Chinese Fried Rice Recipe

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This Chinese Fried Rice Recipe is the best, easy to make Chinese takeout recipe ever! It’s super quick and easy (like 20 minutes quick), and perfect as a side dish or an entree.

This recipe was originally published in June 2017. It has been updated for photos and content. For a good laugh, scroll down below the recipe card to take a look at the old photos!

This Chinese Fried Rice recipe is awesome guys. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and rivals any Chinese takeout fried rice I’ve ever had. 

I have been making this fried rice for YEARS. This is my go-to basic fried rice recipe and I think’s it’s just incredible. I’ve made a few tweaks over the years to perfect it.

What’s great about this recipe is you can add whatever you want to it – more meats, more veggies, etc. This is just a base recipe. I personally love to add some sliced Chinese sausage and extra green onions. 

Is Fried Rice Authentic Chinese Food?

Fried rice is eaten in Chinese kitchens typically as a way to use up leftovers. Any leftover bits of meats or veggies are thrown into a pan and cooked with leftover rice and seasonings (mainly soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil).

The Ingredients for Chinese Fried Rice

First off, day old white rice is a MUST. Seriously guys, if you don’t have day old rice your fried rice may come out mushy. That’s a fact. Also, it helps to have light and fluffy rice to start with. Learn how to make the perfect pot of rice in this post from Bon Appetit. It works. 

Soy sauce – This is what gives fried rice it’s brown color. Oh yeah, and it’s delicious umami flavor. 
Green onions – This fried rice recipe goes heavy on the green onions. They add a great flavor and beautiful color.
White and black pepper – Both of these are important. If you don’t have white pepper, most grocery stores should have it, or there is a link in the recipe card to buy through Amazon.
Eggs – I like a fried rice with a little scrambled egg in it. You can leave this out if you want to make it egg-less.
Chicken stock – I use chicken bone broth because I have a ton of it in my freezer, but use any chicken stock or broth you have.
Garlic – What is a stir fry without garlic?
Sesame oil – this is an absolute MUST to finish this dish. The flavor brings everything together in my opinion.

What Type of Rice is Used for Fried Rice?

I always use long grain white rice to make fried rice as it keeps it’s shape better than the shorter grains. You can also use a medium grain white rice or Jasmine rice. A short grain rice will usually be stickier and doesn’t work well for fried rice. 

You can also substitute brown rice for the white rice for a healthier version.

How to Make Chinese Fried Rice

Start by heating the cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. 

Then add the garlic and and green onions and stir fry for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to lightly brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic or your rice will be bitter.

Add the cooked rice (see expert tips if you don’t have day old rice) and quickly toss to avoid the rice getting mushy. If the rice is in clumps, break the clumps up before adding to the pan.  

Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, white and black pepper, and sesame oil and toss to combine with the rice.

Move the rice to one side of the pan. Add the beaten eggs, cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly scrambled. 

Mix the scrambled eggs into the rice, remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Variations for Fried Rice

There are so many different options for this rice. Got leftovers in the fridge? Throw them in! Feel like having this as a full meal? You totally can – here are some options:

• Beef Fried Rice – stir fry some thin slices of beef before starting the rice and set is aside. Add it back in at the end. For extra flavor, marinate the beef for 30 minutes in a little oyster sauce, Chinese rice wine and soy sauce before stir frying;
• Chicken Fried Rice – Chop up some chicken thighs and stir fry it before starting the rice. Add it back in at the end;
• Shrimp Fried Rice – One of my favorite options, saute some medium sized peeled shrimp in a pan and add them into the rice at the end;
• Pork Fried Rice – You can either dice up and stir fry pieces of pork, or to really amp it up, add some of this Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) to it. This stuff is seriously good guys;
• Kimchi Fried Rice – Another household favorite, check out this recipe for Kimchi Fried Rice;
• Vegetable Fried Rice – to get it meat free, you can add any veggies you’d like to this fried rice. Do a quick stir fry, set them aside, and add them back in at the end.
• Other Options – Consider adding bacon, leftover ham, tofu, leftover over Roasted Duck or Roasted Goose, 

