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Chicken Fried Rice | Easy Better-Than-Takeout Recipe

Chicken Fried Rice | Easy Better-Than-Takeout Recipe

This Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice is made with fluffy, day-old rice, tender chicken, colorful vegetables, and chopped bacon for an incredible, smoky depth of flavor. Quick, easy, and infinitely better than delivery!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Marinating Time 10 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Sauce

  • 2.5 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or Mirin See notes for non-alcoholic substitute
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce Do not use dark
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil optional
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper optional

The Fried Rice

  • 2 tablespoons peanut vegetable, or canola oil (divided)
  • 2 large eggs lightly whisked
  • 150 g 5oz chicken breast, finely sliced into small pieces
  • 120 g 4oz bacon, excess fat trimmed, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ onion finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot peeled and diced (about ⅓-inch)
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 2 cups packed cooked long-grain white rice, day-old and chilled
  • ¾ cup green onions finely sliced

Equipment

  • Wok or large, wide skillet
  • Cutting Board
  • Chef's Knife
  • Small Mixing Bowl
  • Spatula or wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. 1. Marinate the Chicken

    Mix all of the Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour 2 teaspoons of the mixed sauce over the sliced chicken breast, toss to coat evenly, and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

    2. Scramble the Egg

    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the lightly whisked eggs and scramble until just cooked (still a touch wet). Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside.

    3. Cook the Bacon & Aromatics

    Turn the heat up to HIGH. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the chopped bacon into the same skillet. Cook for about 1 minute until the fat starts to melt. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until the bacon is light golden—about 1 ½ minutes.

    4. Add the Vegetables

    Add the diced carrots, frozen corn, and frozen peas (it is perfectly fine to add them straight from the freezer). Cook, tossing frequently, for 1 minute.

    5. Cook the Chicken

    Add the marinated chicken to the wok. Cook until it changes from pink to completely white—about 1 ½ minutes.

    6. Fry the Rice

    Add the chilled, day-old white rice and the remaining Sauce mixture to the pan. Cook for 1 ½ minutes, stirring constantly to break up any clumps of rice and coat every grain in the sauce.

    7. Finish and Serve

    Add the cooked scrambled egg and the sliced green onions back into the wok. Toss everything together to disperse the egg and onions evenly, then immediately remove from the heat. Serve hot!

Notes

  • Non-Alcoholic Substitute: Reduce oyster and soy sauce to 2 tsp each, and add 1 tbsp water to the Sauce. When you add the rice to the pan, sprinkle in ½ tsp of chicken or vegetable stock powder (or a crumbled bouillon cube).
  • Oyster Sauce Substitute: If you don't have oyster sauce, substitute it with fish sauce + hoisin sauce (best!) or just hoisin sauce alone.
  • The Bacon Hack: Chopped bacon is a brilliant substitute for the Chinese sausage and Chinese BBQ Pork that restaurants traditionally use. Do not trim all the fat off, as it flavors the oil!
Always use cold, day-old rice! Fresh, warm rice contains too much moisture and will turn your beautiful fried rice into a gluey, mushy mess when it hits the hot pan.