Unbelievably juicy, perfectly marinated strips of chicken in a deeply flavored fried rice that's a little salty, yet spicy with pops of sweet. Perfect for busy weeknights, our Indian style Chicken Fried Rice recipe is just what you need, when you want something quick, but aren't willing to compromise on taste.
What is Indian Style Chicken Fried Rice?
Indian style chicken fried rice is a delectable fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisines. This dish is influenced by Indo-Chinese restaurant style cooking, which was introduced by Chinese immigrants in the Indian subcontinent. It has become immensely popular among people of all ages in India. The dish typically features juicy, deeply marinated chicken strips combined with fried rice that's seasoned with a blend of salty, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors. It's a unique and mouthwatering adaptation of Chinese fried rice that caters to the Indian palate.
Why make Indian Chicken Fried Rice?
- Deeply marinated chicken: The cooking process includes marinating the chicken which substantially raises the flavor profile of this dish over your typical homemade Chinese fried rice.
- More flavorful than typical Chinese fried rice: This dish is tailored for the typical Indian audience which demands, deeper more complex layers of flavors compared to the fried rice made in the U.S. The depth of each layer of flavor can also be customized by personal preference.
- Easily Available Ingredients: Despite its complex flavors, all the ingredients are easily available at a local grocery store.
Ingredients for Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Marinade
The chicken is marinated with just three simple ingredients, soy sauce, freshly ground black pepper and corn flour.
- Chicken - while boneless chicken breast works, I have a preference for chicken thighs as they tend to be juicier. For the most delicious chicken cut the chicken into small pieces and marinate overnight if possible.
- Soy sauce or "soya sauce" is a key ingredient in this dish and provides the main source of flavor and color. Soy sauce is unique in that it contains all five tastes - umami, sweetness, saltiness, bitterness and sourness and a unique combination of aromas.
- In this particular recipe, freshly ground pepper plays a central role in adding heat. Omit or reduce the amount of black pepper powder based on your own preference.
Sauce Mix
The sauce for the fried rice is made of freshly ground black pepper (adds heat), fish sauce and soy sauce (adds salt and umami), sugar (brightens the flavors) and sesame oil (adds a nutty, distinctly Chinese flavor).
Other Fried Rice Ingredients
- Butter and garlic is used for their unique flavors. Vegetable oil is also used as it has a higher smoking point than butter which allows the dish to be stir fried at very high heat.
- Cold day old rice - preferably shorter or medium grain rice . Longer grain varieties like basmati and parboiled rice tends to be dryer and break during the frying process. Short or medium grain rice tends to have that plump, chewy texture that is the hallmark of outstanding fried rice. While white rice is typically used for this dish, you can also use brown rice.
- Assorted diced/sliced vegetables adds a delicious taste and textural counterpoint to the salty, chewy taste of the rice. In this recipe we use red bell peppers, green beans and cabbage. I like adding sliced peppers and cabbage for a little color and texture but I rely on the raw minced carrots to add pops of sweet. Frozen diced carrots just don't have the same flavor and texture but you can get a similar fuss free pop of sweet by using frozen peas or corn. Sliced canned water chestnuts, corn kernels, peanuts, spring onions or bean sprouts also adds a delicious gourmet twist.
- Since this is an Indian style dish, green chilis, which are locally available in India are used to add another source of heat. If you cannot find green chilis and wish to add another layer of heat on top of the black pepper, you can substitute jalapenos, red Thai chilies or red chili flakes. A
How to make Indo-Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
If you have your desired ingredients on hand, the cooking process itself takes only about 5-10 minutes. However starting from scratch is also fuss free and adds only about 20 minutes of prep time.
Marinate the Chicken
- Marinate the chicken - in a medium sizes bowl, add the chicken strips, soy sauce, half of the black pepper and corn flour together. Mix. Cover and set aside for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
- While the chicken marinates, prepare the remaining ingredients - (1) fluff the cold rice - break up any clumps so that all the grains are separated (2) whisk the eggs with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and set aside (3) prep the veggies and garlic and
- mix the sauce if desired - this is just a matter of personal preference - the ingredients can be added separately if desired.
