Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice is a quick and easy weeknight dinner option to try! This delicious dish is a great way to repurpose leftover rice and is so simple. Ready in just under 30 minutes, it will quickly become a staple in your recipe rotation.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Fried Rice With Chicken And Shrimp:
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make Shrimp Chicken Fried Rice
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making Chicken Shrimp Fried Rice:
- What To Serve With Fried Rice With Shrimp And Chicken
- Other Delicious Rice Recipes To Try
- Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
Why You'll Love Fried Rice With Chicken And Shrimp:
While I love takeout from my favorite Chinese restaurant, I love making my own versions of takeout even more! It's always good to have a fried rice recipe up your sleeve. It can be a delicious side dish or a super tasty main dish when you add protein. For this particular variation, I went with chicken and shrimp because I feel like it makes it a little extra special. But you could totally go in any direction you'd like for a protein.
I also love that this is the perfect way to repurpose leftover rice. In fact, I'd say shrimp fried rice with chicken actually comes out better when the rice is a day old! There's nothing better than making a big batch of something and enjoying it twice without feeling like you're stuck with yesterday's leftovers. Allow me to show you how I turn it into something completely new! Here are some other reasons to give my chicken shrimp fried rice a try:
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Perfect for busy weekdays
- More affordable than takeout
- Plus, you choose exactly what you put in it
- Versatile — follow my recipe as written or add your own twist!
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Shrimp- You can use fresh or frozen for this recipe, just make sure that the shrimp is peeled and deveined and the tails have been removed. I use medium size shrimp.
- Chicken- I went for skinless boneless chicken breast for chicken shrimp fried rice — I almost always have a pack in the freezer, and it's easy to work with. You could alternatively use leftover cooked chicken instead.
- Rice- Remember, cooked rice only! Like I said... day-old rice is best. It fries up a lot better than fresh.
- Butter & Oil- I'm using butter and vegetable oil to sauté everything for shrimp chicken fried rice. The oil keeps the butter from burning.
- Vegetables- Grab a pack of frozen peas and carrots from the supermarket to make things easier. Or, you can use fresh veggies if you'd like. You'll also need an onion.
- Eggs- It wouldn't be a fried rice recipe without some eggs! I love the added protein and flavor, but you can omit them if allergies are a concern.
- Seasonings- Ground ginger and garlic powder are all you'll need! You could also use fresh versions of both if preferred. I also added a touch of salt and pepper when cooking the proteins.
- Sauces & Other Oils- Soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar finish everything off with plenty of Asian-inspired flavor!
How To Make Shrimp Chicken Fried Rice
Step 1- Cook the veggies
Add the butter and oil to a large skillet or wok and melt over medium-high heat. Now add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened. Next, add the peas and carrots and cook for a few minutes.
Step - Add the eggs.
Move the vegetables to one side of the pan and add a little bit more butter to the empty side. Add the eggs, stir until cooked through, and push to the side with the veggies.
Step 4- Sauté the shrimp and chicken.
Move the eggs to the side of the pan with the veggies and the chicken. After a few minutes when they're beginning to cook, add the shrimp to the pan. Sprinkle proteins with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook a few more minutes until they're almost cooked through but not fully.
Step 5- Add the rice and assemble.
Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Add the rice and sauce mixture to the pan and cook for a few more minutes until heated through. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to use fresh shrimp that's already been peeled and deveined (or frozen and thawed). If you need to do those things yourself, use a paring knife to make a shallow cut down the back from the top to the tail. You can use the tip of the knife to remove the "vein." Remove the shell by carefully pulling on the legs — since you sliced the shell in half on top, it should come right off — then gently remove the tail.
Absolutely! Simply replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos. Tamari is another gluten-free option, but know that it's not soy-free.
The key is to add soy sauce and sesame oil in the last few minutes of cooking! Both ingredients will give you the fried rice flavor you know and love. I also add ground ginger and garlic powder.
I always cook the eggs before I add the rice. If you add the rice first it will soak up too much of the eggs, which will cause your chicken and shrimp fried rice to go soggy.
It depends on the restaurant. I like using butter and oil — you'll end up with a better texture and richer flavor. If you'd prefer it dairy-free, you can use only oil or substitute ghee.
Tips For Making Chicken Shrimp Fried Rice:
- Be sure to use a large skillet or wok. Remember that you have to move the veggies to the side to cook shrimp and the eggs, so you want enough room.
- I prefer to use sweet onion. If you want a milder onion flavor, you could always substitute with green onions.
- Be sure to gather and prepare all your ingredients in advance. Like any stir fry, this chicken and shrimp fried rice moves quickly, so it's important to have your mise en place set.
- Use frozen peas and carrots to cut down on the prep.
- Season the rice. It's important to add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet at the same time as the rice to infuse the entire dish with flavor.
- Add extra vegetables like mushrooms or broccoli if you'd like.
- Taste and adjust as you go. The ingredients listed are what my family and I love, so don't be afraid to taste test as you go along. Add more seasonings, sauces, and oils if you need to!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- To save on time, cook the rice, dice the onion, and thaw and prep the shrimp in advance.
- Leftovers and storage- Shrimp and chicken fried rice will keep for up to 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator. You can reheat single servings in the microwave, or larger portions on the stovetop. Add a bit of chicken broth so it doesn't dry out.
What To Serve With Fried Rice With Shrimp And Chicken
Chicken and shrimp fried rice has all the makings of a meal on its own — you've got a protein, a carb, and veggies all inside. But, don't let that stop you from pairing it with some yummy sides! In the past, I've served it with:
Other Delicious Rice Recipes To Try
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Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup soy sauce (can also substitute coconut aminos or tamari)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper,
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
- 3 cups cooked rice (day old is best)
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and oil over medium-high heat.
- While the butter melts, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ground ginger and garlic powder until well combined. Set aside.
- Add onion to the pan and sauté stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add frozen peas and carrots and cook for another two minutes stirring often.
- Push the vegetables to one side of a pan and melt ½ tablespoon of butter on the empty side.
- Add eggs to the empty side of the pan and cook stirring often until cooked through. Move eggs to the side of the pan with the vegetables.
- Melt remaining ½ tablespoon of butter on the empty side of the pan.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes and then turn.
- Add shrimp and sprinkle chicken and shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes per side until it's almost cooked though (pink).
- Add rice and sauce mixture and stir well to combine.
- Cook 2-3 more minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use a large skillet or wok. Remember that you have to move the veggies to the side to cook shrimp and the eggs, so you want enough room.
- I prefer to use sweet onion. If you want a milder onion flavor, you could always substitute with green onions.
- Be sure to gather and prepare all your ingredients in advance. Like any stir fry, this chicken and shrimp fried rice moves quickly, so it's important to have your mise en place set.
- Use frozen peas and carrots to cut down on the prep.
- Season the rice. It's important to add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet at the same time as the rice to infuse the entire dish with flavor.
- Add extra vegetables like mushrooms or broccoli if you'd like.
- Taste and adjust as you go. The ingredients listed are what my family and I love, so don't be afraid to taste test as you go along. Add more seasonings, sauces, and oils if you need to!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- To save on time, cook the rice, dice the onion, and thaw and prep the shrimp in advance.
- Leftovers and storage- Shrimp and chicken fried rice will keep for up to 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator. You can reheat single servings in the microwave, or larger portions on the stovetop. Add a bit of chicken broth so it doesn't dry out.
William Mihalovits says