Looking for a dinner solution that’s both delicious and incredibly easy to prepare? This Chicken & Veggie Fried Rice recipe is your answer. It’s a fantastic way to bring a satisfying, flavorful meal to your family table without spending hours in the kitchen.
This recipe is all about convenience and taste, combining tender chicken with a colorful medley of vegetables and perfectly seasoned rice. It’s a complete meal in one pan, making cleanup a breeze and ensuring everyone gets a hearty, homemade dinner.
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
- Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Chicken & Veggie Fried Rice recipe is a delicious and incredibly easy dinner solution, combining tender chicken with colorful vegetables and perfectly seasoned rice for a satisfying, flavorful meal in one pan. It’s a quick weeknight hero, versatile, and great for meal prepping.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
3. Toss in the frozen peas and carrots blend. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
4. Add the cold, day-old cooked rice to the skillet, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Stir everything together well, ensuring the rice is evenly coated with the oil and mixed with the vegetables. Continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes, allowing the rice to heat through and slightly crisp up.
5. Pour in the soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using). Stir well to distribute the sauces evenly throughout the rice. Make sure every grain gets a coating of that savory goodness.
6. Push the rice and vegetables to one side of the skillet, creating a clear space. Pour the lightly beaten eggs into the empty space. Scramble the eggs with your spatula until they are just set, then break them into smaller pieces and mix them into the rice mixture.
7. Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet with the rice and vegetables. Stir everything together until the chicken is thoroughly heated through.
8. Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish generously with thinly sliced green onions before serving immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: main dish
- Method: stir-fry
- Cuisine: asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
Keywords: fried rice, chicken, weeknight meal, easy dinner, one pan, quick, asian inspired, vegetable, meal prep, family friendly
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This recipe is a true weeknight hero for so many reasons. First, it’s incredibly fast, coming together in under 30 minutes, which is perfect for those busy evenings when you need a delicious meal on the table in a flash. It’s also wonderfully versatile, allowing you to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, making it a great way to reduce food waste and customize it to your family’s preferences. This dish is ideal for families with picky eaters, as the familiar flavors of chicken and rice, combined with finely diced vegetables, are generally a hit. You can serve it as a standalone meal, or as a hearty side dish to other Asian-inspired fare. It’s also fantastic for meal prepping, as it reheats beautifully for lunches throughout the week.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients ahead of time makes the cooking process smooth and enjoyable. Most of these items are pantry staples, ensuring you can whip this up whenever the craving strikes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots blend
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups cooked day-old white rice (chilled is best)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional, for extra flavor)
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
For the chicken, you can easily substitute with shrimp, pork, or even tofu for a vegetarian version. If you don’t have a frozen pea and carrot blend, feel free to use fresh chopped carrots and peas, just be sure to cook them slightly longer until tender-crisp. Any type of white rice will work, but day-old rice is crucial for the best fried rice texture, as freshly cooked rice tends to be too moist and can result in a mushy dish. If you don’t have oyster sauce, you can omit it or add a touch more soy sauce and a pinch of sugar for a similar umami boost.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This recipe is designed for speed and efficiency, making it perfect for those evenings when time is of the essence.
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Follow these simple steps to create a delicious and satisfying chicken and veggie fried rice that your whole family will love.
- Prepare the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
- Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the Frozen Vegetables: Toss in the frozen peas and carrots blend. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Incorporate the Rice: Add the cold, day-old cooked rice to the skillet, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Stir everything together well, ensuring the rice is evenly coated with the oil and mixed with the vegetables. Continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes, allowing the rice to heat through and slightly crisp up.
- Season the Rice Mixture: Pour in the soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using). Stir well to distribute the sauces evenly throughout the rice. Make sure every grain gets a coating of that savory goodness.
- Create an Egg Scramble: Push the rice and vegetables to one side of the skillet, creating a clear space. Pour the lightly beaten eggs into the empty space. Scramble the eggs with your spatula until they are just set, then break them into smaller pieces and mix them into the rice mixture.
- Return the Chicken and Finish: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet with the rice and vegetables. Stir everything together until the chicken is thoroughly heated through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish generously with thinly sliced green onions before serving immediately.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This chicken and veggie fried rice is incredibly adaptable, making it a fantastic base for endless variations. For a spicier kick, add a dash of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the soy sauce. If you want to boost the vegetable content, consider adding finely chopped bell peppers, corn, or even spinach in the last few minutes of cooking. To make it more kid-friendly, you can reduce the amount of ginger and ensure the vegetables are very finely diced. For a fun twist, top individual servings with a fried egg or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. This dish is hearty enough to be a complete meal on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with simple sides like spring rolls, potstickers, or a light cucumber salad for a more elaborate family dinner or buffet spread.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls, but knowing them ahead of time can help you achieve perfect fried rice every time. One of the most frequent mistakes is using freshly cooked, warm rice. This results in a sticky, mushy fried rice because the moisture content is too high. Always use cold, day-old rice that has had a chance to dry out in the refrigerator. Another common issue is overcrowding the pan. If you’re making a large batch, cook it in two smaller batches or use a very large wok or skillet. Overcrowding lowers the pan’s temperature, steaming the ingredients instead of frying them, which prevents that desirable slightly crispy texture. Lastly, don’t skimp on the heat. Fried rice needs high heat to get that characteristic “wok hei” or smoky flavor. Ensure your skillet or wok is properly hot before adding ingredients, and keep the heat up throughout the cooking process.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This chicken and veggie fried rice is excellent for meal prepping and storing. To store leftovers, allow the fried rice to cool completely to room temperature within two hours of cooking. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. For reheating, the best method is to warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a tiny splash of water or oil, stirring occasionally until heated through. This helps to restore some moisture and prevent it from drying out. You can also microwave it, but stirring halfway through will help ensure even heating. If you want to make it ahead, you can cook the chicken and chop all your vegetables a day in advance. Cook and chill the rice the day before as well. When you’re ready to eat, simply combine and cook everything according to the recipe steps, which will significantly cut down on your active cooking time on the day of serving.
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Can I use brown rice instead of white rice? Yes, you can use brown rice, but ensure it is also day-old and chilled. Brown rice has a chewier texture and may absorb flavors differently, but it works well.
What if I don’t have a wok? A large, heavy-bottomed skillet or a cast-iron pan will work perfectly fine. The key is to use a pan that can hold high heat and has enough surface area to avoid overcrowding.
Can I add other proteins? Absolutely! Shrimp, pork, beef, or even tofu are great additions. Cook them separately before adding them back to the rice, just as you would with the chicken.
Is this recipe gluten-free? To make this recipe gluten-free, you’ll need to use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce substitute, and ensure any oyster sauce used is also certified gluten-free.
How do I prevent the rice from sticking to the pan? Using enough oil and ensuring your pan is properly heated before adding the rice will help prevent sticking. Also, using cold, day-old rice is crucial as it’s less sticky than fresh rice.
Can I freeze fried rice? While you can freeze fried rice, the texture of the rice and vegetables might become a bit softer upon thawing and reheating. If you do freeze it, store it in an airtight container for up to 1
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