Mix the sauce (optional)
- To simplify the cooking process, I like to pre-mix the black pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. The ingredients can also be added one at a time.
Stir fry the rice
- Heat a wok or heavy bottomed skillet on high heat until it begins to smoke.
- While the wok is heating, whisk the eggs with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and set aside.
- Once the wok is smoking, add the oil and butter.
- Swirl the wok and add the minced garlic.
- When the garlic turns slightly golden around the edges, add the marinated chicken. Sauté with the garlic.
- As soon as the chicken turns slightly brown, push the chicken to one side and cook the whisked eggs on the other side of the wok. Vigorously sauté the eggs until they are done but still wet.
- Push the chicken and egg mixture to the sides and then add the vegetable starting with the ones which take the longest to cook sautéing the mixture for about 30 seconds before adding the next one. In the case of this recipe, add the beans, followed by the carrots, green chilis, peppers and cabbage.
- Add half the cold rice to the vegetables, chicken and egg mixture and mix well. Then repeat with the remaining rice.
- Add the sauce mix and mix.
- Transfer the fried rice from the wok to a platter to prevent overcooking and clumping. Serve immediately.
Tips for making the best Chicken Fried Rice
- Always break up the cooked rice, before adding to the wok. This ensures that the rice separates into individual grains without getting broken and that every grain gets a chance to get evenly toasted and coated with an equal amount of that glorious sauce.
- Have all the ingredients ready and close at hand before cooking. The cooking process itself just takes about 5-10 minutes and requires constant mixing so there is no time to look or prepare an ingredient.
- Cook on a blazing hot wok. The wok needs to be smoking hot before adding the first drop of oil. Think about it as searing not frying and definitely not steaming.
- For large amounts, cook in batches. According to J. Kenji Lopez Alt, the best way to cool a large amount of fried rice is in batches. As each batch is done, transfer to a bowl so that you can maintain toasting quality and flavor. Once done, add it all together in the wok and mix thoroughly.
- Adding a little sugar helps brighten the flavor.
- If you need more seasoning add salt not soy sauce. Soy sauce adds moisture which leads to clumpy rice and can overwhelm the other subtle flavors.
- Half scramble your eggs before cooking fried rice to maximize flavor. If you want the perfect harmony of perfectly flavored eggs, you need to half scramble your eggs and add the remaining ingredients while the eggs are still a little wet. While taste of course is very subjective, I feel that if you add scrambled eggs to the cooked fried rice after the cooking process , the eggs don't absorb any flavor.
- Marinating the chicken makes a huge difference! While there is nothing wrong with throwing in some raw or leftover chicken, a very easy way to maximize flavor is to simply marinate the chicken for a few minutes. A little soy sauce (adds richness and depth), corn starch (tenderizes the chicken) and pepper (add heat) adds in that restaurant quality taste. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces to maximize the surface for the marinade.
Nutrition
A single serving of this Indian Chicken Fried Rice recipe has about 237 calories, 8.5 grams of protein, 9.5 grams of fat and 29.3 grams of carbohydrates.
This recipe yields approximately six servings. The nutrition guidance is intended for informational purposes only. Please use it as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.
Classic and interesting variations
The sky is the limit when making fried chicken rice. Its the perfect dish for leftover rice. For starters you can completely change the dish by substituting just about any ingredient - like brown rice, quinoa instead of rice or chickpeas and edamame instead of chicken. Below are some classic and interesting variations:
- Beef fried rice - substitute the chicken with beef. The best meat to use is thinly sliced stew meat - putting the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes makes it easier to cut the beef into thin slices. Follow the same directions for the marination.
- Vegetable fried rice - simply omit the chicken. Tofu, chickpeas and edamame make great protein options and add great texture. My favorite variations include mushroom and pine nuts with brown rice and zucchini and pine nut fried quinoa rice.
- Shrimp fried rice - this is my favorite variation - just substitute for the chicken - marinating adds flavor and the corn flour makes the shrimp deliciously crispy on the outside.
- Egg fried rice - omit the chicken. My favorite variation is to just add a sunny side top egg on top.
