Sheet Pan Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

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Chicken and rice is a classic combination no matter where you travel in the world. Whether you choose to tuck into a creamy Italian chicken risotto, a spicy Thai chicken curry with jasmine rice, or the Latin American dinnertime staple arroz con pollo, there's no denying that chicken and rice makes for a worldwide staple duo. If Chinese cuisine is what you're after, then you can't go wrong with chicken fried rice. And, for those busy weeknights when you want chicken fried rice with as little hassle as possible, then this easy sheet pan chicken fried rice recipe from recipe developer Jennine Rye is the perfect fit.

No need for a wok or a heavy-bottomed skillet for this recipe — with just a sheet pan and an oven, nearly all the work will be done for you. With all the great flavor of a Chinese takeaway at a fraction of the cost, this sheet pan chicken fried rice dish is a great option for a midweek dinner, as well as being a great way to use up any leftover rice. Packed with juicy marinated chicken pieces, a mixture of colorful veggies, fluffy eggs, and chewy-crisp long grain rice, this chicken fried rice is a whole meal, all conveniently packed onto one sheet pan.

For the chicken and marinade portion of this recipe, you will need soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, garlic paste, and diced chicken (thighs or breasts will work). To assemble the sheet pan fried rice, you will additionally need cooked long grain rice (day-old white rice would work perfectly), white onion, carrots, ginger, garlic paste, soy sauce, mirin, vegetable oil, eggs, frozen peas, bean sprouts, and scallions.

Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and garlic paste to a bowl. Whisk well with a fork to combine.

Add the diced chicken to the marinade and mix well to coat. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl, add the marinated chicken, rice, diced onion, diced carrot, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and mirin.

Toss well to mix the ingredients.

Coat the bottom of a large sheet pan with vegetable oil.

Add the rice, chicken, and vegetable mixture to the sheet pan, spreading it out into an even layer.

Bake the rice and chicken mixture for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a bowl using a fork.

Remove sheet pan from the oven and drizzle with the egg mixture and peas.

Use a spatula to throughly mix the eggs into the chicken fried rice.

Bake the chicken fried rice for 5 minutes.

Add the bean sprouts and scallions to the sheet pan and bake for 5 more minutes.

Remove the chicken fried rice from the oven and serve.

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There are quite a few ways to customize classic fried rice, and this sheet pan fried rice recipe is no exception. If you are looking for a super simple way to customize this chicken fried rice recipe and keep things interesting, try switching out the carrots, peas, and onions for some different vegetables. Red or green bell peppers, small broccoli florets, green beans, sugar snap peas, shredded cabbage, bamboo shoots, and corn kernels are just some of the ingredients that work well in this fried rice recipe. Mushrooms are also a great call, with varieties such as shiitake or cremini adding both an earthy umami flavor as well as texture and nutrients to the dish.

There are also quite a few unique ingredients you could add to fried rice. For some different flavor options, you can mix in some oyster sauce, fish sauce, sriracha or hot chili oil. Lemongrass adds a fresh and citrusy finish to the rice, or you can try adding fermented ingredients such as kimchi or miso paste. Sesame seeds are a great finishing touch, adding a lovely crunch and subtle nutty flavor to the finished dish.

Fried rice is a very forgiving dish, and it's a great way to use up any leftover rice you may have lying around. However, you will definitely get much better results depending on the type of rice you reach for when making this classic dish, and there certainly are some types of rice that are better-suited for fried rice than others. One of the best options is jasmine rice. This is a long-grain white rice with a subtle floral note to it, and one that cooks up well without becoming overly greasy. Basmati rice is another good option, as it doesn't clump together easily or become greasy, meaning that it can more easily withstand a cooking method like pan-frying (or, in this case, oven-baking).

If there's one type of rice to steer clear of, it would be short-grain rice. This variety is best reserved for dishes where you need the rice to be creamy or clumpy, such as sushi, risotto, or rice puddings. It would become overly gummy or clumpy in a fried rice dish, so stick with long-grain options for the best results.

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