Last night was one of those nights when I just couldn’t think of anything to make for dinner. I didn’t have a lot of stuff on hand, and I was not about to head out to the store in the rain with four little ones. So, I opened up the fridge and started looking for inspiration. I had some rice leftover from dinner a couple nights before, and it hit me – chicken fried rice! This is a great recipe because leftover rice is really better than fresh (fresh will work too, though). It also uses a lot of stuff you may already have on hand.
If you prefer brown rice (I usually do), that will work fine in this recipe. I have also used quinoa and that is delicious as well. The rice or rice substitute is really a background flavor in comparison to everything else in this dish. If you have some other veggies on hand that you would like to add to this, go for it! Sometimes I like to add white onion, red pepper or even jalapeño. Also, feel free to add more soy sauce after you plate this – that all depends on your personal taste. If you like it spicy like we do, top this with a generous amount of sriracha and dig in!
This chicken fried rice is healthier and more affordable than take out, and it is a great way to use up that leftover rice. Also, three out of four of my kids ate it, so it would say it is an incredibly kid friendly meal. Please let me know how this recipe works for you, and enjoy!
I would love to hear what you think of this recipe. Please let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to select a star rating. Thank you and enjoy!
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice preferably cold
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb chicken breast diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 green onions diced
- 5 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add both of the oils and the diced chicken. Cook the chicken until it is cooked through and the juices run clear. Move the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Break the eggs in a small bowl, and beat them. Pour the eggs into the hot skillet and scramble until cooked through. Remove the eggs from the skillet and put them on the plate with the chicken.
- Add the peas and carrots, garlic and green onions to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the peas and carrots are hot and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the chicken and the scrambled eggs back to the pan. Add the rice, soy sauce and salt and pepper if desired. Increase the heat to medium high and stir fry until the rice is hot and everything is well combined. Enjoy!
So easy and way better than the stuff from our local restaurant. Will make this again soon!
I am so glad you enjoyed this!