This salt and pepper chicken fried rice is one of my favourite fakeaway recipes; it’s got everything you want from a Chinese takeaway but comes in at around £3.50 a portion and takes less time than waiting for a delivery.
This recipe is part of my eat well for £4 series; easy, affordable meals made with ingredients you can grab from any supermarket.
The key to a good fried rice is using cold leftover rice, it fries up so much better than freshly cooked rice as it’s had time to dry out a little. That said, microwave rice works in a pinch so don’t let that put you off! I use the frozen chicken chunks from Aldi which are brilliant for this, and for the salt and pepper seasoning you can buy it ready made in the shops or follow my recipe here.
Lovely served with curry sauce or hoisin on the side, it’s honestly so good!
How to make salt and pepper chicken fried rice:
Scroll down for the full recipe card and ingredient list.
1. Start by chopping all your veg into small, bite-sized pieces – red pepper, green pepper, red onion and spring onions
2. Air fry the chicken chunks as per the packet instructions, taking 1 minute off the cooking time
3. Heat a little oil in a hot pan and fry the onion for 2 minutes, then tip in the peppers and spring onions and stir fry for another minute
4. Push everything to the outside of the pan and tip in the cooked chicken chunks, then sprinkle over the salt and pepper seasoning and stir to coat
5. Make a well in the middle of the pan and pour in the whisked egg – let it scramble slightly before stirring it into everything else
6. Tip in the cooked rice and drizzle over the dark soy sauce, then stir everything together until combined and piping hot
Salt and Pepper Chicken Fried Rice
Salt and pepper chicken fried rice made with crispy frozen chicken chunks, fresh veg and leftover rice - a proper Chinese fakeaway at home for around £3.50 a portion and ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 onion (red or white)
- 1-2 peppers (I like a mix of red and green)
- 2 spring onions
- Salt and pepper seasoning (shop bought or make your own - see notes)
- Frozen chicken chunks (I use the ones from Aldi)
For the rice:
- 250-300g cooked long grain rice (cold leftover rice is ideal — microwave rice works too)
- 1 egg, whisked
- Dark soy sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Air fry the chicken chunks as per the packet instructions, taking 1 minute off the cooking time.
- Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a little oil in a hot pan and fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and spring onions and cook for another minute.
- Tip in the cooked chicken and salt and pepper seasoning, stir and cook for about 1 minute until everything is coated.
- Make a well in the middle of the pan, pour in the whisked egg and allow it to scramble slightly.
- Tip in the cooked rice and drizzle over the dark soy sauce.
- Stir everything together until combined and piping hot. Serve with curry sauce or hoisin.
Notes
Cold leftover rice really is best for fried rice — if you're planning ahead, just cook your rice the night before and leave it in the fridge. Freshly cooked rice can go a bit stodgy in the pan. Microwave rice works too though, just make sure it's cooled down before you tip it in. Don't forget you can find my homemade salt and pepper seasoning recipe on the site if you want to make your own!
If you're making your own seasoning - use
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, (optional, depends how spicy you like it)
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 462Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 93mgSodium 38mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 4g
Nutritional data provided here is only an estimate. If you're tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
