Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
By Keith DresserPublished on January 23, 2026
Time
35 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 large eggs ½ teaspoon table salt, divided3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into thirds4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin3 garlic cloves, minced1–2 serrano chiles, sliced thin4 cups cooked long-grain rice, room temperature2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Before You Begin
Day-old rice works best; alternatively, cook the rice 2 hours ahead, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely before chilling for 30 minutes. For milder heat, use one serrano chile.
Instructions
- Beat 3 eggs and pinch table salt in bowl until well combined. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until oil is just smoking. Add eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until very little liquid egg remains, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to large plate.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, about 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to plate with eggs.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 6 ounces sugar snap peas, cut crosswise into thirds and cook, stirring frequently, until bright green and crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with eggs and chicken.
- Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1-2 thinly sliced serranos, and remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to now-empty wok. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, room temperature and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Cook, stirring frequently and pressing on rice with spatula to break up clumps, until grains are separate and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce and stir to combine. Add egg mixture and thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and cook, stirring frequently and using edge of spatula to break eggs into small pieces, until everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar. Serve, passing extra chili-garlic sauce separately.
Time
35 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into thirds
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1–2 serrano chiles, sliced thin
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, room temperature
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Ingredients
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into thirds
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1–2 serrano chiles, sliced thin
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, room temperature
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Ingredients
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into thirds
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1–2 serrano chiles, sliced thin
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, room temperature
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Why This Recipe Works
This vibrant fried rice combines tender chunks of chicken, crisp sugar snap peas, and tender-firm grains of rice with a bold kick of heat from fresh serrano chiles and chili-garlic sauce. To prevent sogginess, we started with day-old rice—as it chills, the starch crystallizes into dry clumps that separate easily into individual grains during stir-frying. Cooking each component separately prevented overcrowding, which traps steam and turns everything mushy. An aromatic base of scallion whites, garlic, and serranos provided depth. Soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce added savory heat, while sesame oil and rice vinegar, stirred in off-heat, kept the finishing flavors bright and fresh.
Before You Begin
Day-old rice works best; alternatively, cook the rice 2 hours ahead, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely before chilling for 30 minutes. For milder heat, use one serrano chile.
Instructions
- Beat 3 eggs and pinch table salt in bowl until well combined. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until oil is just smoking. Add eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until very little liquid egg remains, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to large plate.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 12 ounces chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, about 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to plate with eggs.
- Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to now-empty wok and heat until just smoking. Add 6 ounces sugar snap peas, cut crosswise into thirds and cook, stirring frequently, until bright green and crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with eggs and chicken.
- Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1-2 thinly sliced serranos, and remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to now-empty wok. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, room temperature and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Cook, stirring frequently and pressing on rice with spatula to break up clumps, until grains are separate and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce and stir to combine. Add egg mixture and thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and cook, stirring frequently and using edge of spatula to break eggs into small pieces, until everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar. Serve, passing extra chili-garlic sauce separately.
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