Last updated on June 27th, 2021
Here’s the recipe from my “Fried Rice Skillet Dinner” video that was recently published on YouTube (click here to watch the episode). I love everything about this main course. It’s colorful. It’s beyond delicious. It’s lightning-fast to make, and you can — and should — use frozen vegetables and already-cooked rice. Hungry? Here’s the printable and photographic step-by-step:
Fried Rice Skillet Dinner
Equipment
- A 12-inch skillet (non-stick is preferred but not necessary)
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 generous teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or Tamari sauce)
- 150 grams raw chicken breast, cut into cubes
For the stir-fry:
- Vegetable oil that has a high smoke point, such as safflower, peanut, or canola oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup diced onion (frozen will work)
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 4 teaspoons garlic paste (or 4 minced garlic cloves)
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce (or Tamari sauce)
- 1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
Optional for garnish:
- 1 scallion, finely-sliced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, baking soda, vegetable oil, and soy or Tamari sauce. Add the cubed chicken, and toss with a spatula to coat. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, pour in the beaten eggs, and let them cook, undisturbed, until they are done on the underside -- about 30 seconds. Flip and cook until done -- about 15 seconds. Transfer this omelet to a plate or heat-proof cutting, and set aside.
- Add two tablespoons oil to the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Sauté until brown on all sides -- 1-2 minutes. Use a spatula to push the chicken to one side of the skillet.
- If the skillet is dry, add another tablespoon or two of the oil. Then add the onion, peas and carrots, and the garlic paste. Sauté until the onion is translucent and peas and carrots are hot -- about 2 minutes. (If you are using minced garlic, add it during the last 30 seconds of cooking time.) Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a pie plate and set aside.
- If the skillet is dry, add more oil -- a tablespoon or slightly more. Then add the cooked rice and the soy or Tamari sauce. Stir and stir until every grain of rice absorbs the soy sauce and turns amber in color (there should be no white grains) -- 1 or 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet, and stir them into the rice. Off heat, stir in the sesame oil. Use a knife or pastry cutter to cut the eggs into squares or rectangles, and then fold them into the rice and vegetables.
- Divide the works among two bowls. Garnish each serving with the sliced scallion. Eat with chopsticks if you are on a diet. Otherwise, consume by spoon or fork!
Nutrition
Fried Rice Skillet Dinner: Photographic Step-By-Step
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, baking soda, vegetable oil, and salt.
Add the cubed chicken, and toss to coat. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl or glass measure, whisk together 2 large eggs.
Over medium heat, warm a glug of vegetable oil in a large (12-inch-diameter) skillet. Be sure to use a vegetable oil that exhibits a high smoke point, such as safflower, peanut, or canola oil. Do not use olive oil, motor oil, or Oil of Olay.
Tip the beaten eggs into the skillet…
And cook, omelet-style, until just done on both sides — about 1 minute.
Transfer the omelet to a cutting board. Set aside.
Add more oil (a tablespoon or two) to the skillet, and when the oil is hot, add the marinated chicken. Sauté the morsels until they’re brown on all sides — about 2 minutes.
Then move the chicken over to one side of the pan…
And add the onion…
The frozen peas and carrots…
And the garlic paste.
Sauté the veggies until they are hot — about 2 minutes. (If you are using minced garlic, add it during the last 30 seconds of cooking time.)
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a pie plate for just a moment.
Now put the cooked rice and soy sauce into the skillet…
And stir until each white grain turns amber-brown — 1 or 2 minutes.
Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet, and stir them into the rice.
Off heat, stir in the pure sesame oil.
Remember the omelet we made earlier? Use a knife or pastry cutter to slice it into squares or rectangles of any size you desire.
Fold the omelet pieces into the rice mixture.
Divide this Fried Rice Skillet Dinner among two bowls, garnish with thin slices of scallion, and enjoy!!!
Hungry for more? Get my email updates. Also, subscribe (pretty please!) to my YouTube channel. xKevin
And if you’re looking for other Asian-inspired recipes, please check out the following:
1960s Egg Foo Yong (click here for recipe)
Sesame Chicken (click here for recipe)
Salmon and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner (click here for recipe)
Linda says
I love fried rice. I love rice. But, there is so much arsenic in rice, even California Lundberg rice (which is supposedly tested and has the least amount of arsenice than most rice) I hardly cook it anymore. If I do, I follow one of those tested recipes I found where you soak and rinse forever and then cook it in a lot of water or the newer tested recipe where you parboil your rice and dump the water, then cook your rice. I’m still skeptical and really don’t want to take the chance. Sorry Kevin!
mlaiuppa says
You can reduce your exposure to arsenic in rice by buying Jasmine or a Basmati from India, Pakistan and Nepal. Also eat white rice instead of brown as the arsenic is concentrated in the husk.
