Spicy Egg Fried Rice

This Spicy Egg Fried Rice is a popular side dish that compliments most Chinese dishes, especially our super tasty Spicy Chicken Wings and Salt and Pepper Chicken.

It is the perfect recipe if you are looking for a quick weekday meal especially if you have some leftover jasmine or basmati rice in your fridge.

This "better than takeaway" Chinese Egg Fried Rice dish is super easy to make and it comes together in just 15 minutes, especially if you have leftover rice in your fridge!

All you need is to grab your ingredients and start cooking.

Why This Recipe Works?

• It is a very easy recipe to follow with step-by-step pictures and instructions.

• This is the best way to use up any leftover rice in your fridge.

• You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

• Spicy Egg Fried Rice is versatile, you can use any vegetables you have in hand. You can add some protein such as prawns or leftover chicken pieces to turn it into a substantial meal.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Rice - The best results come when using a long-grain type for this dish, ideally jasmine or basmati rice.

• Eggs - They add great flavor, texture, and protein to this vegetarian rice dish.

• Carrots & peas - I love the texture and color they add as well as the flavor. You can choose any other vegetables you have in hand. Other vegetables you can use are mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, mangetout, cabbage, or green beans.

• Spring onions - You can also use Chinese chives if you have them in hand.

• Garlic - I use finely sliced fresh garlic, no need to finely chop it. Adjust the amount if you think this is too much or not enough garlic for you.

• Butter - Although butter is not a common ingredient in Chinese cooking, I prefer using it for cooking eggs as it adds lots of flavor to the dish and browns everything perfectly.

• Red chili - Adjust the amount to your taste.

• Sesame oil - It adds a distinctively nutty taste to the rice. You can substitute it with walnut oil or leave it out. You can buy it from Asian shops or large supermarkets as well as from Amazon

• Sweet chili sauce - I love the sweetness it adds to this spicy rice. I buy it from Asian shops or amazon

• Soy Sauce - I use Kikkoman all-purpose soy sauce for this recipe. Increase the amount if you want to use a low-sodium version or add extra salt.

• Mirin - Same as sesame oil, you can buy it from Asian shops or large supermarkets as well as from amazon. You can substitute mirin with dry sherry or sweet marsala wine.

Cooking Instructions

Although this is a very simple recipe, you need to follow a few tips and steps to achieve the best results:

Prepare the Rice

If you don't have leftover rice or you forgot to cook it a day ahead, use freshly cooked rice.

Wash the rice with running cold water, until the water from the rice runs clear.

Put the rice in a pan with plenty of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Drain the rice using a fine sieve, cool it down under running cold water, and let it drain for 5 minutes.

Spread the rice on a large tray and put it in the fridge uncovered for an hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes.

This will help the rice to dry a bit.

The rice clamps up when cooled so fluff it up and break it apart using a fork or do it with your lightly damp fingertips before using.

Do Your mise-en-place in Advance

Egg Fried Rice is a very quick dish to prepare, so have all your ingredients ready before you start.

Make sure you measure the sauce ingredients and then mix them in a bowl, slice the vegetables, and beat the eggs. 

Have your rice on a plate fluffed up.

Get Ready for Action

When you have your rice cooled and your mise en place ready, grab a large wok or skillet and put on high heat.

A wok works best for egg-fried rice as it spreads the heat evenly and adds smokiness to the dish.

When the wok is hot enough, add the butter and then let it slightly brown before adding the beaten eggs.

Quickly scramble the eggs and then set them aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down to medium and add vegetable oil or peanut oil to the same wok/pan.

Add the carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened but still crunchy.

Add the frozen peas, garlic, spring onions, and red chili and stir fry for 2 more minutes.

Turn the heat up again and add half of the fluffed-up rice.

Stir fry for a minute then add the other half of the rice and stir fry for two more minutes.

Add sesame oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper or white pepper, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, oyster sauce, and mirin.

Give it a quick stir and add the scrambled eggs.

Stir fry for another minute and garnish with some chopped chives and red chilies before serving.

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Top Tips From the Chef

• For the best results, use cold or leftover rice. Freshly cooked rice is too wet and therefore, it makes the rice grains clump together. If you decide to use freshly cooked rice, you would end up with a soggy mess.

• Before cooking the rice, wash it with running cold water, until the water from the rice runs clear.

• The rice clamps up when cooled so fluff it up and break it apart using a fork or do it with your lightly damp fingertips before using.

• Egg Fried Rice is a very quick dish to prepare, so have all your ingredients ready before you start. Make sure you measure the sauce ingredients and then mix them in a bowl, slice the vegetables, and beat the eggs. Have your rice on a plate fluffed up.

• Add the rice to the vegetables in 2 or 3 batches, and stir-fry the rice for a few minutes before adding the other batch.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other great rice dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this Spicy Egg Fried Rice as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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