Speedy chicken fried rice
Wok-fried chicken and rice ready in 20 minutes — crisp veg, soy-scented rice and a soft egg scramble for a speedy midweek supper.
This chicken fried rice is the kind of midweek hero that arrives in under 20 minutes and gets a standing ovation from hungry families. It relies on a hot pan, cold rice and quick-moving hands — the keys to good texture and bright flavour.
Use leftover rice if you have it; if you don't, cool newly cooked rice as quickly as possible. The result is a satisfying, balanced one-pan supper that you can customise with whatever veg you've got to hand.
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breast — trimmed and thinly sliced
- 300 g cooked long-grain rice — preferably cold or leftover
- 2 eggs
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 30 ml soy sauce — use tamari for gluten-free
- 5 ml sesame oil — 1 tsp, toasted if possible
- 100 g frozen peas — no need to defrost
- 3 spring onions — trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic — crushed
- 20 g fresh ginger — grated
- 1 carrot — medium, diced
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 1 lime — juice only
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
- spatula
Instructions
Prepare ingredients: slice the chicken thinly, dice the carrot, crush the garlic, grate the ginger, slice the spring onions and juice the lime. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat lightly.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat on the hob. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and spread it around. Add the chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until golden and just cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok. Toss in the garlic, ginger and diced carrot, and stir-fry until the carrot is just tender. Add the frozen peas and cook until hot.
Push the veg to one side of the wok, pour the beaten eggs into the empty space and scramble quickly until just set, then mix with the vegetables.
Add the cold cooked long-grain rice and the cooked chicken back to the wok. Pour over the soy sauce and toss vigourously to break up any clumps and heat through, so the rice grains separate.
Finish with the sesame oil, most of the sliced spring onions and a squeeze of lime juice. Toss for 30 seconds to combine and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, scattering the remaining spring onion on top.
Tips
- Always use cold or day-old rice for the best texture — if you must use freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray and chill for 10–15 minutes to let steam escape.
- Slice the chicken thinly across the grain so it cooks fast and stays tender.
- Keep the heat high and move quickly — frying in short bursts gives you colour without drying the protein.
- Make-ahead: cook rice and slice veg the day before; store separately in the fridge for a true 10–minute meal.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the rice.
Substitutions
chicken breast → firm tofu, 300 g, pressed and cubed
Stays closesoy sauce → tamari, 30 ml
Stays closesesame oil → a few drops of toasted sesame seeds or omit
Noticeably differentfrozen peas → diced courgette, 100 g
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 380
- Calories
- 26 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use freshly cooked rice?
Yes, but cool it briefly on a tray so steam escapes — the drier the grains the less they clump. If using piping-hot rice, spread and chill for 10–15 minutes.
How do I make this vegetarian?
Swap the chicken for firm tofu (pressed and cubed) and keep the rest the same. Use tamari if you need gluten-free.
Can I freeze this?
Fried rice can be frozen, but texture can change. Cool completely, freeze in portions for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen in a hot pan with a splash of water.
Why is my fried rice mushy?
Usually because the rice was too moist or you overcrowded the pan. Use cold rice, high heat and work in a single layer.
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