Healthy Chicken Fried Rice … in the Oven!
Two of the most popular top 10 recipes on my website for the past many years are this Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice and Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice. You guys love your fried rice. So here’s a sheet pan version! To me this tastes like comfort food, minus unnecessary fat and calories. The chicken is juicy, the rice is tender, I adore the juicy bursts of peas and carrots, and everything is lightly coated in a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil. It’s not greasy or gloppy, nor is it dry; it’s just perfect. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it’s perfect for work or school lunches the next day. Asian food has a way of tasting even better the next day, if that’s possible to have leftovers since is eat-right-off-the-sheet-pan style of good.
Sheet Pan Fried Rice Ingredients
To make this healthier baked fried rice recipe, you’ll need a handful of easy to find fridge and pantry ingredients including the following:
Chicken breasts Toasted sesame oil Pre-cooked rice Frozen peas and carrots Lite soy sauce Eggs Green onions
Note: All ingredients amounts are listed in the recipe card section when you keep scrolling down.
What’s the Best Rice for Oven Fried Rice?
For the rice I used three 8.5-ounce packets of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice in the Fried Rice flavor that I cooked for 90 seconds in my microwave before adding to the sheet pan and baking it briefly. It’s a newer flavor of Ready Rice I saw in my grocery store. The packages are 3 ounces smaller (8.5 ounces each) than the usual 8.8-ounce sized packets in most other flavors. I also recommend Ready Rice in this Teriyaki flavor or simply Original. I use Ready Rice to save time because I am not the type of person that just has leftover rice laying around. If you are, then you don’t need my shortcut. You simply need about 6 cups of previously cooked rice. However, if you want to prepare rice on your own first for this recipe, of course, be my guest. Use white, brown, long grain, etc. or whatever is your favorite rice. You may need slightly more soy sauce than I used if you are using scratch, freshly made rice but use your judgment.
How to Make Sheet Pan Fried Rice
This sheet pan chicken fried rice is so easy, ready in 15 minutes, full of authentic fried rice flavor, minus any actual frying which keeps it healthier! Follow these very easy steps: The easiest busy weeknight dinner ever that the whole family will love and no takeout nor frying was involved.
Tips for the Best Baked Fried Rice
Note that the rice must be pre-cooked (either purchased from the store or made yourself). Do NOT add dry rice to the sheet pan. Cut the chicken into smaller, even-sized chunks so they cook quickly and at the same rate. Add more or less soy sauce to your taste.
What to Serve with Fried Rice
The sheet pan chicken fried rice is a meal in itself with the rice, protein, and veggies. However, you can make it a full Asian-inspired feast by serving the fried rice with one or more of the following:
Fresh Spring Rolls Crunchy Peanut Salad (omit the chicken) Sheet Pan Orange Ginger Vegetables (omit the chicken) Teriyaki Mango Salad (omit the chicken) Green Edamame Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
More Easy Fried Rice Recipes:
Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice — One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is!! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Easy Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice – One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never takeout again!! Homemade tastes WAY BETTER!! Tons more flavor, not greasy, and loaded with tender shrimp!! Skinny Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice – Even people who don’t like cauliflower will be amazed at how authentic and DELICIOUS this SKINNY version of chicken fried rice tastes!! Easy, ready in 15 minutes, and so much HEALTHIER than calling for takeout!! Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice — A Hawaiian-inspired shrimp fried rice recipe that’s EASY, ready in minutes, and has so much authentic flavor!! A family favorite that’s better than takeout!! Beef Fried Rice — This better-than-takeout beef fried rice is EASY, ready in 20 MINUTES, and made in ONE skillet! Everyone loves the big juicy strips of steak and perfectly fried rice that’s speckled with bits of onions, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs. The combination of the soy sauces, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil make it taste so authentic! Originally posted August 21, 2019 and reposted May 12, 2023 with updated text.
