Chinese
Quick Chicken Fried Rice
A fast and flavourful fried rice using leftover rice and chicken, perfect for a quick breakfast or meal.
About this recipe
Quick Chicken Fried Rice is a chinese breakfast for 3 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around chicken and egg, and it takes around 15 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cooked rice
- 150g, diced Chicken
- 2 Egg
- 2 cloves, minced Garlic
- 1/4, diced Onion
- 2 stalks, chopped Spring onion
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste White pepper
Equipment
Method
- 1
Heat cooking oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat (setting 7/9 on gas stove). Add mincedMince.Cut very finely (releases stronger flavour, but burns faster).Glossary → garlic and dicedDice.Cut into even cubes so the pieces cook at the same rate.Glossary → onion, stir-fryStir-fry.Cook small pieces fast over high heat while constantly moving them.Glossary → until fragrant.
~2 min
- 2
Add dicedDice.Cut into even cubes so the pieces cook at the same rate.Glossary → chicken and stir-fryStir-fry.Cook small pieces fast over high heat while constantly moving them.Glossary → until lightly browned and cooked through.
~3 min
- 3
Push chicken to one side of the wok. Crack eggs into the empty space and scramble until almost cooked. Then mix with chicken.
~2 min
- 4
Add cooked rice to the wok. Break up any clumps. Stir-fryStir-fry.Cook small pieces fast over high heat while constantly moving them.Glossary → for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
~4 min
- 5
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Stir well to combine and coat the rice evenly.
~2 min
- 6
Stir in chopped spring onions. Serve hot.
~1 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Chicken
- pork, prawns, or firm tofu — keep pieces thin so they cook fast.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Oyster sauce
- hoisin loosened with a splash of soy, or soy sauce + a small pinch of sugar.
- Sesame oil
- use sparingly — a tiny bit of tahini, or just skip it; it’s a finishing flavour.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Slice chicken thinly across the grain — it cooks faster and stays tender. How to slice chicken thinly →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Quick Chicken Fried Rice take to make? +
Around 15 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 3. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: frying pan / wok, gas stove, rice cooker. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Chicken → pork, prawns, or firm tofu — keep pieces thin so they cook fast; Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Spring onion → thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Quick Chicken Fried Rice ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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