Chicken fried rice

Better than takeout, ready in under 30 minutes.

  • A proper home cook
  • Vegan option
  • Chinese
  • Dinner
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • One pan
  • High protein
Hands-on
20 min
Total time
27 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Clean up 5 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
9
Cost/serving
$3.93

Per serving

Calories
632
Protein
43 g
Fiber
3.8 g
Net carbs
60 g
Fat
22 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 108%, Niacin (B3) 101%, Vitamin B6 83%, Folate 61%, Vitamin K 58%, Thiamin (B1) 52%, Vitamin A 47%, Riboflavin (B2) 43%, Vitamin B12 29%, Zinc 27%, Iron 26%, Vitamin E 21%, Magnesium 20%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already dairy-free, nut-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 250 g chicken breast, boneless skinless

    Same amount as: 8¾ oz, about 1 breast.

  • 1½ pouches cooked white rice (microwave pouch) (375 g)

    Same amount as: about 2¼ cups.

  • 2 large eggs (100 g)

    Same amount as: about 2 medium, about 2 jumbo.

  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (134 g)

    Same amount as: 240 mL.

  • 3 medium green onions (45 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)

    Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.

  • 1½ tbsp soy sauce (24 g)

    Same amount as: 20 mL.

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (4.5 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1½ tbsp vegetable oil (canola) (21 g)

    Same amount as: 20 mL.

Find alternative ingredients

Healthier swaps

Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.

  • cooked white rice (microwave pouch)
    • cauliflower: Riced cauliflower has about 80% fewer carbs and calories, plus vitamin C.
    • shirataki (konjac) rice: Konjac rice has almost no calories or carbs. Rinse it well.
  • soy sauce
    • coconut aminos: About 65% less sodium, and gluten-free. A little sweeter (1 g sugar per teaspoon).
    • liquid aminos: Gluten-free and unfermented. Sodium is about the same as soy sauce.

Quantities are for 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (480 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories632
Total fat22 g28%
Saturated fat3.7 g18%
Cholesterol277 mg92%
Sodium845 mg37%
Total carbohydrate64 g23%
Dietary fiber3.8 g13%
Total sugars3.4 g
Net carbs†60 g
Protein43 g87%
Vitamin D1.1 mcg6%
Calcium94 mg7%
Iron4.7 mg26%
Potassium786 mg17%
Vitamin A424 mcg47%
Vitamin C11 mg12%
Vitamin E3.2 mg21%
Vitamin K70 mcg58%
Thiamin (B1)0.63 mg52%
Riboflavin (B2)0.56 mg43%
Niacin (B3)16 mg101%
Vitamin B61.4 mg83%
Folate246 mcg61%
Vitamin B120.71 mcg29%
Magnesium86 mg20%
Zinc2.9 mg27%
Selenium59 mcg108%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Cut the chicken into 1 cm (½ in) pieces. Slice the green onions. Mince the garlic. Break up the rice in its pouch with your fingers.

  2. Heat ½ tbsp oil in the pan on high. Scramble the eggs until just set, then move them to a plate.

  3. Add another ½ tbsp oil. Cook the chicken in one layer 4–5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add it to the eggs.

    Done looks like: Chicken white all the way through and browned in places.
  4. Add the rest of the oil, then the peas and carrots and the garlic. Stir 1 minute. Add the rice, spread it out and leave it 1 minute, then toss. Repeat 3 times.

    Done looks like: Rice hot, with some grains toasted and crisp.
  5. Add the chicken, eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil and green onion. Toss 1 minute.

Equipment

Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60

What to look for

  • Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
  • Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat

Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Mushy, clumpy riceFreshly cooked, wet rice.Use pouch rice or rice cooked the day before.
Rice sticks and burnsNot enough oil, or left too long.Add a little more oil and toss after each 1-minute rest.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 20 min, total 27 min.632 kcal
43 g protein
3.8 g fiber
60 g net carbs
22 g fat
VeganFirm tofu instead of chicken, no eggs. Also vegetarian, egg-free. Hands-on 20 min, total 27 min.553 kcal
26 g protein
6 g fiber
60 g net carbs
22 g fat
Gluten-freeTamari instead of soy sauce. Hands-on 20 min, total 27 min.632 kcal
44 g protein
3.8 g fiber
60 g net carbs
22 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.

Pregnancy: Cook chicken to 74 °C / 165 °F and eggs until firm.