Thai fried rice gets it’s unique flavor from jasmine rice, fish sauce, soy sauce and chili peppers. Use your favorite protein like chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
Thai Fried Rice
Making Thai fried rice is a flavorful way to use up leftover rice and incorporate a mix of protein and savory ingredients. There’s a great Thai restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that I used to always go to called Sea. It has a great vibe and the best Thai fried rice! I recreates it, and after researching and experimenting, I managed to get it very close! Thai Fried Rice gets its unique flavor from the fish sauce, soy sauce, and chili peppers, and the jasmine rice is a must. They also added tomatoes to their rice which gives it a subtle hint of sweetness. For more of my favorite Thai recipes, try my Pad Thai, Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad, and Thai Basil Chicken.
Featured Comment:
“Made this last night. Hubby devoured it and had 2 FULL servings!”
– Cindy
Why You’ll Love This Thai Fried Rice
- Quick and Easy: Fried rice cooks quickly, so it’s easy to throw together on a busy weeknight.
- Customizable: Add your favorite vegetables or proteins to make it more filling.
- Thai Flavors: It’s the perfect meal to cook when craving spicy Thai food.
What You’ll Need
Thai Chicken Fried Rice Ingredients are listed here. See exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Vegetable Oil has a high smoke point, so it’s ideal for fried rice since it cooks on high heat.
- Rice: Use leftover cooked Jasmine rice, you can use brown or white.
- Aromatics: Chopped onion, scallions or green onions, and minced garlic cloves infuse this Thai fried rice with aromatic flavors.
- Eggs: I used a combination of whole eggs and egg whites to add more lean protein. You can use only whole eggs if you prefer.
- Salt seasons the eggs.
- Tomatoes: Slice medium tomatoes into wedges.
- Thai Chili Peppers are optional, but they’re a great addition if you like spicy fried rice. Remove the seeds and ribs for a milder dish.
- Soy Sauce for savory depth. If you’re gluten-free, use tamari.
- Fish Sauce, an umami-packed, salty sauce,can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets.
- Protein of your choice: chicken breast, shrimp, tofu, etc.
How to Make Thai Fried Rice
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in making this Thai Fried Rice. See the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Eggs: Heat the wok on high heat and pour in the oil. Add the egg whites and a pinch of salt and cook for a minute or 2 until done. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Vegetables: Add the onion, scallions, and garlic. Cook for a minute, and then add the chili pepper and tomatoes.
- Rice and Sauce: Stir in the rice and drizzle with soy sauce and fish sauce.
- Final Touches: Return the eggs to the wok and season with more soy sauce if needed.
What is the trick to fried rice?
- Cold, leftover rice: The key to making perfect fried rice is using cold, leftover rice. Freshly cooked rice won’t fry as well.
- High heat: Make sure your pan is fully heated on high heat so the rice fries and doesn’t steam.
- Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking. Cooking fried rice only takes a few minutes, so you want everything ready to go.
Variations
- Rice: Substitute any type of long-grain rice, like Basmati or white jasmine rice.
- Protein: Add chicken, shrimp, pork, or tofu for more protein.
- Vegetables: Sauté some extra veggies, like mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, or broccoli.
- Eggs: Use whole eggs if you prefer.
- Hot Peppers: Substitute jalapeño or serrano peppers if you can’t find Thai chili peppers.
- Want more spice? Serve it with sriracha on the side.
- Herbs: Garnish with fresh cilantro or Thai basil leaves.
- Serve with lime wedges or a squeeze of lime juice.
- No wok? No problem. Use any large skillet for this Thai fried rice recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some Thai dishes that go great with Thai Fried Rice for a multi-course meal.
Storage
Leftover fried rice will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it in freezer-safe containers or bags for a couple of months. Thaw it in the fridge and microwave it until warm.
More Fried Recipes You’ll Love
Thai Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chicken breast, shrimp, beef, pork or tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
- kosher salt , and black pepper, to taste
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, white or brown is fine
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 large egg whites, beaten (you can also just use 2 large whole eggs total)
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 2 to 3 Thai chili peppers, optional for heat
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce, or tamari for gluten free
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
Instructions
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Heat a large nonstick wok over high heat.
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Meanwhile, season the chicken or protein of choice lightly with salt and pepper.
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When the wok is very hot, add 2 tsp of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook on high until its browned all over and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
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Reduce heat and add the eggs and egg whites to the wok with a pinch of salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until scrambled. Set aside.
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Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the onion, scallions and garlic. Saute 1 minute, add the chili pepper if using, tomatoes and stir in all the rice.
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Add the soy sauce and fish sauce, stir to mix all the ingredients and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes.
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Return the egg and chicken back to the wok. Adjust soy sauce and salt as needed and stir well another 30 seconds.
Last Step:
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Notes
- You can add cilantro or other fresh herbs at the end.
- Feel free to use whatever protein you like.