Expert Tips

1. Day old rice is a must when making this rice. Otherwise you will likely end up with mushy fried rice.
2. Add more soy sauce to taste if desired. I start with a lesser amount for those who have less salt tolerance. 
3. You can add more veggies such as diced carrots, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, etc. Add the vegetables at the beginning right before the garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute. 
4. Add shrimp, pork, beef, chicken or tofu to make this a meal. You can also amp it up and add this Char Siu or this Braised Pork Belly. 
5. Use the oven to dry out fried rice not made in advance: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (or lightly coat with oil). Spread the rice on the baking and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Check the rice every couple minutes to ensure you aren’t crisping it too much. Remove and let cool. Cool it quickly in the freezer if you’re strapped for time. 

How to Dry Out Rice for Fried Rice

Let’s say you forgot to make the rice and store it overnight. Don’t fret, you can still do this. You’ll want to dry out your rice to avoid the mushfest that happens when stir frying it. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (or lightly coat with oil). Spread the rice on the baking and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Check the rice every couple minutes to ensure you aren’t crisping it too much. Remove and let cool. Cool it quickly in the freezer if you’re strapped for time. 

How long does fried rice last? It will last up to a week store in an airtight container in the fridge. See below for freezing instructions.

Can you freeze fried rice? Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave. Note it will be slightly mushier after being frozen, but the flavor will still be great.

What to Serve with Fried Rice?

Make this a whole Chinese takeout meal with some of these favorite Chinese recipes:

• Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken;
• Mongolian Beef;
• Wonton Noodle Soup;
• Shrimp Lo Mein;
• Twice Cooked Pork;
• Browse all the Chinese Recipes. 

Did you make this Chinese Fried Rice recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!

Chinese Fried Rice Recipe

This Chinese Fried Rice Recipe is is the best easy to make Chinese takeout recipe ever! It's super quick and easy, and perfect as a side dish or an entree.

5 from 14 votes

Print Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1473kcal

Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

• 4 cups day old rice (see expert tips if you don't have day old rice)
• 3 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup chopped green onions (with extra for garnish if desired)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for finishing)

Instructions

• Heat the cooking oil in a wok pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic and green onions (reserving a few for garnish-optional) and stir fry for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to lightly brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic or your rice will be bitter.
• Add the cold, cooked rice (see expert tips if you don't have day old rice) and quickly toss to avoid the rice getting mushy. Stir fry for 2 minutes, tossing the rice.
• Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, white and black pepper, and sesame oil and toss to combine with the rice.
• Move the rice to the side of the pan. Add beaten eggs, cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly scrambled.
• Mix the scrambled eggs into the rice remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Expert Tips:

1. Day old rice is a must when making fried rice. Otherwise you will likely end up with mushy fried rice.
2. Add more soy sauce to taste if desired. I start with a lesser amount for those who have less salt tolerance. 
3. You can add more veggies such as diced carrots, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, etc. Add the vegetables at the beginning right before the garlic and stir fry for about 1 minute. 
4. Add shrimp, pork, beef, chicken or tofu to make this a meal. You can also amp it up and add this Char Siu or this Braised Pork Belly. Cook the meat first, remove it from the pan and follow the remaining instructions. Add the meat back in right before cooking the eggs. 
5. Use the oven to dry out fried rice not made in advance: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (or lightly coat with oil). Spread the rice on the baking and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Check the rice every couple minutes to ensure you aren't crisping it too much. Remove and let cool. Cool it quickly in the freezer if you're strapped for time. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 1473kcal | Carbohydrates: 142g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 92g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 426mg | Sodium: 4123mg | Potassium: 1582mg | Fiber: 31g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 5470IU | Vitamin C: 23.8mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 47.9mg

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