Chicken Fried Rice

Cultural Context

Fried rice is a practical Chinese home dish built around cooked rice and whatever meat or vegetables are on hand. This chicken version follows Bill Leung's family recipe: marinated chicken, egg, onion, crisp bean sprouts, scallion, and rice seasoned with light and dark soy sauce. It is mild enough for a family dinner and quick enough for a weeknight once the rice is cold.

Ingredients

Main Components

• 227 g (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1.25 cm (½-inch) cubes
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) light soy sauce
• 3 g (1 teaspoon) cornstarch
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) toasted sesame oil
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) canola or other neutral high-heat oil
• 750 g (about 5 packed cups) cold cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) canola or other neutral high-heat oil, divided
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 170 g / 6 oz), diced
• 100 g (about 1 cup) fresh mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained well
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

For the Sauce/Garnish

• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) hot water
• 1 g (¼ teaspoon) granulated sugar
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) light soy sauce
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dark soy sauce
• 6 g (1 teaspoon) fine salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) Shaoxing wine
• Chili oil, optional, for serving

Substitutions:

• Shaoxing wine → dry sherry for a similar dry, nutty note; use 15 ml (1 tablespoon) water for an alcohol-free version.
• Mung bean sprouts → 120 g (¾ cup) thawed frozen peas and carrots for a sweeter, more familiar vegetable mix.
• Chicken breast → boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut to the same size and cooked to the same safe temperature.
• Regular soy sauce → certified gluten-free tamari for diners avoiding gluten; check every sauce label because formulas vary.

Equipment

• 14-inch wok or 12-inch heavy skillet
• Wok spatula or broad heatproof spatula
• 2 small mixing bowls
• Instant-read food thermometer

Instructions

Preparation (Active time: 25 min)

1. Marinate the chicken: Stir the chicken with 5 ml (1 teaspoon) light soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) neutral oil. Refrigerate it while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Wash the cutting board, knife, hands, and work surface after handling the raw chicken.
2. Mix the seasoning: Stir the hot water, sugar, remaining 15 ml (1 tablespoon) light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, and white pepper in a small bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve.
3. Prepare the rice and vegetables: Break the cold rice into separate grains with a fork or clean, damp hands. Dice the onion, rinse and drain the bean sprouts, slice the scallion, and beat the eggs. Keep everything beside the stove; the cooking moves quickly.

Cooking (Active time: 10 min)

4. Scramble the eggs: Heat the wok over medium-high heat. Add 15 ml (1 tablespoon) neutral oil, then the eggs. Stir just until softly set, 30–60 seconds. Transfer them to a clean bowl; they will cook again at the end.
5. Sear the chicken: Heat the empty wok over high heat until a wisp of smoke appears. Add another 15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil around the edge, then spread the chicken in one layer. Leave it for 20 seconds, then stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until lightly browned but not necessarily cooked through. Transfer it to a separate clean bowl.
6. Fry the rice: Return the wok to medium-high heat and add the final 15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil. Stir-fry the onion for 2–3 minutes, until translucent. Add the cold rice. Press and toss it to break up clumps, and cook for about 5 minutes, until every grain is hot and loose. Sprinkle in 15 ml (1 tablespoon) water only if stubborn clumps remain.
7. Season and finish the chicken: Pour the seasoning mixture over the rice and toss until the color is even. Return the chicken and any collected juices. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the center of the largest piece. Wash the thermometer probe after it touches chicken that may still be undercooked.

Assembly & Finishing

8. Add the vegetables and egg: Fold in the cooked eggs, bean sprouts, and scallion. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, until the sprouts are hot but still crisp and the egg is fully set. The finished dish should reach 165°F (74°C).
9. Add wok aroma and serve: Gather the rice in the center for 20 seconds so the sides of the wok reheat. Pour the Shaoxing wine around the hot edge and toss for 20 seconds. Serve immediately, with chili oil at the table if desired.

