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Better Than Takeout Chicken Fried Rice: Restaurant Style in 20 Minutes

A close-up of amazing chicken fried rice featuring rice, scrambled egg, peas, carrots, and topped with green onions.
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You can make restaurant-style chicken fried rice that tastes better than takeout right in your kitchen. This quick, one-pan recipe uses day-old rice for the best texture and comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups cold, day-old cooked rice
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, divided
  • 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas and carrots)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use low sodium if preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare your ingredients. Make sure your rice is cold. If you do not have day-old rice, spread fresh rice on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill and dry it out slightly.
  2. Heat 1 teaspoon of neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are browned and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
  3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the hot skillet. Pour in the beaten eggs and quickly scramble them until just set. Remove the eggs and set them aside with the chicken.
  4. Add the frozen vegetables to the skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes until they are heated through. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the cold rice to the skillet. Break up any clumps with your spatula. Stir-fry the rice for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing it against the hot surface of the pan to get a slight crispness. This step is key for restaurant-style texture.
  6. Return the cooked chicken and scrambled eggs to the skillet.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Pour this sauce mixture over the rice and toss everything together quickly until the rice is evenly coated and heated through, about 1 minute.
  8. Taste the fried rice and add a splash more soy sauce if you desire more saltiness.
  9. Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions.

Notes

  • Using cold, day-old rice prevents your fried rice from becoming mushy. This is the most important trick for achieving that perfect texture.
  • For a richer flavor, you can use leftover cooked chicken instead of cooking it fresh.
  • If you enjoy a slight sweetness, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to your sauce mixture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonswirl.com/chicken-fried-rice-better-than-takeout/