Quick & Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
This Quick & Easy Chicken Fried Rice recipe is a flavorful and satisfying dish that combines tender chicken thighs, fresh vegetables, and fluffy jasmine rice. Marinated chicken is stir-fried with garlic, shallots, and peas and carrots, then cooked together with scrambled eggs and a savory soy-based sauce. Perfect for a speedy weeknight meal, it offers a delicious blend of textures and tastes with minimal prep time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- ½ lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine (or dry sherry / dry white wine / chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
Main Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups cooked jasmine rice (cold day-old rice preferred)
- 1.5 cups frozen peas and carrots (or frozen vegetable mix: corn, peas, carrots, green beans)
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 small shallot (or ¼ onion), finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 teaspoon vegetable oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce)
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (a.k.a. chicken stock powder)
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium-sized bowl, combine thinly sliced chicken thighs with the marinade ingredients: 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly and set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to penetrate.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients: 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, and ⅛ teaspoon white pepper. Set this sauce mixture aside for later use.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and fry until fully cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Add another teaspoon of vegetable oil to the now-empty pan. Sauté minced garlic and diced shallots for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Then add the frozen peas and carrots and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Push all contents to one side of the pan to create an empty space.
- Cook the Eggs: Pour the remaining 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil into the empty space in the pan. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them sit undisturbed for 20 seconds to set slightly. Then scramble the eggs gently, breaking them into bite-sized pieces, and mix everything together with the vegetables.
- Add Rice and Chicken: Add the cold cooked jasmine rice and the cooked chicken back into the pan. Toss everything thoroughly to combine all ingredients, breaking up any clumps of rice.
- Finish with Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce evenly around the edges of the pan or directly onto the rice. Let the sauce toast slightly for about 5 seconds to deepen the flavor, then toss the rice mixture continuously until the rice turns a light brown color and is evenly coated with sauce. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Using cold, day-old rice is ideal to prevent the rice from becoming mushy. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a tray and let cool to remove moisture before cooking.
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine can be substituted with dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth if unavailable.
- Adjust soy sauce quantities to taste, especially if using low-sodium versions.
- For added flavor, feel free to add diced green onions or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- This recipe can be customized by using other protein options like shrimp or tofu for a vegetarian variation.
Keywords: chicken fried rice, quick fried rice, easy chicken recipe, stir-fried rice, Chinese fried rice, weeknight dinner
