No Wok, No Problem — This Hands-Off Fried Rice Skips The Stovetop

Fried rice recipes tend to require a wok or heavy-based saucepan and, ideally, the flame from your stovetop, but you can skip the stove for your next fried rice recipe and opt for the oven instead. Just as you can bake a loaf of bread on the stove, you can "fry" rice in the oven. Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye shows us how with her recipe for sheet pan chicken fried rice.

Like conventional fried rice recipes, this sheet pan version starts with all the same ingredients, including pre-cooked rice. Day-old refrigerated rice is ideal since it's had time to dry out, facilitating the absorption of flavorful frying oils and sauces. First off, however, make a marinade for the raw chunks of chicken, letting them sit for half an hour while prepping the veggies. The recipe then becomes a veritable dump-it method that combines the marinated ingredients, diced and grated veggies and aromatics, and rice in one bowl, mixing to combine. Spread the rice and chicken mixture in an oiled deep sheet pan, creating an even layer before baking for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the mixture bakes, beat a couple of eggs to pour over the rice when it comes out of the oven. You can also add any frozen veggies to the rice at this point (hello peas) before placing the pan back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes to cook the egg.

Rye's recipe makes easy work of fried rice, while saving you oil splatter and a dirty stovetop. But if you aren't in the mood for chicken, use the recipe as a blueprint for any ingredient swaps you have in mind. For example, vegetarians could swap the chicken chunks for small pieces of tofu. If you want the tofu to have a bit of crisp on all sides, stir the mixture halfway through baking. Or, with a more delicate protein like shrimp, wait until halfway through the baking time to add seasoned or marinated raw shrimp, as it cooks much faster than chicken.

Whatever protein and vegetable mix you decide to use, the common sheet pan dinner mistake that has nothing to do with ingredients is not using an actual sheet pan. Ensure the pan is metal and not a glass baking dish so that you get a good level of crisp and caramelization on the meat and veggies while also avoiding mushy, greasy rice. A key to restaurant-worthy fried rice is to not skimp on the seasonings — use more than just soy sauce and sesame oil to develop a deeper flavor. A dash of fish sauce brings a funkier note, while hoisin lends sweetness to the dish. In fact, sugar is the secret ingredient that'll take fried rice to new heights.

And if you're looking for more mess-free throw-it-all-in-the-oven recipes, check out our 21 easy sheet-pan recipes that get dinner on the table fast.