If there’s one dish I always get asked about when the kids are home, it’s Chinese Chicken Fried Rice. Simple, comforting, and lightning-fast, it’s a dish that shines when you know a few insider tricks. Whenever I test a new wok or teach someone proper stir-frying technique, this is the recipe I start with. Once you know how to make the real deal at home, you’ll question why you ever bothered with the takeaway version that is usually cold by the time you get it home.
Good Chinese fried rice is all about prep, heat, and confidence. You’re not gently sautéing here! You’re cooking fast and furious. But don’t worry; I’ll walk you through it step-by-step, just as I would in my kitchen.
What Is Chinese Chicken Fried Rice?
Chinese fried rice is a quick stir-fried rice dish traditionally made with cold, cooked rice, eggs, vegetables, soy sauce, aromatics, and your protein of choice – today, we’re going with chicken. It’s meant to be simple, but simple doesn’t mean boring. A great fried rice has:
- Individual grains with no clumping
- Fragrant aromatics (ginger, garlic, spring onions)
- High heat wok flavour – that slightly smoky “wok hei”
- Balanced seasoning that doesn’t drown the rice
Despite what many think, authentic fried rice is not a soy-sauce-soaked brown mush. The seasoning should be just enough to coat the grains lightly and enhance their flavour.
A Brief History of Fried Rice
Fried rice dates back over 1,000 years to the Sui Dynasty in China. The original purpose? Using up leftovers. It was a practical dish — old rice, bits of meat and whatever vegetables were on hand were tossed together to create something new and delicious. Waste not, want not.
Over the centuries, different regions of China developed their own versions:
- Yangzhou fried rice with prawns and char siu
- Hokkien fried rice with a saucy top layer
- Sichuan fried rice with bold, spicy notes
The version we often get from Chinese takeaways in the UK is a simplified adaptation of Cantonese-style fried rice — light, aromatic, and quick to cook.
Ingredients
Get all your ingredients together before you start cooking. Feel free to add other veggies etc. The exact ingredient measurements I used in this recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Cooked, completely chilled jasmine or basmati rice
- Chicken breast or thigh, diced
- Light soy sauce
- Dark soy sauce (for colour — optional)
- Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- Eggs, beaten
- Spring onions, sliced
- Frozen peas
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Ginger
- White pepper
- Vegetable or peanut oil
- Salt, to taste
- Sesame oil, to finish (optional)
Step by step photos
Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.
- Step 1: Mix the diced chicken with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, and a pinch of white pepper. Set aside while you prep the rest.
- Step 2: This is key. You want the wok properly hot, lightly smoking. Add a teaspoon of oil and swirl.
- Step 3: Drop in the chicken and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.
- Step 4: Add a little oil, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them until just set. Remove and keep with the chicken.
- Step 5: Add another teaspoon of oil. Fry the garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions) for 20–30 seconds. Don’t let them burn. They should be fragrant, not crispy.
- Step 6: Throw in the peas and carrots. Stir-fry for another minute.
- Step 7: Add the cold rice to the wok. Crumble it in with your hands if it’s clumped together and spread the rice out over the wok. Add the remaining soy sauce and Shaoxing wine.
- Step 8: Return the fried chicken and egg to the wok and continue stirring briskly.
- Step 9: Add the remaining soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and white pepper. Toss quickly. The seasoning should coat all the grains lightly.
- Step 10: Check for seasoning and serve hot.
Useful Equipment
You don’t need a Chinese restaurant kitchen to pull off amazing fried rice, but a few bits of kit really help:
1. Carbon Steel Wok: If you can get one, do. Carbon steel heats fast, stays hot and gives you that smoky wok flavour you can’t replicate in a frying pan. Cheap, strong, and lasts forever.
2. A Good Spatula or Wok Turner: You want something sturdy that can scrape, toss and lift without wobbling.
3. Rice Cooker (Optional But Highly Recommended): Perfect rice every time. And leftover rice is the secret to world-class fried rice.
4. A Powerful Hob: Gas is best, but if you’re using induction or electric, let the wok heat longer before you start.
Storage and reheating
Chinese fried rice stores surprisingly well — as long as it cools quickly.
Storing
- Spread it on a tray to cool within 1 hour
- Transfer to an airtight container
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days
Freezing
Yes, you can freeze it!
Portion into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Always reheat until steaming hot throughout.
- Microwave: 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway
- Wok: Add a splash of water and stir-fry over high heat
- Oven: 10 minutes at 180°C (covered)
Never reheat fried rice more than once.
Top Tip
The rice must be cold! If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: Fried rice is made with cold, day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice contains steam. Steam equals moisture. Moisture equals mush. Mush equals sadness.
FAQ
Because the rice was warm or freshly cooked. Always use cold rice.
Yes. I use Basmati because I always have it on hand. Jasmine is the perfect substitute and also perhaps a bit more authentic when making proper Chinese Chicken Fried Rice.
Light soy is for seasoning. Dark soy is thicker, sweeter and mainly used for colour.
A wok gives the best heat circulation, but a large non-stick frying pan will do in a pinch.
Two things:
Very high heat
Tossing the food so it briefly contacts the hotter upper sides of the wok
You can get close at home with a hot wok and small batches.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Have you tried this Chicken Fried Rice recipe?
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Yield: 4
Chicken Fried Rice
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked, completely chilled jasmine or basmati rice
- 300g chicken breast or thigh, diced
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for colour — optional)
- 1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 4 spring onions, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
- Salt, to taste
- Sesame oil, to finish (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the diced chicken with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, and a pinch of white pepper. Set aside while you prep the rest.
- Over a high heat, heat your wok until smoking hot. Add one tablespoon of the oil and add the chicken in one layer and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just cooked through. Be sure to toss and stir the chicken as you cook it so that it cooks evenly. Do not overcrowd your pan and cook in batches if you need to. Remove the cooked chicken from the wok and set aside.
- Add a little more oil as required and pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble them until just set. Remove and keep with the chicken.
- Add another teaspoon of oil. Fry the garlic and ginger for 20–30 seconds. Don’t let them burn. They should be fragrant, not crispy. Throw in the peas, carrots and most of the spring onions. Stir-fry for another minute.
- Add the cold rice to your wok and crumble it in with your hands if it’s clumped. Spread the rice out over the wok and leave it for 20–30 seconds so it can toast slightly and fry to perfection. You can always add a drop more oil if needed.
- Now stir-fry vigorously. Get everything moving! Add the remaining soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and white pepper. Toss quickly. The seasoning should coat all the grains lightly. Return the cooked chicken and eggs back to the wok. Stir everything together for another minute until piping hot.
- To finish, a drizzle of sesame oil and a final sprinkle of spring onions. Check for seasoning and serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 615Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 191mgCarbohydrates: 77gFiber: 7gSugar: 10gProtein: 34g
