Name: Chicken Rice: fried chicken rice from Japan
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 portions of rice (preferably leftover from the day before); 200 g chicken (preferably boneless thighs or breast fillet); 1 onion; 100 g mushrooms; 50 g peas (frozen or fresh); 20 g butter; salt & pepper; 5 tbsp ketchup; 5 tbsp tomato purée; 5 tbsp water

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Fancy a culinary journey to Japan, for once without too much effort? Then try this Chicken Fried Rice! Here, tender chicken meets delicious rice, enhanced with a fruity tomato sauce and green peas.

Whether you’re using up leftovers or cooking on a whim – this dish is a real treat for the taste buds and will delight you and your guests. Let yourself be enchanted by the diversity of Japanese cuisine and bring some variety to your plate!

Fried chicken rice is a popular Western-style rice dish prepared with a sweet ketchup-based tomato sauce. It is very popular in Japanese cuisine and is often prepared as a quick and easy everyday meal.

There are numerous variations of the dish, in which different ingredients and spices can be used, but it generally consists of fried rice, chicken and vegetables. Some variations can also be prepared with soy sauce or tomato sauce, depending on the region and personal taste.

In fact, it is a classic Yoshoku, i.e. a Western-influenced dish, which is also known in Japan as Chicken Rice チキンライス (Chikin Raisu).

Perhaps you came across this recipe through the popular Netflix series Midnight Diner? Right at the start of season 2, the head chef prepares chicken fried rice. Yum…

Or perhaps you know chicken rice as a filling for homemade Omurice, where the chicken rice is wrapped in a soft omelette?

Either way, both are very good reasons to get to know this Japanese speciality and try it out right in your own home!

Today I’ll show you how to make this popular Japanese rice dish at home. The recipe is super quick and easy: to make chicken fried rice, first fry the chopped onions together with mushrooms and chicken in a pan until translucent.

Once the ingredients are cooked, we’ll add a handful of peas, a quick tomato sauce and the pre-steamed rice. And just like that, the dish is on the table 😊.

Tip

Don’t stir the fried rice and ingredients too vigorously, so the rice doesn’t become mushy. Instead, give the pan a good toss so the rice becomes slightly crispy!

For most Japanese people, it is a dish they often ate as children. If you go to a family restaurant in Japan, you are almost certain to find chicken rice on the menu.

It was probably influenced by Chinese cuisine and became popular in Japan in the 1930s. During the Second World War, the dish was a favourite meal of Japanese soldiers.

When ketchup was then made popular by the Americans, there was no stopping this recipe :D. To this day, it is prepared in many restaurants and at home, and remains particularly popular with children.

My recipe for chicken fried rice is – I promise – very easy to make and requires just a few ingredients, without losing that authentic Japanese flavour. Give it a go and let yourself be inspired by the simplicity and intense flavours of Japanese cuisine!

I wish you every success and hope you enjoy cooking – if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to use the comments section below the recipe 😊. Let’s get started:

Chicken Rice

serves 2 | 20 minutes | 587 kcal

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Fancy a culinary trip to Japan? Then give this chicken fried rice a go! Here, tender chicken meets delicious rice, enhanced with a fruity tomato sauce and green peas. Whether you’re using up leftovers or cooking on a whim – this dish is a real treat for the taste buds and will delight you and your guests!

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 portions rice (to the recipe) (preferably from the day before)
200 g chicken (preferably boneless thighs or breast fillet)
1 onion
100 g mushrooms
50 g peas (frozen or fresh, but already shelled)
20 g butter
salt & pepper

5 tbsp ketchup
5 tbsp tomato purée
5 tbsp water

Preparation (20 minutes)

Step 1

Ingredients for chicken fried rice.
Tip: This recipe works best with rice cooked the day before or leftover rice. Spread it out flat on a plate, then chill it. The next day, take it out an hour beforehand and let it warm to room temperature.

Chicken fried rice passaggio 2 - Preparare la salsa di pomodoro

Step 2

First, we’ll make the sauce: to do this, mix together ketchup, tomato purée and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Chicken fried rice passaggio 3 - Taglia il pollo

Step 3

Wash the chicken under running water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then cut into small cubes and season on all sides with salt and pepper, rubbing it in lightly.

Step 4

Now peel the onion , halve it and finely dice each half (Tip: This is even quicker with a food processor).
Remove any coarse dirt from the mushrooms and cut off the stalks. Then, depending on the size of the mushrooms, either slice them or quarter them.

Passaggio 5

Now heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. First, fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes. Then turn up the heat and add the onions and the chicken , and fry vigorously until the meat is no longer pink.

Step 6

Then add the lentils and the tomato sauce . Mix the sauce well with the contents of the pan.

Step 7

Then add the rice to the pan and, if possible, separate any clumped grains using a spatula.
Fry everything vigorously – don’t stir wildly, but rather toss the pan.
Fry until the rice is thoroughly heated through and well coated with the sauce – about 3–4 minutes.

Passaggio 8

The chicken fried rice is now ready. To serve, it is best to rinse a small bowl with water, then pour in half of the fried rice without drying it. Place a plate on top like a dachshund, turn everything over and lift off the small bowl.
Garnish each portion with 3 peas . This goes well with a hearty tonjiru soup and pickled vegetables.
Done – Itadakimasu!