Food Safety & Storage

• Minimum safe internal temperature: Cook chicken and the completed leftover-rice dish to 165°F (74°C). The egg should be fully set; egg dishes are safe at 160°F (71°C).
• Rice handling: Use rice that was refrigerated in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep it at 40°F (4°C) or below; do not use rice left at room temperature overnight.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Do not leave the finished rice sitting in the wok to cool slowly.
• Freezing: Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months for best texture. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat directly from frozen.
• Reheating: Reheat only the portion needed to 165°F (74°C), stirring so there are no cold spots. Add 5–10 ml (1–2 teaspoons) water per portion if the rice seems dry.
• Allergens: Egg is present. Soy sauce contains soy and usually wheat/gluten; Shaoxing wine may contain wheat; toasted sesame oil contains sesame. Check chili oil and all bottled sauce labels for brand-specific ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve as a complete one-wok dinner with sliced cucumber or steamed bok choy.
• Put chili oil on the table so adults can add heat without making the shared pan spicy.
• Traditional serving style is hot from the wok, either as a main dish or as part of a larger Chinese family meal.

Scaling Notes

Half recipe (½×): Use a 12-inch skillet and 1 large egg. The rice may heat in 3–4 minutes, but the chicken must still reach 165°F (74°C).

Double recipe (2×): Cook 2 separate batches. A crowded wok traps steam, makes the rice soft, and slows safe, even cooking of the chicken.

Chef's Notes

• Sourcing: Light soy sauce seasons without making the rice too dark; dark soy sauce adds color. Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, and fresh bean sprouts are common at Chinese and well-stocked supermarkets.
• Make-ahead: Cook the rice up to 3 days ahead, cool it promptly in shallow containers, and refrigerate. Dice the vegetables 1 day ahead, but cut and marinate the chicken shortly before cooking.
• Variations: Peas, diced carrots, mushrooms, or finely shredded cabbage all work. Keep the total amount modest so the wok stays hot.
• Common pitfalls: Warm, wet rice clumps and turns soft. Cold, dry rice fries into separate grains. Break up the rice before the wok is hot and have every ingredient measured before cooking.
• Adaptation: Quantities and cooking order follow Bill Leung's classic chicken fried rice. Omnivore's Cookbook and RecipeTin Eats support the same core method: marinate small pieces of chicken, use cold cooked rice, cook the egg separately or in a cleared part of the pan, and finish over high heat.
• Review status: @Codex performed a source, safety, quantity, nutrition, and allergen review; this recipe has not been kitchen-tested. @Coordinator is the required metadata designation, not a claim of an independent tasting.

Nutrition Information (Optional)

Per serving: approximately 327 kcal.

• Protein: 15 g | Fat: 11 g | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Fiber: 1 g
• Sodium: approximately 735 mg | Saturated fat: approximately 1 g | Added sugar: less than 1 g
• Sodium is high by the FDA per-serving benchmark but typical for a soy-sauce-seasoned main dish. The estimate comes from the primary recipe; compare sauce labels and reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon if a lighter-sodium result is preferred.

Sources

Researched on 2026-10-24. Selected as an established Chinese family and takeout favorite rather than a novelty dish.

• Bill Leung, The Woks of Life: Chicken Fried Rice — primary quantity and technique reference; 5/5 from 83 votes when researched.
• Maggie Zhu, Omnivore's Cookbook: Chinese Chicken Fried Rice — supporting family-style recipe and cold-rice technique; 4.84/5 from 24 votes when researched.
• Nagi Maehashi, RecipeTin Eats: Chicken Fried Rice — supporting popularity, sauce balance, and weeknight method; 4.98/5 from 123 votes when researched.
• FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures — poultry, egg, and leftover temperatures.
• USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety — cooling, refrigeration, and reheating guidance.
• Wikimedia Commons: A bowl of chicken fried rice.jpg — hero image description, creator, and license.
• Original hero JPEG.

Version History:

• v1 (2026-10-24): Initial source-based adaptation and review by @Codex.

Credits:

• Recipe development: Adapted by @Codex primarily from Bill Leung, with comparison references from Maggie Zhu and Nagi Maehashi.
• Testing: @Codex (document review only; no kitchen test).
• Verification: @Coordinator (required workflow metadata).
• Photography: Mbigul, A bowl of chicken fried rice.jpg, CC BY 4.0. Downloaded original unchanged; HTML renderer resizes/recompresses the embedded copy. Representative photograph, not a photograph of this recipe being tested.

Recipe Location: /My-Library/Cooking/Recipes/Recipe-of-the-Week/Recipes/2026-10-24_chicken-fried-rice.md
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