Most of all, eat a diverse diet. If you’re not eating rice every day you aren’t in danger of arsenic poisoning any more than eating tuna exposes you to mercury poisoning. Just don’t eat either every day. I love rice but probably don’t eat it more than once a week. Even less for tuna.
Our planet is polluted but you don’t have to give up rice. Just make sure it doesn’t constitute the bulk of your daily diet.
You can’t rinse it off and by soaking and dumping or parboiling and then dumping and finishing in fresh water or cooking it in excess amounts of water. It doesn’t reduce the arsenic and you are draining off the iron, folate, thiamine and niacin.
That recipe sounds great. Love the chicken part. Been looking for some sort of substitute for chicken chow mein as La Choy changed their recipe and it is now absolutely horrible. This might be my new recipe.
Ellie says
I have been working long hours in the garden and one night recently I forgot about dinner. I had a package of chicken flavored rice and vegetables that I had in the freezer and I used it for fried rice. Long story short: I cooked the packet in the microwave and then spread the rice mixture on a plate and put it in the freezer to cool it. Then I continued. It works very well, so I pass it along to you. Husband liked it so I bought a few packages to have in the freezer for a quick meal in the future. I suppose that I could have some cooked chicken in the freezer, as well but at this point I’m happy to have the rice.
Re veggie garden: bunnies are enjoying our broccoli leaves, 2 kinds of swiss chard and beets. They don’t seem to like the baby choi, beans, peppers or eggplant but the brussels sprouts are a delicious treat. I have wire cages over these areas now. Hopefully, when and IF they get larger the bunnies will not like them. We have an electric fence but they come in (or live in an area that needs cleaning out.) I know this is part of gardening, but I am a bit discouraged.
Lynn says
Replying to Linda. I don’t know which country you’re in but I presume it’s the USA. Here in Australia we have a food standards authority which monitors the level of toxins in foods and prescribes limits. Don’t you have that?
It means we can eat confidently anything, homegrown or imported, that is sold here.
Diane W says
Thank you, Kevin. I really enjoy your videos. You always sound like you are talking to friends, not just doing a demo. I will definitely use your method when I make this, again, especially your marinade for the chicken. Frozen vegetables are so easy to use. I like snow peas, and butternut squash cubes added to fresh red pepper and onions.
In step 3, is this a typo: “Add to tablespoons oil “? Should it be 2 tablespoons? I know… I am too detail oriented (read “picky”).
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Diane W – I’m glad you are picky! Yes, “to” should read “two.” All fixed now!
Linda in south Jersey says
Hi Kevin, I loved the video! Only because I’m usually wiped out after work and am trying to leave as few steps as possible before the actual cooking portion of this recipe, is there any downside to allowing the chicken to marinate in the cornstarch mixture overnight? I love the fact that the rice is cooked in advance, as well.
Cathy Thelen says
What’s 150 grams of chicken in pounds/ ounces?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Linda – Yes, the chicken can be marinated overnight. Enjoy!
Hi Cathy – 150 grams is roughly 5 ounces.
Lin says
I purchased an astronomical amount of firm tofu at Costco, this seems an ideal recipe to convert it into something edible. Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lin – Tofu is the ideal replacement for the chicken in this recipe. Enjoy!!!
Sue says
I am so glad to see your fried rice recipe. I loved the egg fu yong on YouTube. Thx
Janet says
Diced ham or bacon is a nice substitute for the chicken. The smoky flavor really adds a certain something. We also sprinkle a few chopped roasted peanuts or cashews on top for crunch.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sue – Thanks for watching the Egg Foo Yong vid!
Hi Janet – I love your sub/add suggestions.
Elizabeth says
I made this tonight using tofu and coconut aminos in place of half of the soy sauce called for in the recipe. DELICIOUS! Also, using frozen chopped onions, frozen peas and carrots, and garlic paste made this recipe a breeze to whip up at the end of a long day.
Thanks Kevin for a tasty, easy dish.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Elizabeth – I’m so glad you enjoyed this skillet dinner. I love tofu!
Mary says
I made this, and we loved it. Probably will use less soy sauce next time. Served with broccoli on the side.