Chicken & Shrimp Fried Rice is a flavorful fried rice dish made with succulent shrimp and chicken, mixed vegetables, and leftover rice that is done in 20 minutes for an easy weeknight meal.
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Have you ever wondered what to do with day old rice? You are going to love this recipe. Chicken and shrimp fried rice is a delicious and satisfying dish that can be easily prepared using leftover rice. We make extra rice now all the time just to have this fried rice for dinner the next day!
Not only is it incredibly simple to make but the combination of flavors will have your taste buds dancing. Don’t have one of the ingredients on hand? No problem, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Change up the protein or the veggies for an entirely different meal.
Ingredients You Need
- Shrimp – Medium to large, peeled and deveined, raw shrimp.
- Chicken breast – Thinly sliced. We are using chicken breast meat here but you could use thigh meat as well.
- Salt and ground black pepper – This is what really brings the flavor out in this dish, so be sure to add the salt and pepper. You might also taste the dish once it’s done cooking and add more to suit your taste.
- Cooking oil – Use vegetable, peanut, or olive oil.
- Toasted sesame oil – Just a little goes a long way.
- Onion and garlic cloves – Yellow, white, or sweet onions, chopped. Always use fresh garlic that hasn’t been kept in the refrigerator for too long. This has the best flavor and no bitterness that comes from older garlic.
- Veggies – I use frozen peas, onion, and carrots. You can add celery, zucchini, etc.
- Shrimp – Medium to large, peeled and deveined, raw shrimp. Don’t use frozen shrimp. They won’t have enough time to cook through.
- Garlic cloves – Always use fresh garlic that hasn’t been kept in the refrigerator for too long. This has the best flavor and no bitterness that comes from older garlic.
- White long grain rice – Cooked, day old rice works best here. It’s one of the secrets to this quick recipe.
- Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce so you can adjust the saltiness to your taste.
- Mixed vegetables – We are using a mixture of frozen vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn.
- Egg – 1 egg, beaten. I use large free-range eggs.
- Garnish – Sliced green onions.
How to Make Chicken & Shrimp Fried Rice
Step 1: Prepare all ingredients
It’s best to prepare all of the ingredients you’ll need before starting the cooking process. Once you get going everything moves pretty quickly. All of the ingredients are added to your main skillet so make sure you start out with one that is big enough.
Start by seasoning the chicken and shrimp with salt and pepper then set it aside.
Step 2: Saute
Add the cooking oil and sesame oil to a large skillet over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken and sauté on both sides for about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and onions to the skillet and cook for another 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
Add the day old rice to the skillet breaking up big chunks as you go. Then add the soy sauce and vegetables to the skillet and stir or toss to combine. Taste and season with more soy sauce, if needed.
Push the rice up the sides of the skillet. Pour the beaten egg in the center. Scramble the eggs until cooked, then incorporate them back into the rice.
Step 3: Serve
Serve with green onions as garnish.
Notes & Suggestions
- Use any vegetables you like in fried rice. There’s no one set of veggies you can use. We use carrots, peas, and onions, but you can also use spinach or kale, cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, or corn.
- You will need to break up the big chunks of rice as you add it to the skillet.
- You can scramble the egg separately and add it in already scrambled if you like. This will keep the chunks of egg larger, if you prefer that.
How to Store Fried Rice
Storing leftover fried rice properly can help extend its freshness and prevent the growth of bacteria. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Don’t store the fried rice while it’s still hot as it can create a warm, moist environment that encourages bacterial growth. Instead, allow it to cool down to room temperature. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than two hours, though, as this too can allow bacteria to multiply.
- Once the rice has cooled, transfer it into an airtight container. Keeping out air helps prevent the rice from drying out and also reduces the risk of bacteria contamination.
- Put the container in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. The fridge is good if you’re planning to eat the rice within a few days; otherwise, use the freezer for longer storage. Rice kept in the fridge should be eaten within three to four days to ensure it’s safe and still tasty.
Reheating Fried Rice
When you’re ready to eat the fried rice, make sure to reheat it properly. If it was in the fridge, you can microwave or heat it on the stove until it’s hot all the way through. If it was in the freezer, it’s better to thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. Rice should only be reheated once, so only take out as much as you’ll eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with leftover rice?
Yes, you can use leftover rice for this dish. That will cut out the step of cooking the rice, which eliminates at least 15 minute of cook time. Break the rice apart if it’s in clumps. Once you’ve cooked the egg, shrimp, and veggies, add the pre-cooked rice. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and still well to combine.
How do I get that Chinese food take-out taste?
You can’t really replicate the Chinese food take out taste of this dish in the Instant Pot because there’s no direct flame on the wok, which is what gives it that crunchy, char flavor. However, you can add more flavor and depth by turning on sauté mode at the end and allowing the rice to get a little char.
Can I use brown rice instead?
You can make this with long grain brown rice in the same ration as the white rice: 1 cup of brown rice to 1 cup of water. However, you will need to pressure cook on high for 15 minutes then natural release for 5 minutes, because brown rice takes longer to cook.
How do I reheat leftover chicken & shrimp fried rice?
Reheat any left over shrimp fried rice in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until heated through or in a skillet with a bit of water to loosen it up.
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Chicken & Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (227 g) chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 4 ounces (227 g) uncooked shrimp size 31-40, cleaned, deveined, tail removed
- 1/8 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (44 ml) cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sesame oil
- 1/4 cup (40 g) onions chopped
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 cups (474 g) cooked rice day-old for best results
- 2 tablespoons (59 ml) low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (137 g) frozen mixed vegetables Peas, Carrots, Corn
- 1 egg beaten
- Green onion for garnish
Instructions
- It’s best to prepare all of the ingredients before starting the cooking process.
- Season the chicken and shrimp with salt and pepper, set aside.
- Add the cooking oil and sesame oil to a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken to the skillet and saute on both sides for about 3 minutes, then add the shrimp and the onions and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the rice, soy sauce, and vegetables to the skillet and stir or toss to combine. Taste and season with more soy sauce, if needed.
- Push the rice up the sides of the skillet. Pour the beaten egg in the center. Scramble the eggs until cooked, then incorporate them back into the rice.
- Serve with green onions as garnish.
Nutrition
Angela’s passion for discovering and experimenting with new flavors and recipes is at the heart of her culinary philosophy. Residing in a quaint Oregon town, she finds joy and inspiration in her kitchen. Angela has a lot of expertise in cooking and she eagerly shares her discoveries and unique creations with you.