Garlic Chicken Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
Fried Rice
- 1½ cups day-old rice
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch chunks, see note 1
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced
Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp MSG, optional
Optional Garnishes
- Crispy garlic
- Scallions
Instructions
- First mince the garlic. Cut the chicken thighs into ½-inch chunks.
- In a small bowl, mix together dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and optional MSG to form your sauce.
- Heat a pan with oil and cook the chicken until about 80% done, around 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add all of your garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the day-old rice, your sauce, and the cooked chicken. Toss everything together until the sauce coats every grain of rice.
- Serve in a bowl and optionally top with crispy garlic and scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Garlic Chicken Fried Rice Is My Weeknight Savior
When I don’t feel like cooking, this Garlic Chicken Fried Rice is what I love to make. It’s fast, it’s garlicky, and it always tastes consistently amazing. Chicken thighs stay juicy, the day-old rice gives you that perfect chew, and the sauce brings it all together with dark soy, oyster sauce, and just a hint of sweetness with a little bit of sugar for balance. I usually don’t measure everything, just for this recipe! I like to just throw it together, trust the garlic, and let the pan do the rest of the work.
Garlic Is the Whole Point Of This
You need a lot. Like, at least ten cloves in my opinion. That might sound excessive, but once you sauté it and the smell hits the air around you, you and anyone else in your apartment or home will understand. The garlic infuses the oil, which in turn coats the chicken and wraps around every grain of rice in its tasty goodness. The dark soy sauce brings the color like you often find at any classic restaurant, the oyster sauce adds the umami flavor (kinda like MSG!), and a little sugar balances everything out. Finish with crispy garlic on top, and you’ve got a fried rice that tastes like it literally came from your favorite takeout spot.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Garlic Chicken Fried Rice
Fried Rice:
- 1½ cups day-old rice
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp MSG (optional)
Optional Garnishes:
- Crispy garlic
- Sliced scallions
How to Make Garlic Chicken Fried Rice
Mince the garlic and cut your chicken into bite-sized chunks.
In a small bowl, mix the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and MSG if using.
Heat oil in a pan and cook the chicken for about 6 minutes, until mostly done. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add all the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
Add the rice, chicken, and sauce. Stir-fry everything together over medium-high heat until the rice is evenly coated and slightly crispy.
Serve hot with crispy garlic and scallions on top.
Tips & Variations
Use Day-Old Rice:
Cold rice fries the best because it’s drier, firmer, and holds its shape without getting mushy. If you only have fresh rice, let it chill uncovered for at least an hour.
High Heat = Better Flavor:
Turn up the heat for those toasty rice bits and extra flavor from the garlic. However, when you’re cooking the garlic, keep the heat on medium.
Don’t Be Shy with Garlic:
Ten cloves is just a starting point / recommendation. Go wild!!!
Mix Up the Protein:
Shrimp, tofu, or even chopped-up leftovers (Costco rotisserie chicken works great) are all totally viable.
Make It Ahead:
Double the recipe and store portions for later. This reheats beautifully and makes a killer lunch the next day. I would microwave on high for 2 minutes in a microwave-safe container for maximum enjoyment!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh rice instead of day-old?
You can, but you’ll want to dry it out a bit first. Spread it on a tray or plate and let it chill in the fridge to lose some moisture before cooking.
What’s the best chicken for this?
Boneless, skinless thighs are the best in my opinion. They stay juicy and soak up all the flavor. You can use breast, but keep an eye on cook time so it doesn’t dry out.
Do I really need both soy sauces?
Not a dealbreaker, but using both gives better balance. Dark soy adds color and depth; light soy brings saltiness. If you only have one, it’ll still work if you substitute in a 1:1 ratio!
How can I make this vegetarian?
Swap the chicken for tofu or mushrooms and use a vegetarian oyster sauce alternative. Everything else stays the same.
Try These Next
- Want more fried rice? Check out my Black Pepper Beef Fried Rice!
- Don’t want chicken? You’ll love my Garlic Beef Fried Rice!
- Craving a stir fry? Go for my Black Pepper Chicken.
Got your own garlic fried rice hack? Drop it in the comments, I’m always looking for new ideas!
