Crispy Chicken Fried Rice (Print Version)

Savory fusion bowl combining minced chicken, crisp vegetables, and aromatic seasonings over jasmine rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound ground chicken
02 - 2 large eggs

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
05 - 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Rice

08 - 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled and preferably day-old

→ Sauces and Seasonings

09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
10 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, optional
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
12 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar

→ Toppings

16 - 1/4 cup crispy fried onions, optional
17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Oils

18 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Prepare all ingredients before cooking. Slice vegetables, beat eggs in a bowl, and ensure rice is chilled and ready to use.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes, breaking up any clumps during cooking.
03 - Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the cooked chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and julienned carrots to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened but remain crisp.
05 - Push the chicken and vegetable mixture to one side of the pan. Add remaining oil and pour beaten eggs into the empty space. Scramble gently until just set, then combine with the chicken and vegetables.
06 - Add chilled rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps. Drizzle with soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, sesame oil, rice vinegar, black pepper, white pepper, and sugar. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until all ingredients are well combined and rice is heated through.
07 - Stir sliced green onions into the fried rice. Cook for 1 minute more to incorporate flavors.
08 - Taste the dish and adjust seasonings as needed for optimal flavor balance.
09 - Transfer fried rice to serving bowls or plates. Garnish with crispy fried onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 40 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner without the scramble or the takeout box clutter.
  • The egg roll flavors are all there—that savory, slightly sweet, gingery warmth—but in a bowl you can actually finish without feeling overstuffed.
  • Day-old rice works beautifully here, so you're basically using up what's already in your fridge and making it taste restaurant-quality.
02 -
  • Cold rice is absolutely essential—if you use warm or room-temperature rice it turns into a mushy, clumpy mess no matter how good your technique is, so plan ahead or spread hot rice on a sheet pan and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  • Don't skip the step of breaking up the chicken as it cooks; if you let it sit and cook in one piece, you'll end up with chunks instead of the evenly distributed texture that makes this dish work.
  • Sesame oil is potent, so drizzle it in and taste as you go rather than dumping the full amount in at once; I once accidentally doubled it and the whole batch tasted like a perfume bottle instead of dinner.
03 -
  • Have everything within arm's reach before you start cooking because once the heat is on high, things move fast and you won't have time to dig through your fridge or spice cabinet.
  • Taste the rice while you're stirring it in the pan, and don't be afraid to adjust the seasoning aggressively—cold rice sometimes needs a little extra salt to taste right.
  • Leftover sesame oil can go straight into your next stir-fry or drizzled over steamed vegetables, so it's never wasted.
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