Takeout taste without the takeout total. 🥡 This easy chicken fried rice turns leftover rice, a little chicken and freezer staples into a full dinner in about 20 minutes.
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10–12 minutes
Total: About 20 minutes
Estimated cost: About $8–$10 total
Estimated cost per serving: About $2–$2.50
Ingredients
3 cups cooked, cold rice
1½ cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
3 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
½ teaspoon ground ginger, optional
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the eggs and scramble just until cooked. Transfer them to a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the peas and carrots and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the cold rice. Break up any clumps and let it cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's hot and beginning to brown.
Add the chicken, scrambled eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger.
Toss everything together and cook another 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the green onions, add black pepper to taste and serve hot.
💰 A Frugal-ish Tip
Yesterday's rice is actually better.
Cold leftover rice is drier than freshly cooked rice, so it fries instead of turning mushy. Translation: using leftovers isn't the compromise here…it's the secret ingredient. 😂
And don't buy a special bag of vegetables. Corn, broccoli, edamame, diced peppers or whatever is hanging around the freezer can go in.
Make It Yours
No chicken? Use leftover pork, steak or shrimp—or skip the meat completely.
Want more protein? Add another egg.
Like some heat? Add sriracha, chili crisp or crushed red pepper.
Have half an onion slowly dying in the refrigerator? Congratulations. It has found its purpose.
🥡 Do the Math!
Four takeout orders of chicken fried rice can easily turn into a $30+ dinner once you add tax, fees or delivery.
Making a skillet at home: roughly $8–$10, depending largely on whether you're using leftover chicken and rice.
