Chicken vegetable fried rice is a quick, easy, and satisfying dinner.
I recently shared a link about easy dinners; this one fits the bill. I have lots of easy chicken stir-fry recipes like this one and this one. Chicken vegetable fried rice is just as easy and ready in 30 minutes.
Elements
Cold Cooked Rice: You will want to start with cold, cooked rice. I admit it, I have used freshly cooked rice plenty of times when making fried rice. However, using cold, precooked rice does improve the finished product. Freshly cooked rice will be soft and sticky, which is great for stir-fries, but not great for fried rice. I made mine a couple of hours before I wanted to use it and stored it in the refrigerator. You could also cook it the night before and refrigerate it until ready to use.
Chicken Breast: You can also use chicken thighs.
Canola Oil: A neutral oil with a high smoke point is good for fried rice.
Onion & Bell Pepper: I use red onion and ripe bell pepper.
Additional Veggies: You can make this recipe your own by using the veggies you have on hand. We always have broccoli and zucchini in the refrigerator.
Egg: Scrambled egg adds flavor and richness.
Frozen Peas: I can’t explain it, but the peas are one of my favorite elements of fried rice. A touch of sweetness, maybe? It’s the same reason I like corn in a Chipotle bowl. Frozen peas taste great and are so convenient.
Garlic & Ginger: Add great flavor.
Five-Spice Powder: Five-spice powder is optional but recommended. I love the depth of flavor it adds.
Soy Sauce: No Asian-inspired recipes would be complete without soy sauce. I always use the low-sodium variety.
Sesame Oil: Adds richness and flavor.
Preparation
Sauté the chicken and veggies in a large skillet or wok. After about 10 minutes the chicken will be cooked. The vegetables will be just starting to get tender, which is how I like them.
Rinse the peas in some water as the chicken cooks to remove any ice crystals and thaw them a bit. I just learned answering a trivia question that peas are the oldest cultivated vegetable. It was multiple choice and I picked potatoes.
Remove the chicken and veggies to a bowl. In the now empty skillet, scramble the egg. Add the cooked rice, peas, ginger, and garlic as soon as the eggs start to firm up. Stir and break up the rice. Add the chicken and veggies back to the skillet. Sprinkle in the five-spice powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir together until everything is combined and heated through.
I like serving my chicken vegetable fried rice in a bowl. Enjoy!
Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cold cooked rice
- 1 chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ½ cup ripe bell pepper chopped
- Additional veggies such as broccoli or zucchini
- 1 egg whisked
- ½ cup frozen peas rinsed with water
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced or grated
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder optional
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Cold cooked rice works best for fried rice. Cook your rice at least 2 hours prior and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Heat a large wok or skillet to medium/high heat and drizzle in canola oil. Chop your chicken and add to the skillet. Allow the chicken to start to brown and add veggies. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are crisp-tender. I like the vegetables to have a little snap.
- Remove the chicken and vegetables to a bowl and scramble the egg in the now empty skillet. When the egg is just set, add the rice, peas, garlic, and ginger. Stir and break up the pieces of rice. Add the chicken and vegetables back to the skillet. Sprinkle with five-spice powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil.