- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 4 cups
- 300 g
- 1 cup
- 2 cloves
- 3 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 3 tbsp
- 1 pinch
- 1 pinch
Process
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Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the chicken breast cubes and season with a pinch of salt and white pepper. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.
Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the wok. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them until just set, about 1 minute. Remove the eggs and set aside with the chicken.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the wok. Add the white parts of the green onions and the minced garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced carrot and thawed frozen peas. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Add the cooked white rice to the wok. Break up any clumps with a spatula and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the rice is heated through and slightly toasted.
Return the cooked chicken and scrambled eggs to the wok. Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated.
Stir in the green parts of the green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or soy sauce if needed. Serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The single biggest mistake is using freshly cooked rice; it steams and turns mushy in the wok. Use rice cooked at least a day ahead and chilled, or spread fresh rice on a tray and refrigerate it for 30 minutes before frying.
- Cook the chicken in one layer over high heat and pull it out as soon as the thickest cube reads 74C and the center is opaque white with no pink; it will finish heating when returned to the wok.
- Get the wok properly hot before the rice goes in, and press the rice flat against the surface for 30 seconds at a time before tossing; that contact is what gives the toasted, slightly chewy grains instead of a wet pile.
- Have every ingredient chopped and within arm's reach before you turn on the heat. The whole stir-fry moves in under 10 minutes, and garlic left in a hot wok for even 20 extra seconds turns bitter and ruins the batch.
Substitutions
- chicken-breast→boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 2 cm cubes and stir-fried 1 minute longer
- frozen-peas→frozen mixed vegetables or shelled edamame, both added straight from frozen
- soy-sauce→tamari for a gluten-free version, or coconut aminos for a sweeter, lower-sodium result
- sesame-oil→toasted sesame oil is ideal; if you only have regular sesame oil, use half the amount and add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil
Storage & reheating
Cool the fried rice within 1 hour and store it in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; keep it no longer because cooked rice can spoil quickly. For freezing, portion into freezer bags, press flat, and freeze for up to 2 months, thawing overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon of oil for 3 to 4 minutes until it reaches 74C throughout, or microwave covered at 70 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once, until steaming hot all the way through.
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FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my chicken fried rice turn out mushy and sticky?
Almost always because the rice was too fresh or too wet. Chilled day-old rice has drier surface starch that fries instead of steaming. Also avoid crowding the wok; if your pan is small, fry the rice in two batches so it toasts rather than stews.
Can I make chicken fried rice ahead of time?
You can prep everything up to a day ahead: cook and chill the rice, dice the chicken, chop the vegetables, and beat the eggs. Do the actual stir-frying just before serving, because reheated fried rice loses its toasted texture. If you must cook it early, cool it fast and reheat it once in a hot wok.
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?
The cubes should be opaque white all the way through with no pink in the center, and the thickest piece should read 74C on an instant-read thermometer. At high heat this takes about 3 to 4 minutes, so cut one cube open to check before removing the chicken from the wok.
Can I use canned or frozen vegetables instead of fresh carrot and peas?
Yes. Frozen peas go in straight from frozen, as the recipe states, and need no thawing. Canned carrots are already soft, so drain them well and add them at the very end with the soy sauce, otherwise they break down into the rice.
Why is my fried rice dry or lacking flavor?
Dryness usually means too little oil or rice that was over-toasted before the sauce went in. For flavor, add the soy sauce around the edge of the hot wok rather than in the center so it sizzles and caramelizes, and taste after tossing, since rice absorbs salt quickly.
Can I freeze leftover chicken fried rice?
Yes, freeze it within 2 hours of cooking in a flat airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes with a splash of oil until it reaches 74C. Never reheat rice more than once.
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