This chicken fried rice is so easy, it feels like cheating – in the best way. Made entirely in the air fryer (even the eggs and chicken), it’s crispy, savory, and PACKED with takeout-style flavor. No wok, no fuss, just a quick, one-basket meal that works with leftover, microwave, or freshly cooked rice.
I’ve tried to nail the perfect takeout-style fried rice at home more times than I can count. And while I’ve made some decent versions, they’re always a bit hit or miss – too wet, too clumpy, or just too much effort. Stirring constantly, managing heat, cleaning up the splatter…not exactly ideal on a lazy weeknight!
But this air fryer version? A total gamechanger. It’s simple, foolproof, and packed with flavor. Just mix your rice with veggies and seasoning, scatter marinated chicken over the top, and let the air fryer work its magic. A quick stir every five minutes keeps things cooking evenly, and that’s literally all the effort required. Crispy edges, juicy chicken, fluffy rice, every single time.
I tested this recipe every which way for you, and I’m sharing all the tweaks and tips that helped me get it just right.
While this is brilliant and filling enough to be a meal by itself, it also works wonderfully as part of a better-than-takeout night in. Pair it with sticky honey sesame chicken, Asian-style chicken meatballs, mini dumpling cups or juicy chicken and mushroom potstickers.
Ingredients
- Cooked rice. Long-grain white rice (like basmati or jasmine) is ideal. It’s fluffy, not sticky, and gives you those classic fried rice grains. Microwave packet rice works perfectly if you’re in a hurry (I use it all the time!) Brown rice is great too. Just avoid short-grain rice (like sushi rice), as it tends to clump and won’t give you that nice separated texture.
- Vegetables. I’ve gone for a classic combo: carrot, onion, peas and corn. But honestly? You can really use whatever you have. This recipe is super flexible. Try broccoli, shredded cabbage, green beans or edamame. You can use frozen mixed veggies to make it even easier. You’ll also need garlic and ginger (fresh is best, but jarred works if that’s all you have).
- Protein. I’m using chicken breast and eggs here, but you can play around. Skip the chicken for a vegetarian version, or swap in tofu, shrimp or thinly sliced beef. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut too. Don’t like eggs? Just leave them out. Your fried rice will still be delicious.
- Seasoning. You’ll need light soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce and Shaoxing rice wine. I also highly recommend a little MSG – it’s commonly used in Asian-style recipes and makes this taste more like restaurant-style fried rice. I know it’s not the easiest to find (you can pick it up from Amazon or Asian grocery stores), so if you can’t, leave it out.
How to make it
Remove the tray from your air fryer basket if it has one. Toss your chicken with Chinese five spice, sesame oil and a little salt.
Add the cooked rice, vegetables, ginger, garlic sesame oil, light soy sauce, fish sauce, Shaoxing rice wine and the MSG. Mix well to combine.
Arrange the chicken on top of your rice in the air fryer basket. Try to keep it on a single-ish layer so the pieces brown evenly. Air fry for five minutes. After this time, the chicken will have turned mostly white. Stir the chicken through the rice and air fry for another five minutes.
Stir the rice again, then push it to one end of your air fryer basket, leaving a little space on the other end. Pour in the whisked egg to that space and air fry for a final five minutes. Break up the cooked egg into small, scrambled pieces and mix it through the fried rice.
Mix half the scallions through the rice, then dish up and top with the remaining scallions to serve.
Watch how to make it
What I learned while testing the fried rice
Day-old rice, microwave rice or freshly cooked?
I first tested this recipe using both day-old rice and microwave packet rice, and honestly, I didn’t notice a huge difference. Both gave me fluffy, separate grains and crisped up nicely in the air fryer.
Microwave rice is a brilliant shortcut if you don’t have leftover rice on hand or didn’t plan ahead. Just make sure to break it up well with a fork before mixing it with the other ingredients.
You can use freshly cooked rice, but it needs a bit of prep to work well. When I tested this with hot rice straight from the pot, the result was mushy and clumpy in the air fryer. The grains stuck together and didn’t crisp up properly. The key issue is moisture. Because freshly cooked rice is still full of steam, it creates a soggy texture when air-fried.
