If there’s one meal I can count on my kids to absolutely devour, it’s fried rice at their favorite teppanyaki restaurant. I swear I’ve never seen them eat more than when they’re sitting around that grill, happily polishing off bowl after bowl. So I decided to recreate their favorite chicken fried rice at home using simple, wholesome ingredients and a few time-saving shortcuts. This version comes together in about 15 minutes, gets them to eat their chicken and veggies, and was the perfect choice for episode 2 of Tiny Tastebuds, Big Opinions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 15 minutes
- Great for using leftover or rotisserie chicken
- A simple way to sneak in veggies
- Better-for-you than takeout
- Perfect for meal prep or lunch leftovers
Ingredients
serves 3-4
15 oz frozen steamed jasmine rice (I used 1 1/2 10 oz bags)
2 cups cooked or rotisserie chicken, diced
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 eggs, whisked
1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced carrots and cook for 3–4 minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook for another minute.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet and pour in the whisked eggs. Scramble until just cooked.
- Add the frozen jasmine rice directly to the skillet, no need to microwave it first. Break up the rice with your spatula as it heats and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and separated.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and cook for another 2–3 minutes until warmed through.
- Add the butter, tamari, and garlic powder.
- Toss everything together until the butter has melted and the rice is evenly coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Top with sliced green onions before serving, if desired.
Tips
- Use leftover chicken. Rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken makes this recipe incredibly fast.
- Dice the carrots small. Smaller pieces cook faster and are much more kid-friendly.
- Why I Use Frozen Rice: Traditionally, fried rice is made with day-old rice because it’s had time to dry out, giving it that perfect texture. But let’s be honest, I don’t always remember to make rice the day before! Frozen jasmine rice is one of my favorite weeknight shortcuts. It’s already cooked, heats up right in the skillet (no microwave needed!), and saves so much time compared to making a fresh pot of rice.
- Customize it. Swap in broccoli, corn, edamame, or diced zucchini depending on what your family enjoys. You can even add some cauliflower rice in with the regular rice to get some extra veggies in.
This is one of those recipes that’s always on repeat in our house, and if you’ve got teppanyaki lovers, it’s about to be on repeat in your kitchen too! It’s fast, full of protein, and proof that healthy dinners don’t have to be complicated. Plus, any meal that’s a win for the entire family is a huge win. Hope you love it as much as we do!
