Air fryer chicken fried rice
by Air fryer chicken fried rice is a quick, delicious, and healthy dish perfect for busy weeknights. Combining the convenience of an air fryer with the rich flavors of fried rice, this recipe ensures every grain is perfectly seasoned and crisp.
It’s the perfect recipe for back-to-school and it’s gluten-free, ready in under 30 minutes! With a few simple tips, you’ll have the best fried rice in no time!
Ingredients
These are the tasty ingredients you’ll need to make our Air Fry Chicken Fried Rice. Each one adds something special to make the dish delicious and fun to eat!
- Cooked White Rice: Ideal for fried rice texture; cold rice separates better during cooking.
- Substitute with cooked brown rice.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: I use frozen peas, carrots, and corn to add color, texture, and nutrients to the dish.
- Avocado Oil: Provides a neutral flavor and high smoke point for cooking.
- Coarse Sea Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Garlic Granules: Adds a savory, aromatic flavor.
- Onion Granules: Provides a mild, sweet onion flavor.
- Ground White Pepper: Adds a subtle heat without overpowering the dish.
- Cooked Chicken: Adds protein and a savory element to the fried rice.
- Also works with cooked ham or turkey.
- Green onions: Adds freshness and a mild onion flavor.
- Light Soy Sauce: Adds umami and a slightly salty taste or use gluten-free soy sauce/coconut aminos.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Provides a richer color and deeper umami flavor.
- Substitute with coconut aminos for soy-free.
- Furikake Seasoning (optional): Adds a crunchy texture and an extra burst of flavor.
More flavor options
For an extra kick, serve chili garlic sauce on the side, or mix the rice with Shacha sauce or Oyster sauce. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil before serving for a nutty finish
How to make air fryer chicken and rice
Cooking chicken fried rice in an air fryer is super easy! Follow these simple steps to get perfectly seasoned and crisp rice grains every time.
- Rice Prep: Add cold rice, frozen vegetables, and oil to a large mixing bowl. Toss and separate grains to prevent clumping.
- Add Dry Spices: Fold in salt, garlic granules, onion granules, and pepper. Combine well.
- Air Fry (first fry): Transfer rice mixture to an oven-friendly cake pan. Spread evenly. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes, uncovered.
- Dice Chicken: While the rice cooks, dice the chicken and prepare the scallions.
- Fluff the Rice: Remove the pan from the air fryer. Some grains may be slightly browned – that’s fine!
- Add Sauce and Chicken: Stir rice, add diced chicken and white scallion parts. Drizzle in soy sauces. Stir to coat and spread evenly.
- Air Fry (second fry): Lower temperature to 360°F (182°C) and air fry for 5 minutes. Remove and stir to fluff.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with green scallion parts and furikake if using. Adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tips for adding eggs
Want to add eggs to your fried rice? Here’s what you need to know:
- Raw eggs can stick to the rice in an air fryer and cook unevenly. To avoid this, cook the eggs separately. You can either use the stovetop or the air fryer.
- For air fryer methods, check out our recipes for Air Fryer Scrambled Eggs or Air Fryer Fried Egg. Once cooked, mix the eggs into the fried rice.
What to serve it with
Looking to complete your meal? Here are some great options to serve alongside your chicken fried rice:
- Vegetable sides: Try pairing it with Asian pickled cucumbers, Thai basil eggplant, or a refreshing Napa cabbage slaw.
- Crispy appetizer: Serve up some rice paper egg rolls with egg roll sauce for a delicious crispy starter.
- Soup: Warm up with a bowl of bok choy soup, wonton egg drop soup, or tomato egg drop soup.
Umami Tips
- Use Cold Rice: Day-old, refrigerated leftover rice is key. Cold rice grains separate easily, giving you that perfect fried rice texture.
- Cook Eggs Separately: If adding eggs, cook them separately on the stovetop or in the air fryer. This prevents them from sticking to the rice and ensures even cooking.
- Use Cooked Protein: Ensure the chicken (or ham/turkey) is fully cooked before adding it to the rice. This saves time and guarantees even cooking.
- Achieve Separated Grains: Good fried rice has separated grains, not clumps. To achieve this, season and toss the rice with oil and dry seasonings before air frying. Cook partway before adding liquid seasonings so the grains can fry up evenly.
- Choose the Right Cookware: Use an oven-friendly cookware that’s big enough to hold all the ingredients but small enough to fit into your air fryer basket. This ensures even cooking and easy handling.