- Curried Indian fried rice - marinate the chicken in ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, tomato sauce and garam masala powder. Then follow the recipe as directed.
How to serve Indo Chinese Chicken Fried Rice
Personally I love eating this dish on its own .. However the dish also works really well as a side to other Indo-Chinese inspired dishes like Chicken Manchurian, Beef Stir Fry, and other Chinese and Thai dishes like chilli chicken. I love drizzling a little Nuoc Cham - Vietnam's famous dipping sauce or lime juice over my fried rice. The dish is rather spicy and begs for a cold sweet dessert after eating. I love having Shemai - Creamy Vermicelli in Sweet Rose Infused Cream as dessert after eating this dish.
FAQs
While any cooking rice works for this recipe, use cold, day-old rice for the best results. Short-grain rice or medium-grain rice, like jasmine rice or sushi rice, is the best rice for this dish. While long grain rice is best avoided as it can get dry, I have had great results with basmati rice - just make sure that the rice is cool and dry before use. I spread out the rice on a baking tray and place it under a fan for about 20 minutes to dry when I don't have day-old rice.
Yes, you can use chicken breast, but chicken thighs tend to be juicier and more flavorful. For the best results, cut the chicken into small pieces and marinate it for maximum flavor.
Yes, you can make vegetable fried rice by omitting the chicken and adding ingredients like tofu, chickpeas, or edamame for protein. You can also experiment with different vegetables and grains, such as brown rice or quinoa.
For beef fried rice, substitute the chicken with thinly sliced stew meat. For shrimp fried rice, replace the chicken with shrimp. Marinating and using corn flour will make the shrimp crispy. Adjust marination and cooking times accordingly.
While Chicken Fried Rice is delicious on its own, it pairs well with other Indo-Chinese-inspired dishes like Chicken Manchurian or chili chicken. You can also add a sunny-side-up egg for an egg fried rice variation.
The actual cooking process takes about 5-10 minutes once you have all the ingredients ready. However, from start to finish, including preparation, it takes around 20 minutes.
While it's best enjoyed fresh, you can make it in advance and reheat it when needed. Keep in mind that the rice might become a bit drier upon reheating.
You can reheat it in a microwave or in a pan with a splash of water or chicken broth to prevent it from drying out. Stir well while reheating to ensure even heating.
Yes, you can make a vegetarian version by omitting the chicken and using tofu, chickpeas, or other protein sources. Just ensure you use vegetable or mushroom-based sauces to maintain the flavor.
Yes, you can control the spiciness by varying the amount of black pepper or adding hot sauce to your preference. Adjust to your desired level of heat.
The method of cooking the rice does not matter - it can be prepared in a rice cooker or on a stovetop. The most important secret to making fried rice is to make sure that the rice grains are very dry. This can be achieved by leaving the rice in the fridge overnight or spreading fresh cooked rice on baking sheets and drying it under a fan. For best results, break up the rice before cooking.
Easy Indian Style Chicken Fried Rice - Indo Chinese
Equipment
- skillet, wok or heavy bottomed pan
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- ½ cup boneless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon corn flour
Sauce Mix
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Fried Rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup red pepper thinly sliced into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup green beans thinly sliced
- ½ cup cabbage thinly sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 7-8 green chilis
- ½ cup carrots finely minced
- 5 cups cold rice
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- In a medium sizes bowl, add the chicken, soy sauce, black pepper and corn flour together. Mix. Cover and set aside for at least 15 minutes to an hour prior to cooking.Mix the sauce (optional). To simplify the cooking process, I like to pre-mix the black pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. The ingredients can also be added one at a time.
