Chicken Fried Rice – Restaurant Quality! (VIDEO)

• Chicken – I use thinly sliced chicken breast in this recipe but you can easily substitute with chicken thigh. If you are looking for a recipe with similar flavors without chicken, check out my Egg Fried Rice recipe. If you prefer shrimp, I have a recipe on how to make restaurant quality Shrimp Fried Rice.
• Soy Sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for a fried rice recipe.
  • Some fried rice dishes call for NO soy sauce, like my Din Tai Fung Fried Rice!
• Shaoxing Wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• White Pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier, less spicy flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• Sesame Oil – A little bit goes a long way but adds a nice toasted, sesame flavor to the chicken marinade. If you don’t have it, you can omit this.
• Cornstarch – Using cornstarch in your chicken marinade will help give the chicken the texture you’re used to in takeout fried rice!
• Rice – I prefer long grain white rice for this recipe due to the lower moisture content but you can substitute with another white rice, if needed.
  • PRO TIP: Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be dried out in the fridge overnight to reduce moisture in the rice. Too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy – and we don’t want that!
• Onion, Garlic, Scallions – These are your aromatics AKA your best friend in building flavor.
• Carrots, Peas – Most takeout restaurants use carrots and peas; this is what I like to use, too! However, you can always customize this to your liking!
• MSG – I like to use MSG in my cooking but this is always optional.
• Neutral Oil – I use avocado oil as my go-to neutral oil. You can also use canola or vegetable oil. DO NOT use sesame oil or olive oil!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make the Best Chicken Fried Rice – Step by Step

1. Marinate Your Chicken

First step is to marinate your chicken! Take your chicken breast and slice into thin 1/2″ pieces. Place in a bowl. Marinate with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sesame oil, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside for 15-20 minutes.

2. Prepare Your Vegetables, Eggs, and Sauce

Once you start cooking, Chicken Fried Rice will come together very quickly! Therefore, it’s crucial you have everything ready to go.

1. Chop your vegetables and set aside.
2. Beat your eggs and set aside.
3. Prepare your soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper salt, and MSG and set aside.

PRO TIP: Just make sure to cut up the vegetables to similar shaped sizes so they cook evenly, and frozen vegetables work well!

3. Cook The Chicken

Over high heat, add 2 tbsp of oil; once the oil starts simmering, add your chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.

4. Sauté The Aromatics

If needed, add more oil; add your garlic, onion, and scallion WHITES only and fry for 1 minute. After 1 minute, add your carrots and peas; cook for another 1-2 minutes.

5. Cook The Egg

Push your vegetables to the side and add 1/2 tbsp of oil. Add your beaten eggs and cook until about 80% done. Fold your eggs into the vegetables and mix well.

6. Add Rice and Seasonings

When eggs are scrambled and mixed with the vegetables, add the rice. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, MSG, and salt (to taste). Incorporate rice into the eggs and vegetables as you fry over high heat for 3-4 minutes. Everything should be well incorporated and rice grains should be dry and separated.

Add back the cooked chicken and the chopped scallion greens. Cook for 1 minute then drizzle with sesame oil and enjoy!

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a Dutch oven.

My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Chicken Fried Rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or Dutch oven, OR cook in batches.