Chicken Fried Rice (Printable Version)

A vibrant dish with tender chicken, eggs, crisp vegetables, and savory soy sauce for a quick meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Protein

01 - 10.5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, diced
02 - 2 large eggs

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium carrot, diced
04 - 3.5 oz frozen peas
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 spring onions, sliced, plus extra for garnish

→ Rice

07 - 2 1/2 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain rice, preferably day-old

→ Sauces & Seasonings

08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
10 - 1 tsp sesame oil
11 - 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Oils

13 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

# Steps:

01 - Gather and ready all ingredients. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it out to cool and dry slightly to prevent clumping.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan. Sauté the onion and diced carrot for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, then add the peas and continue cooking for 1 more minute.
04 - Push the vegetables to one side of the wok. Crack the eggs into the cleared space and scramble until just set.
05 - Add the cooked rice to the pan. Stir-fry all components together, breaking up any clumps of rice to ensure even cooking.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, sesame oil, ground white pepper, and salt. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes to combine flavors and heat through.
07 - Stir in sliced spring onions. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional spring onions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in 30 minutes, start to finish, no hidden steps or waiting around.
  • Day-old rice becomes the star instead of feeling like leftovers.
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables need rescuing from your fridge and it only gets better.
  • The smell alone is worth it—sesame oil and soy sauce hitting hot oil is instant satisfaction.
02 -
  • Day-old, chilled rice is not a suggestion—fresh rice will steam and clump no matter how hard you stir, and no amount of technique will fix it.
  • Keep your heat high enough that the pan sounds alive and things sizzle, but not so high that you're charring everything; medium-high is the sweet spot.
  • Don't crowd the wok with chicken all at once; let it sit for a minute so it browns instead of steaming.
03 -
  • If your rice is fresh and wet, spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for a few hours or overnight so the moisture evaporates and it becomes individual grains again.
  • Work with high heat and confidence—hesitant stirring leads to sticky rice, but aggressive tossing leads to beautiful, separate grains that glisten with sauce.
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