Chicken Fried Rice

American-style chicken fried rice turns leftover chilled jasmine rice into a quick, savoury wok dish with distinct grains, tender pieces of chicken thigh, soft scrambled egg and bursts of sweet peas. The character comes from high heat: the rice should fry rather than steam, picking up light toasty edges while soy sauce adds umami and toasted sesame oil gives a nutty finish. Spring onion brings freshness in two stages, with the whites cooked for aroma and the greens folded through at the end. It is a practical dinner for using cooked rice, best served straight from the wok while hot and loose.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style American-style Chinese takeaway
Flavor profile Savoury • Umami-rich • Nutty sesame finish
Techniques Stir-frying • Scrambling • Wok tossing
Key equipment Wok or large frying pan
Cooking style Minimal cleanup • Meal prep friendly
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Separate grains and tender chicken: Cold cooked rice stays distinct in the wok, while chicken thigh gives the dish a juicy, savoury bite.
  • Fast once prepped: With the rice already cooked and chilled, the main cooking happens quickly over high heat.
  • Simple but well layered: Soy sauce seasons the rice, spring onion adds freshness, and toasted sesame oil brings a rounded nutty finish off the heat.

Get the most out of this recipe

Timing notes

  • Prep before heating the wok: Have the chicken cut, rice broken up, eggs ready and spring onions sliced before you start; stir-frying moves too quickly for chopping as you go.
  • Best served straight away: Fried rice is at its best immediately after cooking, while the grains are hot, lightly toasted and not yet steaming in the pan.

Ingredient notes

  • Use cold cooked rice: Chilled jasmine rice has a firmer texture and lower surface moisture, helping it fry cleanly instead of clumping.
  • Finish with sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is most aromatic when added off the heat, so it perfumes the rice without turning harsh.
  • Separate the spring onions: The white parts can cook briefly for aroma, while the green parts are best folded through at the end for freshness.

Common mistakes

  • Using too little heat: A hot wok helps the rice fry and toast. If the pan is only moderately hot, the grains are more likely to steam.
  • Overfilling the wok: Too much rice in the pan traps moisture and makes tossing difficult. Use a wide pan and keep everything moving.
  • Starting with warm rice: Freshly cooked or warm rice is too soft for this method and can turn sticky once soy sauce is added.

Make-ahead tips

  • Cook the rice ahead: Cook and chill the jasmine rice in advance so it is cold and firm when it goes into the wok.
  • Prepare components early: The chicken, spring onions and peas can be readied before cooking, making the final stir-fry much smoother.
  • Reheat in a hot pan: Reheat leftovers in a wok or frying pan with a small splash of water, tossing until piping hot throughout.

Equipment you'll need

Large frying pan Mixing bowl Wok Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Break up the cold rice with your fingers so there are no clumps. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Thinly slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
  2. Heat a wok over high heat until very hot. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Push the chicken to the side of the wok.
  3. Crack in the eggs and scramble for 30 to 60 seconds until just set. Stir the eggs through the chicken, then add the white parts of the spring onion and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the rice and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing constantly, until the grains are hot and starting to toast. Add the peas and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until hot. Pour in the soy sauce around the edge of the wok and toss well so it coats the rice evenly.
  5. Take the wok off the heat and drizzle over the toasted sesame oil. Toss once more, then fold through the green parts of the spring onion. Serve straight away while piping hot.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Cold, cooked rice is key: it fries rather than steams, so you get separate grains and better flavour.
  • Keep the wok very hot and work quickly; if the rice starts to stick, toss more often rather than turning down the heat.
  • If you are pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, make sure the eggs are fully set and the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining.

Substitutions

  • Replace Chicken thighs with Chicken breast boneless skinless for a leaner result; reduce the stir-fry time slightly to avoid drying it out.
  • Replace Soy sauce with Light soy sauce for a slightly lighter, saltier seasoning.
  • Replace Frozen peas with Edamame for a firmer bite and a slightly nuttier flavour.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 2 days
  • Cool quickly, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat in a hot wok or frying pan with a splash of water, tossing until piping hot throughout.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest
Chicken Fried Rice
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 2 servings
  • Total time: 40min (25min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: American
  • Allergens:
    Eggs Sesame Soybeans
One pot Kid friendly
Pinterest Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Large frying pan Mixing bowl Wok Wooden spoon
Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Jasmine rice

1 cup ≈ 185 g
Convert ingredient→

Soy sauce

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Toasted sesame oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance
Best value

Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids

Microwave-safe glass
  • Microwave safe
  • BPA-free lids
  • Glass is heavier
Top quality

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan 12 Inch

Premium nonstick performance
  • Top-tier build quality
  • Excellent heat distribution
  • Expensive
Best overall

KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Non-slip steel set
  • Non-slip base
  • Stainless steel
  • Not microwave safe

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.