Stir fry the rice
- Heat a wok or heavy bottomed skillet on high heat until it begins to smoke.While the wok is heating, whisk the eggs with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and set aside.Once the wok is smoking, add the oil and butter. Swirl the wok and add the minced garlic. When the garlic turns slightly golden around the edges, add the marinated chicken. Sauté with the garlic. As soon as the chicken turns slightly brown, push the chicken to one side and cook the whisked eggs on the other side of the wok. Vigorously sauté the eggs until they are done but still wet. Push the chicken and egg mixture to the sides and then add the vegetable starting with the ones which take the longest to cook sautéing the mixture for about 30 seconds before adding the next one. In the case of this recipe, add the beans, followed by the carrots, green chilis, peppers and cabbage.Add half the cold rice to the vegetables, chicken and egg mixture and mix well. Then repeat with the remaining rice.Add the sauce mix and mix.Transfer the fried rice from the wok to a platter to prevent overcooking and clumping. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Always break up the cooked rice, before adding to the wok. This ensures that the rice separates into individual grains without getting broken and that every grain gets a chance to get evenly toasted and coated with an equal amount of that glorious sauce.
- Have all the ingredients ready and close at hand before cooking. The cooking process itself just takes about 5-10 minutes and requires constant mixing so there is no time to look or prepare an ingredient.
- Cook on a blazing hot wok. The wok needs to be smoking hot before adding the first drop of oil. Think about it as searing not frying and definitely not steaming.
- For large amounts, cook in batches. According to J. Kenji Lopez Alt, the best way to cool a large amount of fried rice is in batches. As each batch is done, transfer to a bowl so that you can maintain toasting quality and flavor. Once done, add it all together in the wok and mix thoroughly.
- Adding a little sugar helps brighten the flavor.
- If you need more seasoning add salt not soy sauce. Soy sauce adds moisture which leads to clumpy rice and can overwhelm the other subtle flavors.
- Half scramble your eggs before cooking fried rice to maximize flavor. If you want the perfect harmony of perfectly flavored eggs, you need to half scramble your eggs and add the remaining ingredients while the eggs are still a little wet. While taste of course is very subjective, I feel that if you add scrambled eggs to the cooked fried rice after the cooking process , the eggs don't absorb any flavor.
- Marinating the chicken makes a huge difference! While there is nothing wrong with throwing in some raw or leftover chicken, a very easy way to maximize flavor is to simply marinate the chicken for a few minutes. A little soy sauce (adds richness and depth), corn starch (tenderizes the chicken) and pepper (add heat) adds in that restaurant quality taste. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces to maximize the surface for the marinade.
Nutrition
A single serving of this Indian Chicken Fried Rice recipe has about 237 calories, 8.5 grams of protein, 9.5 grams of fat and 29.3 grams of carbohydrates. This recipe yields approximately six servings. The nutrition guidance is intended for informational purposes only. Please use it as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
We'd love to hear how it turned out. Please take a picture and tag us on Instagram @cloveandcumin!
Matt Ivan
Fried rice is one of my favorite Asian foods! Chicken definitely makes it healthier.
Lima
I agree! Thanks!
Michelle Boule
This has been one of our favorites recently. Love this recipe!
Lima
Awesome Michelle!
Neli Howard
Lima!! This is one of my favorite foods to order out ever. Looks amazing, totally trying this at home 🙂
Lima
Cant wait to hear what you think of it Neil!
Claudia Lamascolo
I love how easy this and delicious its sounds its really a whole meal on one pan
Lima
Thank you Claudia!
Andrea
I really like that you marinated the chicken first. Gives this fried rice even more flavor.
Lima
I think it makes a huge difference! Thank yous!
Heidy and Ben
My husband loved your recipe Ultimate Chicken Fried Rice. I don't eat it usually, but even I thought it was pretty good too!
Bookmarking for him to make again.
Lima
Thrilled to hear that it went well! Thank you so much!
Elizabeth
Oh my gosh this is INSANELY good! Love it as a side dish but also as a main meal!
Lima
Thank you so much!
Angela
Fried rice is such a great recipe to have. I enjoyed the ingredients in this recipe. The nice thing is that you can throw in what you have at the time.
Lima
I know right - also a big hit with the kids!
Jenn
It is the fish sauce that really gives this fried rice an extra kick, plus marinating the chicken ahead of time. It's my new favorite chicken fried rice dish, and I'll never order it to-go again!
Lima
Awesome! Delighted to hear that you like it!
Dannii
Fried rice is total comfort food, and your chicken version looks delicious.
Lima
Thank you! Please let me know if you try it!