Sticky Chicken Fried Rice

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

For the fried rice

• 4 cups cooked, cold white rice — about 600–650 g
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup frozen peas — about 150 g
• 1 cup diced carrots — about 130 g
• ½ cup diced onion
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

For the sticky sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1½ tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch

Method

1. Prepare the chicken:
   Mix chicken with soy sauce, cornflour, sesame oil, garlic powder and pepper. Leave for 10–15 minutes.
2. Make the sauce:
   Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, ketchup, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, water and cornflour in a bowl.
3. Cook the chicken:
   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
4. Cook the vegetables:
   Add another tablespoon of oil. Add onion, carrot and peas. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes.
5. Add garlic:
   Add chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
6. Cook the eggs:
   Push the vegetables to one side. Crack in the eggs and scramble until almost cooked.
7. Add rice:
   Add the cold cooked rice. Break up any lumps and stir-fry everything together for 3–4 minutes.
8. Add sauce:
   Pour in the prepared sauce and toss thoroughly so the rice becomes evenly coated.
9. Return chicken:
   Add the cooked chicken back into the wok. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes until everything is hot and glossy.
10. Finish:
    Stir through most of the spring onions and sprinkle the rest on top.

Important rice tip

For the best fried rice, cook the rice the day before, spread it on a tray to cool, then refrigerate it. Cold, slightly dry rice fries much better and doesn’t become mushy.

Nutrition — approximate per serving

Based on 4 servings:

Note: Sodium can be quite high because of the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Using reduced-sodium soy sauce will lower it considerably.

Optional toppings

• Sesame seeds
• Extra spring onion
• Chilli flakes
• Sriracha
• Fresh coriander
• A drizzle of chilli oil

For a taste closer to the picture: use chicken thighs rather than breast, cook the chicken until nicely browned, and toss it with the sticky sauce right at the end so the pieces become shiny and caramelised.

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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.

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