Oven Baked Chicken Fried Rice is a hearty and satisfying dish perfect for family dinners or potlucks. It’s loaded with tender chunks of chicken, fluffy rice, veggies and other flavorful ingredients. You’ll love how easy and hands-off this recipe is to make!
Skip the Chinese food takeout tonight and whip up this homemade fried rice recipe. It’s a family favorite for busy weeknights because it’s SO simple to make in the oven.
My mom used to make Chicken Fried Rice all the time when I was a kid. She knew it was a main dish that the whole family would enjoy AND it’s easy (and inexpensive) to make. You can make it last for an extra day or two with leftovers!
We often eat this dish as the main course, but it could easily be a side dish. Add in some egg rolls and chicken stir-fry and you have a complete family meal. Your kitchen will be your new favorite Chinese restaurant.
Why buy Chinese takeout when you can make your own Chicken Fried Rice at home? I think this recipe tastes better and won’t cost you as much to enjoy.
What I love most about this recipe isn’t how delicious it is (it’s soooo good!), it’s, instead, how easy it is to make. You can use leftover chicken if you like. It’s a matter of dumping all the ingredients into a casserole dish and baking in the oven. It’s not really “fried”, but still tastes the same, in my opinion. It’s the lazy way to make it!
Why You’ll Love Oven Baked Chicken Fried Rice
- Great way to use up leftover chicken
- Leftover rice tastes delicious the next day
- An easier way to make chicken fried rice
- Add your favourite mix-ins to customize it to your family’s preferences
- Crowd pleaser for potlucks
- The best way to make chicken fried rice (in my opinion!)
Ingredients
- Rice – Don’t use Instant Rice. I used white rice.
- Water
- Soy sauce – Use low sodium if you are watching your salt intake.
- Vegetable oil
- Onion soup mix packet
- Onion
- Mushroom pieces
- Green pepper
- Celery
- Cooked chicken – Can be any cut like chicken breast, chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken, etc.
- Green onions (garnish)
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice
- Step One: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together all ingredients in a 9×13 casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Step Two: Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Serve hot.
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What to Serve with Baked Chicken Fried Rice
- Steamed veggies like broccoli, green beans or bok choy
- Egg rolls or spring rolls
- Stir fry
- Sheet pan chicken
- Wontons
Variations and Substitutions
- Add in more bell peppers like red pepper, yellow pepper or orange pepper.
- Leave out the chicken to make it vegetarian.
- Use cooked turkey or cooked ground beef in place of the chicken.
- Use brown rice instead of white rice.
- Try chicken broth instead of water.
- Add in oyster sauce (1 or 2 tablespoons) if you like the flavor
- Garnish with sesame seeds
- Use freshly sliced mushrooms if you don’t want to use canned mushroom pieces.
What Are The Best Vegetables to Use in Oven-Baked Chicken Fried Rice?
The veggies you used is pretty much up to you based on your personal preference.
- Celery – My mom always used celery in her fried rice. It softens up as it bakes.
- Bell peppers – Adds some color and a slight sweetness.
- Onions – Try white onions or yellow onions.
- Mushrooms – I used canned mushroom pieces or sliced white mushrooms.
- Carrots – Try diced or sliced carrots for a sweet crunch.
- Peas – Fresh or frozen peas adds a pop of color.
- Corn – Adds some sweetness.
- Broccoli florets – Adds some bulk and crunch to the dish.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover chicken fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in the microwave. It makes a great work lunch!
Can I Freeze?
Yes! Make sure to let the recipe cool completely and then place in zip top freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you want to eat it again, let the freezer bag thaw in the fridge over night. You can heat it up either on the stovetop, microwave or oven.
FAQ
Yes, you can prepare the dish ahead of time and bake at a later date.
Store the baking dish, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. You may need to adjust the baking time slightly because the ingredients will be cold going into the oven when you do bake it.
Mostly yes. However, do not use Instant Rice (ie. Minute Rice). The recipe won’t turn out. I like using long grain rice because it cooks more evenly and has nice fluffy texture.
Brown rice can be used, but you’ll require more liquid and a longer cooking time. You could also try jasmine rice or basmati rice.
Rice Recipes
- Curried Lentil Rice
- Sardine Fried Rice
- Hawaiian Fried Rice
- Cabbage Roll Rice
- One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice
You’ll also like Slow Cooker Chicken Lo Mein and Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli Ramen.
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Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain white rice uncooked (Not Instant rice)
- 3 ½ cups water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 8oz/284ml can mushroom pieces
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 3 cups cooked chicken chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Stir together all ingredients in a 9×13 casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Serve hot.
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Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Denise Ryan says
Hi, not sure if this has been asked yet but wondering if I this dish could be made with riced cauliflower too? I am on a no starch meal plan and can’t include rice in my dishes yet. However, I have been replacing rice with cauliflower a lot and it seems to do the trick. I just don’t know if it would work with this one as I definitely want to try making this dish.
Stacie says
I’ve been wanting to do a fried cauliflower rice recipe so stay tuned. It’s on my to-do list.
This is baked so I’m not sure if it would be good for riced cauliflower. I’d have to test it out.
Two blogger friends of mine have great recipes though!
https://princesspinkygirl.com/cauliflower-fried-rice/
https://randaderkson.com/chicken-fried-cauliflower-rice/
Renee Bentz says
I don’t have long grain just medium grain is that okay to use in this recipe really want to make this tonight.
Stacie Vaughan says
Yes, you can substitute that. I hope you like it!
Jane Sourdiff says
Could olive oil be used instead of the vegetable oil?
Stacie Vaughan says
I think that would be ok to do!
Zulema M Garza says
Looks very tasty
Sue O says
This was hit at dinner. I was thinking that everything could be put together except the rice and frozen. Then on those busy days, thaw, add rice and bake.
Lori says
Can you use fresh mushrooms versus canned? Not a huge fan of canned 🙂
Stacie Vaughan says
Yes, you can use fresh if you like!
Lori says
Thank you for getting back to me 🙂
Betty says
This is really delicious! Have made it for years but use 1/2 the oil and soya sauce. I’ve added shredded carrots, broccoli, etc ..different things. I also take foil off last 1/2 hr. or so of cooking. The rice gets nice and baked & a little crisp around the edges. I have even added a cup or so of frozen peas once out of oven and just stir them in…really nice and adds a pop of color.