My Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice is an easy one-pot recipe that you can make in under 30 minutes. It combines tender chicken and shrimp with hearty veggies, scrambled eggs, and fried rice for a flavor-packed weeknight dinner.
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This stir-fried rice is the perfect recipe when you have leftover cooked rice. I love making this on busy days and rotate it with my beef and broccoli stir fry and salt and pepper shrimp. All are perfect for a quick but delicious meal.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- One-Pot Meal- Everything cooks in one pot for easy prep and cleanup, perfect for busy weeknights or a quick lunch or dinner.
- High in Protein- Chicken, shrimp, and eggs come together for a satisfying dish packed with protein to fuel you up.
🧾Fried Rice Ingredient Notes
- Chicken- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Shrimp- Use a small or medium fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined.
- Rice- Use leftover day-old rice. Both white and brown rice work. You can even use leftover sushi rice.
- Eggs- Add eggs for more protein.
- Vegetables- Use fresh or frozen peas and carrots. You can use mixed vegetables with peas and carrots but don't use the ones mixed with corn. Corn just doesn't fit the flavor profile for this recipe.
- Ginger- Use ginger paste or freshly grated ginger.
- Green Onions- For garnish.
- Oil- Use any neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil.
Fried Rice Sauce:
- Soy Sauce- Use tamari for a gluten-free soy sauce or regular light soy sauce if you don't need to make it gluten-free.
- Rice Vinegar- Adds a tang and balances the flavors.
- Fish Sauce- Adds a unique savory flavor. you can also use oyster sauce with a 1:1 substitution.
- Toasted Sesame Oil- Adds a nutty flavor.
- Chili Oil- Adds a good amount of heat. Red pepper flakes also work great.
- Salt and White Pepper- Soy Sauce and fish sauce are already salty, so taste before adding more salt.
⏲️How to Make Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
Place the sliced chicken breasts in a bowl and marinate with soy sauce and vinegar. Marinating the chicken for at least 15 minutes gives you time to prep the rest of the ingredients while infusing flavor.
Make sure the pan is hot and simmering before cooking the chicken to get a good sear, then set aside. Add the shrimp to the same pan and sear on both sides just until they turn pink and begin to curl up.
Don't overcook it since you'll be adding it back to the pan.
Saute the vegetables, then add the leftover rice and the fried rice sauce to the same pan, stirring constantly to combine and prevent the rice from sticking. Cook until the rice is fluffy and evenly coated with sauce.
Push the rice to the side of the pan to prevent it from overcooking, then add the beaten egg. Fold the egg into the rice and allow it to break into pieces, evenly distributing it throughout the dish.
Add the chicken and shrimp back and cook for another minute, mixing it well with the fried rice for a consistent bite of rice and protein. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Garnish with green onions and serve immediately while hot for the best flavor and texture.
🥗What to Serve with Fried Rice
The perfect side dish for this fried rice recipe is egg rolls, dumplings with homemade gyoza sauce, and steamed vegetables like my miso eggplant or sauteed broccolini. I also love to serve it for lunch with kani salad.
Tips for Making Fried Rice
- If you make fresh rice on the same day, lay it out on a sheet pan to quickly cool it, just so it's nice and dried out.
- Cut your chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
- Make sure your ingredients are measured out and ready to go before you begin cooking.
- Don't go light on the oil, use more if needed but never less than the recipe calls for.
- Use high heat and stir the fried rice continuously to prevent it from burning and sticking to the pan.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- ½ pound chicken thighs, boneless skinless cut into thin bite sized-pieces
- 1 tablespoon tamari gluten free soy sauce or regular light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ pound shrimp use a smaller size
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup diced frozen carrots
- 3 cups cooked rice cold and preferably a day old
- 2 eggs beaten
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
Fried Rice Sauce
- ¼ cup tamari gluten free soy sauce or regular light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce or try oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the sliced chicken breast in a bowl. Marinate with soy sauce and rice vinegar for 15 minutes. While the chicken is marinating prep all the ingredients.½ pound chicken thighs, boneless skinless, 1 tablespoon tamari gluten free soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- Over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan or wok. Heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the shrimp to the same pan (adding more oil as needed), sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes until they begin to curl up. Remove and set aside.½ pound shrimp
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, peas, and carrots. Add the rice and the fried rice sauce. Stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.½ cup diced white onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, ½ cup frozen peas, ½ cup diced frozen carrots, 3 cups cooked rice
- Push the rice to the side of the pan. Add the egg to the empty side of the pan. Stir until almost fully cooked then fold into the rice and allow the egg to break into pieces.2 eggs
- Add back the chicken and shrimp and cook for another minute. Add the green onions and serve.3 green onions
Fried Rice Sauce
- Whisk together all the ingredients.¼ cup tamari gluten free soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili oil, ½ teaspoon white pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt
Notes
- Do not use freshly steamed rice. It will become mushy from all the extra moisture.
- To quickly dry out your rice, spread it in a thin layer on a baking sheet and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or stovetop until fully heated. Add a splash of water to the rice, if needed.Equipment
- Wok or Heavy Bottom Skillet
Jen Wooster says
I had so much fun developing this recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. xoxo Jen