This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
This easy chicken fried rice recipe tastes just like your favorite hibachi restaurant! That’s because we took it straight from our mega-popular Hibachi Chicken recipe. On the table in just about 20 minutes, this yummy dish is perfect as a main course or as a side, and is guaranteed to please the whole family!
Why This Recipe is So Good
- This hibachi-inspired chicken & fried rice tastes just like the rice you’d order at your favorite restaurant, but it’s made right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
- Depending on your portion sizes, this is filling enough to be its own meal, or you can pair it with something like my hibachi chicken or Instant Pot orange chicken. If you’re making it as a stand-alone dish, feel free to double the amount of chicken you put in the rice, to really pack in the protein.
- All of the cooking happens right in one skillet, so clean up is a breeze! You’ll cook the chicken first, then set it aside and wipe out the skillet to start over with the veggies and rice.
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Fresh rice is the enemy of great chicken fried rice dishes – it’s too moist and will turn into a gummy, clumpy mess. Leftover rice that’s been refrigerated overnight dries out just enough to fry up with those individual, separated grains you get at restaurants. If you’re in a pinch, spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours.
- Heat your skillet over medium-high to high heat for 2-3 minutes until the oil shimmers and almost smokes. The chicken should sizzle the second it hits the pan, and resist the urge to constantly stir – let it sit for that full minute so it develops a golden-brown crust instead of steaming.
- Don’t rely on soy sauce alone to season this dish, or you’ll end up with soggy, one-dimensional rice that’s overly salty. Use salt and pepper generously on both the chicken and the rice – I’m talking at least ½ teaspoon of each for the rice alone. The soy sauce adds umami depth, but salt and pepper bring out all the other flavors for that complex, restaurant-worthy taste.
- Fried rice happens fast once you start cooking – we’re talking 10 minutes max from chicken to finished dish. Have your chicken cut, vegetables measured, eggs cracked into a bowl, and rice broken up and ready to go. Seriously, this step is super smart: scrambling to find ingredients mid-cook means burnt garlic, overcooked eggs, and a stressed-out you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook seasoned chicken pieces in a hot skillet with oil, soy sauce, butter, and lemon juice until browned, then set aside. Sauté onions and frozen vegetables, scramble eggs in the same pan, then add cold cooked rice and butter, cooking for 5 minutes before stirring in soy sauce. Add the chicken back in, season with salt and pepper, and cook until everything is heated through and well combined.
Fresh rice is too moist and sticky, which makes it clump together instead of frying into separate, fluffy grains. If you must use fresh rice, spread it on a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours to dry it out. Day-old refrigerated rice gives you way better results with minimal effort.
Long-grain white rice like jasmine or basmati works best because the grains stay separated and don’t get mushy. Avoid short-grain or sushi rice – they’re too sticky. I love using microwaveable ready rice packets because they’re already cooked, cool to the touch, and have that perfect slightly-dried texture.
You’re either using rice that’s too wet (freshly cooked or not properly cooled) or overcrowding the pan. Use cold, day-old rice and cook in batches if your skillet isn’t big enough to spread everything in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper first, then add soy sauce for flavor – not as your only seasoning source.
Swap the chicken for shrimp (cook 2-3 minutes until pink), pork, beef, or firm tofu cut into small pieces. For vegetarian, skip the meat and add extra scrambled eggs or double the veggies – mushrooms, bell peppers, and edamame work great. Just cut everything small so it heats through evenly.
Nope! A large 12-inch skillet works perfectly for home cooking. The key is using a pan big enough so the rice spreads out in a thin layer – that’s what lets it fry instead of steam. If you only have a smaller skillet, cook in batches.
You can, but it’ll be chewier, nuttier, and take 2-3 extra minutes to cook. Use fully cooked, cold brown rice and add a touch more oil since it’s drier. It won’t taste exactly like restaurant fried rice, but it’s a delicious, healthier alternative.
Heat it in a hot skillet with a tablespoon of water or chicken broth, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes. You can microwave it with a splash of water and a damp paper towel, but the skillet method gives better texture. The skillet even brings back some of that crispy, fried quality.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Sesame Chicken Lo Mein
- Tom Kha Goong (Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup)
- Garlic Butter Chicken Fried Rice
- Easy Tom Yum Soup
- Vegan Pad Thai
- Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl with Coleslaw Mix
- Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- 15 Minute Spicy Ramen
Easy Chicken Fried Rice (Restaurant-Style)
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or work (12-inches is ideal)
- Spatula
- Paper towels
- 1 Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons neutral oil like avocado or canola; 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon, divided
- ¾ pound chicken breasts cut into very small pieces, roughly half of "bite-sized"
- 5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce divided
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables peas, carrots
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups cooked rice cool to touch, see Notes
- sesame seeds optional, for garnish
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, warm 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil and 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) neutral oil. Once oils are hot, add chicken pieces. Let chicken cook for 1 minute without stirring.
- Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, approximately 1 to 3 minutes. Stir no more than once or twice so that chicken will brown nicely.
- Transfer cooked chicken to medium bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet (or wok) to use again.
For the Fried Rice
- Heat 1 teaspoon neutral oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and frozen vegetables. Sauté until onions are almost translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
- Move vegetables to one side of skillet. Crack eggs into skillet and scramble with spatula until cooked through.
- Add 4 cups cooked rice and 3 tablespoons butter to skillet. Stir frequently and cook 5 minutes, then stir in 3 tablespoons soy sauce and cook 1 additional minute.
- Stir in chicken, salt, and pepper. Cook until everything is well combined and warmed through, then portion into bowls, garnish with sesame seeds if desired, and serve warm.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @40aprons on Instagram and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!
Never Miss A Meal!
New Recipes Straight To Your Inbox
A curated selection of our most recent recipes, delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
Leave A Review
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
EVEYONE in our house LOVED it. I made it for dinner last night and even my mom said it’s better than take out. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe!
That’s so great, Fay! So happy you all enjoyed! Thanks for the review!
Fast & Easy and oh so delicious!
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Susie!
Super easy and delicious. I add extra egg and do a chicken/shrimp combo. YUM! Agree on some salt and liberal pepper for this one.
Yum is right! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much for the review, Valarie!
This was so good and easy to make!
Will definitely be making this again.
So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for the review, Holley!
This recipe is Fantastic!! Made it 5 times already, we absolutely love it! Thank you!’
That’s so great to hear, Connie! So glad you enjoy. Thank you so much for the review!
I like how you put the measurements in the instructions. Now I don’t have to keep scrolling up for quantity while making. Preparing this now. Thank you!
It’s our pleasure, Danielle! I hope you enjoyed the fried rice!
This recipe is so delicious! It’s in my rotation every week along with egg rolls….YUM!
Every week?! We’re honored!! Thank you so much, Davina, I’m so happy you enjoy this rice so much!
Delicious! I’ve tried over the years to make chicken fried rice and this recipe is Fantastic!! Wow! Thank you! So easy and soo good!
SO happy to hear that you loved it! Thanks so much for sharing, Connie!
Best one I’ve made! Thanks
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review, Bobbi!
Fantastic! I used skinless chicken thighs. Spot on advice about not solely using soy sauce to flavor! This turned out way better than eating out.
Thrilled to hear it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