Fried rice is one of the most representative dishes of Asian cuisine. In many Asian countries, white rice is a staple at every meal, and fried rice is truly a way to use up leftovers.
When rice is a few days old and drier, or you only have a small amount left, the question arises: what to do with the leftover white rice? Throwing it away is out of the question—that’s not how it’s done here! So, combining that rice with other ingredients like vegetables, chicken, shrimp, and eggs was the best idea… and definitely a very good one.
When I posted this recipe on TikTok, many people commented, “That’s Peruvian chaufa rice” or “That’s Ecuadorian chaulafan rice.” I was very surprised for two reasons: I didn’t know it was called that, and I didn’t know that Chinese cuisine had influenced Peruvian and Ecuadorian cuisine.
These rice dishes come from the same Chinese fried rice, which is called Chao Fan (炒饭). This is one of the things I love most about social media: you meet so many people from other cultures and learn from them.
There are countless ways to make fried rice: with chicken, shrimp, egg, or Chinese sausage. Some ingredients vary depending on the country or region, like the well‑known Cantonese fried rice.
This recipe is a Chinese fried rice, an original recipe with chicken and egg. In the video, I’ll show you the technique for fluffing the rice and a few tricks to help you make a perfect Asian‑style fried rice.
This is definitely a quick and easy rice recipe. The most important thing is that the rice is steamed and prepared the day before. If you use freshly cooked rice, it will be too wet and sticky. For fluffy Chinese rice, it needs to be prepared the day before. You can cook the rice in a rice cooker, which is the easiest option, or in a pot following the steps in this video.
It’s best to use frozen corn and peas. If you can only get them canned, that’s fine too. The reason I recommend using frozen is that canned corn and peas tend to be softer and fall apart more easily when added to the wok. That’s why I also recommend adding them last.
Chinese fried rice with chicken
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Keyword: fried rice, Chinese food
Yield: 2 people
Equipment
- Wok or frying pan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| White Rice | 200 g |
| Eggs | 2 |
| Onion | ½ |
| Garlic clove | 1 |
| Medium‑sized carrot | 1 |
| Chicken breast | 130 g |
| Corn | 50 g |
| Peas | 60 g |
| Butter | ½ tablespoon |
| Soy sauce | 2 tablespoons |
| Oyster sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt and pepper | to taste |
Step‑by‑step preparation
- First, scramble the two eggs and set it aside.
- Sauté the garlic and onion. Then you can add the carrot and sauté it all together.
- Add the chicken and stir‑fry until cooked through. Then add the scrambled eggs to the wok.
- Add the white rice. Remember that rice is very important for good fried rice. You need to steam it the day before. When you add it, gradually break up the rice with a spatula and mix it with the other ingredients.
- Add the soy sauce and oyster sauce. If you think it needs a little more flavor, add a bit more of each; it’s best to adjust the flavor yourself.
- Now you can add the corn and peas.
- Finally, as a finishing touch, a little more soy sauce and a bit of butter.
Nutritional Facts for Authentic Chinese Fried Rice
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 1 bowl | — |
| Calories | 390 kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g | 16% |
| Protein | 11 g | 22% |
| Total Fat | 18 g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 720 mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 260 mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 2 g | 7% |
| Sugars | 3 g | — |
| Vitamin A | 520 IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 6 mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 40 mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2.5 mg | 14% |
Note: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on the rice, oil, soy sauce, vegetables, and protein used. Authentic Chinese fried rice is a savory and flavorful dish made with stir‑fried rice, eggs, vegetables, and aromatic seasonings.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000‑calorie diet.
Fried rice ingredient alternatives
When looking for alternatives to Asian ingredients, keep in mind that the flavor will change. This doesn’t mean it will taste bad; I just want to clarify that the alternatives aren’t exact replicas.
Not every city has Asian supermarkets, so you don’t have to go crazy trying to find all the ingredients or resign yourself to not preparing a favorite Asian dish. With alternatives, which can generally be bought in any supermarket, we can prepare the same dish, and although the flavor may be slightly different, it will still be delicious.
- White rice: The best rice for fried rice is jasmine rice, but you can use long‑grain rice. I can’t stress enough how important it is to steam the rice the day before for good fried rice and to ensure it stays fluffy. Check out the tutorial on how to steam rice in a pot.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is now available in any supermarket, but if you have any allergies, these are good alternatives: gluten‑free soy sauce and coconut aminos for those with soy allergies. The aminos are sweeter than soy sauce, so you’ll need to add a little more salt.
- Oyster sauce: There’s a vegan soy sauce alternative made with shiitake mushrooms that you can find at this link. It’s also the best option if you’re allergic to shellfish. There’s also a gluten‑free oyster sauce available.