To make it work:
- Spread the rice out on a plate or tray as soon as it’s cooked.
- Let it cool in the fridge for at least 20 – 30 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- You can even pop it in the freezer (if you have space!) for 10 – 15 minutes to cool it quickly.
This quick “drying out” step helps the rice separate into individual grains and gives you a texture much closer to traditional fried rice.
The best way to cook the eggs in the air fryer
Classic fried rice has little bits of soft, scrambled egg mixed throughout, and I really wanted to replicate that here – without having to use a separate pan. So I tested a few different methods to find the best air fryer-only approach.
- Scrambling the eggs separately: This obviously worked well, with fluffy, distinct egg pieces that were easy to stir through the rice. But it kind of defeated the point. I really wanted to keep this a one-appliance recipe, with no frying pans or extra washing up.
- Pouring the eggs over the rice: Next, I tried whisking the eggs and pouring them directly on top of the rice in the air fryer, about 10 minutes into cooking. While the flavor was there, the texture wasn’t great. The egg sort of sank into the rice and disappeared – you didn’t get those nice little eggy bites.
- The method I landed on: The most effective way was to push the rice to one side of the basket and pour the whisked egg into the empty space. This mimics what I’d normally do on the stovetop – cook the egg in a clear space, then mix it through once it’s mostly set. It worked perfectly. Once it was cooked, it was easy to break up into smaller pieces to add the flavor and texture I was looking for, without needing an extra pan.
How to cook the chicken without unnecessary extra steps
Just like with the eggs, I wanted to keep this recipe as streamlined and fuss-free as possible – but still deliver juicy, flavorful chicken.
- Cooking the chicken first: I initially tested cooking the seasoned chicken in the air fryer on its own, before adding the rice and vegetables. It definitely worked – the chicken was nicely cooked and browned – but it added an extra 10 – 12 minutes to the overall cook time. For a quick weeknight dinner, that felt like one step too many.
- Cooking the chicken with the rice: This is the method I ended up using in the final recipe. By scattering the seasoned, diced chicken over the top of the rice and veggies, it cooks through at the same time as the rest of the dish. It gets about five minutes undisturbed on top (which helps it brown slightly), and then finishes cooking once everything is stirred and returned to the air fryer. It’s fast, effective, and keeps the recipe truly one-basket.
- Bonus tip – velvet the chicken for takeout-style texture: If you have a little extra time, I highly recommend velveting your chicken first. This Chinese technique of sprinkling a little baking soda over the chicken before rinsing and seasoning helps it stay silky, juicy, and super tender, even in the high heat of the air fryer. I tested it both ways, and while skipping this step is totally fine, velveting really does give you that authentic takeout-style bite. It only takes about 10 extra minutes of prep and marinating, and I think it’s worth it if you’re after the best texture.
Got a question?
Yes! Frozen mixed vegetables work perfectly in this recipe and save a lot of prep time. You don’t need to defrost them – just mix them straight in with the rice and seasoning before air frying. They’ll thaw and cook as everything crisps up.
Long-grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati) works best for a fluffy, non-sticky texture. Short-grain or sushi rice tends to clump more, which makes it harder to get that classic fried rice feel in the air fryer (but is still very tasty). Brown rice works well if that’s what you prefer.
Absolutely! Just skip the chicken and egg, and add tofu or another plant-based protein. For an extra flavor boost, you could drizzle the finished rice with chili oil or chili crisp.
Because you’re mixing the rice with sesame oil (along with the other seasoning) before cooking, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you know your air fryer isn’t super non-stick, spray the basket lightly with oil before adding the rice, or use a parchment paper lining.