FAQs
A 6-quart air fryer is ideal for making fried rice. It’s large enough to hold the ingredients while allowing the hot air to circulate and cook the rice evenly.
Use an oven-friendly cake pan that fits inside your air fryer basket. It should be big enough to hold all the ingredients but small enough to allow proper air circulation. A 7.5-inch wide by 3.5-inch high pan works well for a 6-quart air fryer.
Yes, using day-old, refrigerated rice is best. Cold rice grains separate easily and give you that perfect fried rice texture. Freshly cooked rice can be too moist and clump together.
Yes, you can cook raw rice in an air fryer. Check out our detailed guide and recipe for Air Fryer Rice to learn how!
More fried rice recipes to try
Love this Air Fryer Chicken Fried Rice? Here are some more fried rice recipes you’ll enjoy. Each one offers a unique twist, giving you plenty of delicious options to explore!
- Turkey Fried Rice: Made with cooked turkey, this dish is simple and delicious.
- Steak Fried Rice: Featuring marinated steak, this version is savory and satisfying.
- Panda Express Fried Rice: A takeout favorite made simple and healthier at home.
- Air Fryer Fried Rice: A sister version with loads of veggies, perfect for a nutritious meal.
Air fryer chicken fried rice recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice, refrigerated and cold, jasmine, basmati, or short grain rice.
- 1.5 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1.5 tbsp avocado oil
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic granule
- ¼ tsp onion granule
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper, or black pepper
- 8 oz cooked chicken, either breast, thighs, or a combination, about 1.75 cup after diced to small bite sizes
- 2 bulb scallion, diced and separate white and green parts
- 0.5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- Sprinkle Furikake seasoning, optional
Instructions
Rice prep:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cold rice, frozen vegetables, and oil. Gently toss and coat the oil evenly over the rice grains. Use your hands to gently separate the rice grains so they won’t clump together. This will help the rice “fry” up evenly. I recommend wearing a kitchen glove and using your hand to do this for easy control.
- Add dry spices: Add the salt, garlic and onion granule, and ground pepper. Toss again to combine well.
Air fry (first):
- Transfer the rice mixture into an oven friendly cake pan that’s big enough to hold the rice but small enough to fit inside of your air fryer basket. My cake pan size is 7.5-inch height x 3.5-inch wide for a 6-qt. air fryer.
- Spread the rice out into an even height and air fryer at 380°F (193°C ), uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Dice chicken:
- In the meantime, dice the chicken to small bite sizes and prepare the scallions.
Fluff the rice:
- Carefully remove the cake pan from the air fryer. Some rice grains on the surface might get a little browned and crisp and that is totally okay.
Add sauce and chicken:
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the rice mixture and add in the chicken and white scallion parts, and drizzle in the light and dark soy sauces. Stir again to coat well and spread out the rice into an even layer before sending back to the air fryer,
Air fry (second):
- Drop the air fryer temperature to 360°F (182°C) and air fry for 5 minutes. Remove the cake pan from the air fryer basket and stir the rice mixture to fluff the rice. Transfer it to a large serving plate.
Serve:
- Garnish with green scallion parts and furikake, if using. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper seasonings, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Garnish: You can garnish the rice with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds before serving.
- Make-Ahead: Use day-old, chilled rice for the best fried rice texture.
Storage: Allow the rice to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best if used within 3-4 days. - Reheating: Sprinkle the rice with a few drops of water and air fry at 360°F (182°C) for 3-5 minutes.
- Separated Grains: To achieve separated grains, season and toss the rice with oil and dry seasonings before air frying. Cook partway before adding liquid seasonings to ensure the grains fry up evenly.
- Adding Eggs: Raw eggs can stick to the rice in an air fryer, affecting texture. For best results, cook eggs separately in the air fryer or on the stovetop, then mix them into the fried rice. See our scrambled eggs in air fryer recipe (coming soon) or air fryer fried egg.
Nutrition
Made a dish and loved it? Please remember to rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
My family and I love this chicken fried rice. It was super easy to make and little kids can enjoy it, too! The simple tricks and tips shared in the article really made a difference in rice texture. Very yum and crisp. We love it!
Thanks so much!
Hi. Could I do this recipe in a skillet on top of the stove?
Yes! If you prefer a bit more detailed instructions for stovetop, my turkey fried rice should help! https://iheartumami.com/turkey-fried-rice/