other rice: Swap in cauliflower rice or brown rice instead of white rice for a lighter or fiber-rich spin.
- Other protein: Substitute the chicken for beef (check out my steak fried rice!), pork, shrimp, tofu, or diced ham. Spam works great here too if you love a salty, savory kick (try my Spam Fried Rice for inspiration).
- More veggies: Stir in broccoli, corn, or whatever fresh or frozen veggies you have sitting in the fridge that need to be used up.
- Extra aromatics: Add a bit of grated ginger along with the garlic and onion for a warmer, more fragrant bite.
- A splash of oyster sauce: Stir in a tablespoon for extra depth and a touch of sweetness alongside the soy sauce.
- Butter instead of oil: Cook your eggs in butter instead of vegetable oil for an extra rich, silky bite.
- Make it spicy: Drizzle with sriracha when serving, or cook with chilies or red pepper flakes.
Make Ahead, Storage, And Reheating
To store: Let the fried rice cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Chicken fried rice freezes well too – portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat: Warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or oil to help loosen the rice, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between.
For meal prep: This recipe is a great one to double up on busy weeks – just store the cooked components in the fridge, and you’ll have flavorful, better-than-takeout leftovers ready to go whenever you need them.
Tips and Tricks
This chicken fried rice follows a few basic stir-fry rules that make all the difference. Here are my best tips for getting it right every time:
- Use day-old rice: Rice that has been refrigerated overnight is dryer and firmer, which fries up so much better than fresh, sticky rice.
- Pick a pan that holds heat: A large skillet or wok that retains heat well is key – you want the pan hot enough to fry, not steam, the rice.
- Cook on high heat: Only add ingredients once your skillet is really radiating heat. This is what gives fried rice its signature texture.
- Spread the rice in a single layer: Let it sit undisturbed against the hot pan for a few seconds before stirring – this helps the edges of the pan crisp up little bits of rice for extra depth of flavor.
- Cook eggs and chicken separately, then set aside: Bringing them back in at the end keeps them from overcooking while the rice finishes.
- Keep stirring: Fried rice cooks fast, so don’t walk away from the stove once you start.
- Don’t skip the aromatics: Garlic, onion, and soy sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce, if you’re watching salt) all bring real flavor to this dish. Sesame oil brings a nutty umami flavor to the dish – try not to skip it! You should be able to find all these ingredients in the Asian aisle in most mainstream grocery stores today.
- Season with salt: At the end, taste your chicken fried rice. If it tastes bland, add some salt. This really opens up and brings out the flavor in the fried rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
A wok is traditional, but a large, high-quality non-stick skillet works just as well, as long as it retains heat and gives you enough room to move the rice around freely.
No, you can crumble the cube straight into the rice. It dissolves quickly once you stir it around, especially since the rice still has a bit of residual heat and moisture.
MSG is the closest substitute for that same savory, flavor-boosting effect. Chicken broth can work in a pinch, but it’s not concentrated enough to give the rice the same depth of flavor.
Start with 1-2 teaspoons of paste or 1-2 teaspoon of powder in place of one cube, then taste and add a little more if you’d like extra flavor. You don’t need to dissolve it in water first – it mixes right in.
You can, but the texture won’t be quite as good. Freshly cooked rice is wetter and stickier, so it’s more likely to turn mushy when fried. If it’s all you have, spread it out on a baking sheet for a few minutes to cool and dry out a bit before using.
Definitely! It’s mild, familiar, and easy to customize. Leave out the black pepper or use less of it if you’re serving picky little ones.
Yes! This recipe reheats well, which makes it a great option for meal prep or planned leftovers. See the storage section above for tips.
Absolutely! A little grated ginger added along with the garlic and onion brings a warm, fragrant boost. See the Variations section above for more ideas.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Rice Recipes
Here are other delicious rice recipe!
- Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Easy Mixed Vegetable Rice
- Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup
- One Pan Bake Lemon Chicken and Rice
- Italian Cabbage and Rice (by Christina’s Cucina)
BEST Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 3/4 lbs chicken breast ~1 large piece
- 1/4 salt
- vegetable or canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil optional
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetable
- 2 tbsp green onions sliced
Instructions
- Slice chicken into thin strips. Sprinkle with salt and rub it evenly all over chicken. Beat two eggs in a bowl.
- Heat skillet under medium heat. Add vegetable or canola oil to skillet. Once oil is heated, add eggs to skillet.