Like this recipe? Try these better-than-takeout ideas next
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
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Easy Air Fryer Chicken Fried Rice
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This chicken fried rice is so easy, it feels like cheating – in the best way. Made entirely in the air fryer (even the eggs and chicken), it’s crispy, savory, and PACKED with takeout-style flavor. No wok, no fuss, just a quick, one-basket meal that works with leftover, microwave, or freshly cooked rice. Make things even EASIER by using frozen mixed vegetables!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 3 cups cooked rice (or 2 packets of plain microwave rice)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 inch piece of ginger, finely diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup corn (fresh, canned or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Option to velvet the chicken: This gives you that lovely soft and tender texture you find in Chinese takeout dishes. Sprinkle the sliced chicken with ½ teaspoon of baking soda and mix it through the chicken well. Pop the chicken into the fridge for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly to remove the baking soda. Pat dry and continue with the recipe. Toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil.
- Mix rice with seasoning and vegetables. Remove the tray insert from your air fryer if it has one. Add 3 cups of cooked rice to your air fryer basket, along with the diced onion, diced carrot, crushed garlic, diced ginger, ½ cup of frozen peas, ½ cup of corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing rice wine and 1 teaspoon of MSG (if you’re using it). Mix well to combine.
- Air fry the rice. Arrange the sliced, marinated chicken on top of the rice in your air fryer. Try to keep it on roughly one layer if possible. Air fry the rice and chicken for five minutes at 400°F/200°C. After five minutes, the chicken should look mostly white all over, but it won’t be fully cooked through. Mix the chicken through the rice well. Air fry for another five minutes at 400°F/200°C.
- Add the eggs. After this time, remove the air fryer basket and mix the fried rice again. Use your spatula or spoon to push the rice up against one end of the basket, leaving about a quarter of the basket free. Pour the whisked eggs into the space you’ve made. Pop the basket back into the air fryer and air fry for a final six minutes at 400°F/200°C.
- Garnish and serve. After this time, the eggs should be set. Use a spatula to break the eggs into smaller pieces and mix them through the rice. Don’t worry if they are a little wet at the bottom, they’ll mix through the rice well. It should now be ready to go. Sprinkle half the sliced scallions into the rice and mix through. Divide between plates and top with the remaining sliced scallions to serve.
Notes
INGREDIENT NOTES: Use long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati for the best texture. Microwave packet rice works brilliantly too – I had very similar results when I tested both. Frozen mixed veggies (use about two cups) are a great shortcut instead of chopping up fresh vegetables. Fresh garlic and ginger are best, but if jarred is all you have, that’s fine.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap chicken breasts for shrimp, tofu, beef, or rotisserie chicken. Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option (or make sure your soy sauce is gluten-free). Leave out the fish sauce for a vegetarian version – just add a little more soy sauce. If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can use dry sherry or skip it. MSG is key to getting that proper takeout flavor, but it can be tricky to find (you can find MSG on Amazon or Asian grocery stores). If you can’t find it, just leave it out.
STORAGE: Any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat them in the microwave or air fryer until piping hot. You can freeze it, though the texture may be a bit softer when you defrost it. You can defrost it in the microwave, stirring a couple of times.
USING FRESH RICE? If you’re cooking rice for this recipe, you’ll need to cool it before adding it to the air fryer. If you don’t, you’ll end up with soggy and sad fried rice. Spread your cooked rice onto a plate or tray and pop it into the fridge for about 30 minutes – or you can even pop it into the freezer if you have space (for about 15 minutes). Once it’s cooled completely, you can go ahead and use it in the recipe. To make the rice, add 1 cup of long-grain white rice to a pot you have a lid for. Add 1 ½ cups of cold water and pop over high heat. When you see foamy bubbles on top of the water, pop the lid on. Leave it for 12 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat, still with the lid on, and leave it to steam for another 10 minutes. Fluff up the grains with a fork and spread out onto your plate or tray to cool.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: fakeaways
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 484
- Sugar: 4.9g
- Sodium: 702.1mg
- Fat: 11.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52.1g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 192.3mg
Just tried this air fryer chicken fried rice recipe and boy, was it a hit in my house! I loved the simplicity and the amazing flavors packed in it. Thanks for sharing and making dinner times easier, healthier, and yummier! Can’t wait to try more of your air fryer recipes.