Chicken Fried Rice Recipe | Chinese Fried Rice | Step-by-Step Photos and Video......
Restaurant-style fried rice is one of the most popular and delicious rice dishes. While this dish is typically cooked in sesame oil, I prefer to use olive oil instead, as I’m not fond of the taste of sesame oil or the fried rice often served in restaurants. Whenever I crave this flavorful rice, I prepare it at home using leftover or freshly cooled boiled rice.
I have always loved fried rice for its comforting and delightful flavour, and this particular version is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Like other easy weeknight dinners and one-pan meals, it can be made in a single pan, making cleanup a breeze. Everyone in the family will enjoy it!
This recipe features some of my favourite ingredients: fried chicken, scrambled eggs, and stir-fried vegetables. You can even make a double batch, as I often crave the leftovers the next day!
For a detailed recipe, watch my video where I explain
the steps one by one.
What Kind of Rice Should You Use for Chicken Fried Rice?
Use cooked short-grain white rice for chicken fried rice. This recipe calls for frozen rice for an easy shortcut, but you can also use leftover rice or freshly cooked rice that has been cooled.
Which Type of Chicken is Most Flavorful in Fried Rice?
Typically, people coat chicken with just cornflour and salt before frying it. In this restaurant-style fried rice, I use marinated chicken pieces with essential seasonings, then stir-fry them with chopped garlic. This method of preparing fried chicken adds a flavorful taste to the fried rice.
When Should You Add the Egg to Fried Rice?
Add the egg after the rice, meat, and vegetables have all cooked. You can either scramble an egg separately and mix it in with the rest of the ingredients or simply incorporate a prepared scrambled egg.
Can You Freeze Chicken Fried Rice?
Yes, you can! This fried rice freezes and reheats well. Simply freeze the cooled rice in an airtight container for up to one month and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients:
I prefer using thighs for this recipe because they are richer and more flavorful than chicken breasts. Unfortunately, I didn’t have chicken thighs available, so I used breasts instead. You can choose either thighs or breasts based on your preference for white meat.
I opt for oyster sauce instead of soy sauce in this recipe because I find it tastier. If you don’t like its flavour, you can substitute it with dark soy sauce to suit your taste.
This sauce is typically used in meats to make them tender and juicy, but can also be used in fried rice or various pasta dishes. However, you can skip it and use soy sauce or red vinegar as a substitute.
Sesame Oil:
This adds a warm, toasty flavour to the veggie-packed dish. Since I don’t prefer sesame oil, I omit it and use olive oil instead. However, feel free to use sesame oil if you like it.
Eggs:
These add richness and protein to the dish.
Aromatics:
Fresh garlic and ginger provide major flavour to the chicken fried rice, making it savoury, herby, and slightly spicy.
Rice:
Frozen white rice is the key to quick (30-minute) fried rice; I always keep a bag in the freezer.
Vegetables:
Frozen mixed veggies are another great shortcut ingredient that cooks quickly.
Enjoy making your homemade chicken fried rice!
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How to make chicken fried rice?
Wash the chicken strips thoroughly, ensuring all excess water is removed. Leftover water can disrupt the marination process.
For marinating:
Add dry spices such as ginger powder, garlic powder, white pepper, chilli flakes, and lemon salt to the chicken.
Mix well and let it sit for about an hour to allow the flavours to absorb.
Crack a few eggs into a bowl, adding a pinch of salt and a dash of orange food colouring (this adds a nice touch of colour to the rice). Beat the mixture until well combined.
In another deep pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or sesame oil, if you prefer). Add chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the marinated chicken strips to the pan, stirring well. Cook the chicken over a low to medium flame.
Remember to season with salt since it wasn’t added during marination. Cover the pan and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes 90% tender.
Mixing continuously to combine the ingredients over high heat.
Add oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, the scrambled eggs, and chopped spring onions. Mix thoroughly, adjusting the salt as necessary.
Keep stirring the rice mixture over high heat for about 3-4 minutes to ensure everything is well combined and heated through.
Once done, transfer the chicken fried rice to a serving plate.
Serve the hot fried rice alongside dishes like dry beef chilli, chicken shashlik, or chicken Manchurian for a delightful meal! Enjoy!