- When the bottom of the egg mixture is cooked, flip and cook the other side. Once eggs are no longer in liquid form, break it into small pieces. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Heat skillet under high heat. Add vegetable or canola oil to skillet. Add chicken pieces. Stir and flip occasionally until chicken is cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1-2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil to skillet. Once oil is heated, add diced onions and minced garlic.
- Once onions and garlic are fragrant (do not brown or burn), add cooked rice. Break apart rice if it is in chunks.
- Stir continuously for 30 seconds, then add chicken bouillon, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper. Stir continuously for a minute, or until everything is mixed well.
- Add frozen mixed vegetables. Stir to combine for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken pieces and egg/omelette pieces that was previously set aside back into the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions.
- Serve and enjoy!
So fun and easy. Delicious 😋
So glad you enjoyed it, Tami!
Pretty good, but way too much garlic (and I LOVE garlic” I think 3 would’ve been more than enough.
Yes – please adjust accordingly for best taste! 🙂
Nice, simple and great recipe.
Thanks! So glad you liked it!
Excited to try! Do you prefer toasted seseme oil or regular?
Either one works just fine! 🙂 Let me know what you think when you try it!
Was awesome! I didn’t have sesame oil so I used coconut oil!
Thanks for sharing! Glad you liked this recipe!
This recipe has no flavor whatsoever
I’m sorry you feel that way Shawn! I’ve made this many times and I thought it was very flavorful with the chicken bouillon and soy sauce combo. Perhaps you need to add more of those seasonings to give it your desired flavors!
So tasty, the flavor really jumps out at you.
I’m so glad you liked it Robert!
Loved it! Will make it again. ❤️
So glad to hear that, Diane!
This was a quick and easy recipe that made a delicious supper! I added a little ginger, just because I could! 😀
Yum! Great idea on the ginger! Glad you liked the recipe!
Excellent fried rice. Family ate it up!
Thank you!!!
Hi, my family wants this for dinner next week. So I need to ask a question. Do you add water to the chicken bullion cubes before adding or just place them in as cubes? I’m not a Chef, just someone that loves to make dinner for my family! I’ve not had much luck with Chinese food, so I’m hoping to redeem myself! Thanks for sharing & for your answer!
I don’t add water to the chicken bouillon cube, but I crumble it up before adding it in. It should dissolve into the rice once you stir it around. Hope that helps! I hope you enjoy this recipe…let me know how it goes! I’m cheering you on because I know you can do it! 🙂
If making tomorrow and don’Wt have day old rice, is that fine? Would long grain white rice work?
Day old rice is ideal because it’s dryer but in a pinch feel free to use any cooked rice. And yes long grain should work just fine!
Very tasty. Substituted dry bouillon with tablespoon of Better than Bouillon roasted chicken and sautéed fresh carrot sticks with the onions. Great quick meal with leftovers too!!
YUM!!! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe
This recipe is great! The only thing I changed was I used half diced white onion and a little more soy sauce, but otherwise it’s delicious and I’ve made it several times. Hubby loves it!
Thank you so much for letting me know! So happy to hear this has become a regular for you!
what can you use in place of chicken bullion as I can’t get them anywhere
The best substitute is probably MSG to really flavor the rice well.
Perfect for leftovers/ weeknight
Indeed!
I made the fried rice for dinner! It was not only delicious but such a quick and easy dinner to throw together!
Aw thanks so much Trisha! <3 so glad it was an easy and yummy dinner!
I modified with what I had. Instead of frozen veggies I used fresh broccoli and a can of baby corn. I also used toasted sesame oil and some black sesame seeds. For the sauce I just added a little Kinders Teriyaki sauce & glaze. I also mixed in some Hokkien stir fry noodles instead of the rice.
Sounds delicious!! Thanks for sharing, Erin.
We love it and we love you!
I don’t cook much but when I do it’s from your recipes. My husband likes it when I cook. Do you have a cook book?
Hi Nicole! Aw thank you for your kind words – that made me so happy. I don’t have a cookbook but hopefully someday! 🙂 For now, all my recipes are free on the website! <3
I need to try this recipe that looks delicious.
Just had a couple of questions: I don’t use cubed bouillon; how much “Better Than Bouillon” do I use? Do I only use the paste or do I have to dissolve it with water??
Thanks a lot, I appreciate your website!
The paste should be fine and it will dissolve quickly once you stir it around! I would say try 1-2 tsp – add more to taste if it needs a bit more flavor! Please let me know how it goes!