Craving takeout but want something healthier and more affordable? This easy homemade chicken fried rice recipe brings all the flavors of your favorite restaurant dishes straight to your kitchen and is ready in 30 minutes!
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette from our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy, cheap way to use up leftover chicken or rice, this is the perfect meal idea. Making fried rice is so QUICK – If your chicken and rice are already cooked, the entire meal can be on the table in less than 15 minutes! And if you love Chinese food but want to save money on takeout, this one is for you!
This is also a great recipe for adding extra veggies for extra nutrition and bulk. Cabbage, zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and mushrooms all work well with these flavors.
Chicken Fried Rice Dinner Menu:
- Chicken fried rice
- pineapple
Ingredients for chicken fried rice:
- 5 cups rice (Aldi – $1.99 for 7 1/2 cups uncooked) — $0.40(Refrigerated leftover rice is perfect for this!)
- 2-3 cups cooked diced chicken (Aldi – $2.49/lb) — $2.49
- 1 onion (Aldi – $2.86 for 4 pounds) — $0.30
- 4 green onions(Aldi – $0.95 per bag) — $0.20
- 3 cloves garlic(Aldi – $1.75 for a 3 ct pack) — $0.20
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger(Aldi – $2.09 for a large bag of ginger root) — $0.20
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (Aldi – $2.89 for 96 tablespoons) — $0.09
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (Aldi) — $0.95
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce (Walmart – $1.58 for 30 tablespoons) — $0.25
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil(Aldi – $7.49 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.23
- 4 eggs (Walmart – $2.34 for 12 people) — $0.78
- salt and pepper to taste
- pineapple (Aldi) — $2.15
Total dinner: $8.24 (serves 6)
How to Make Chicken Fried Rice:
1. Dice the onion, ginger, garlic and scallions, setting the dark green tops of the scallions aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large pot or skillet.
4. Sauté the chopped onions, scallions, ginger and garlic until soft.
5. Add frozen mixed vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt and stir-fry until heated through.
6. Add the cooked rice, chicken, soy sauce and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry until evenly mixed and the rice begins to caramelize.
7. Push the rice and vegetables to the sides of the pot and make a well in the center of the pot. Pour beaten eggs into center. Gently cook the eggs until they begin to set, then stir until they are scrambled. Mix them into the rice.
8. Chop the remaining scallions and sprinkle over the fried rice.
9. Serve with fresh pineapple.
Chicken fried rice
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raw material
- 5 cup cooked rice Aldi – $1.99 – $0.40 for 7 1/2 cups uncooked (refrigerated leftover rice is perfect for this!)
- 2-3 cup cooked Chicken Cubes (Aldi – $2.49/lb) – $2.49
- 1 onion Aldi – 4 pounds $2.86 – $0.30
- 4 green onions Aldi – $0.95 – $0.20 per bag
- 3 clove garlic Aldi – 3 carat pack $1.75 – $0.20
- 1 spoon fresh ginger Aldi – $2.09 Large bag of ginger root – $0.20
- 3 spoon rapeseed oil Aldi – 96 tablespoons $2.89 – $0.09
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Bag frozen mixed vegetables Aldi — $0.95
- 5 spoon soy sauce Walmart – $1.58 – $0.25 for 30 tablespoons
- 1 spoon sesame oil Aldi – 33 tablespoons $7.49 – $0.23
- 4 egg Walmart – $12 $2.34 – $0.78
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pineapple Aldi – $2.15
instruct
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Dice the onion, ginger, garlic, and scallions, setting the dark green tops of the scallions aside.
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In a small bowl, whisk eggs.
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Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large pot or skillet.
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Sauté the chopped onions, scallions, ginger and garlic until soft.
-
Add frozen mixed vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt and sauté until heated through.
-
Add the cooked rice, chicken, soy sauce, and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry until well combined and the rice begins to caramelize.
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Push the rice and vegetables to the edges of the pot and make a well in the center of the pot. Pour beaten eggs into center. Gently cook the eggs until they begin to set, then stir until they are scrambled. Mix them into the rice.
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Chop the remaining onions and sprinkle over the fried rice.
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Serve with fresh pineapple.
notes
Nutrition
More ideas for family dinners under $10:
- Creamy Dumpling Soup and Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
- Homemade French Bread Pizza
- Three Bean Chili and Cornbread
- Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
- Creamy chicken gravy and rice
- 70 Easy and Inexpensive Family Dinner Ideas
And, be sure to check out all of our easy dinner recipes here!
Do you have a favorite family dinner under $10? Or have any suggestions on what I should do next? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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