Chicken and Bacon Fried Rice

 

Savory • Crispy • Flavor-Packed • Better Than Takeout

This Chicken and Bacon Fried Rice brings together tender chicken, smoky crispy bacon, fluffy eggs, and perfectly seasoned rice. It’s an easy, one-pan meal that tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food — but made quickly at home. Every bite is rich, savory, and full of texture.

Ingredients

For the Base

• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (or cooking oil), divided
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 4–5 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 pound chicken breast, diced into small cubes
• Salt & black pepper, to taste

Vegetables

• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• ½ cup diced onion
• 2–3 green onions, chopped

Rice & Seasoning

• 3 cups cooked rice, preferably cold day-old rice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional but highly recommended)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• Red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

Instructions — Full Step-by-Step

1 Scramble the Eggs

1. Heat 1 tablespoon bacon grease in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.
2. Add the beaten eggs.
3. Scramble lightly until fully cooked, then remove to a plate and set aside.

2 Cook the Bacon

1. In the same pan, add the chopped bacon.
2. Cook until crispy, about 5–7 minutes.
3. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, but keep the bacon grease in the skillet — it adds deep flavor.

3 Cook the Chicken

1. Add the diced chicken to the skillet (with the bacon grease).
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through.

Remove chicken and set aside with the bacon and eggs.

4 Sauté the Vegetables

In the same skillet:

1. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon bacon grease or oil.
2. Add diced onion and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add peas and carrots and cook until heated through and slightly softened.

You should now have a fragrant veggie base ready for fried rice.

5 Add the Rice

1. Add the cold cooked rice to the skillet.
2. Break it apart using a spatula.
3. Stir and fry for 3–4 minutes, allowing some grains to get crispy and golden.

6 Season Everything

Add:

• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Garlic powder
• Ginger powder
• Sesame oil

Stir well until the rice turns glossy and evenly coated in sauce.

7 Recombine the Good Stuff

Add back in:

• Chicken
• Bacon
• Scrambled eggs
• Green onions

Stir everything together for 2–3 minutes until heated through and combined.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

8 Serve

Serve hot, with extra green onions or crushed red pepper flakes if you want spice.

Serving Ideas

Pair this with:

• Egg rolls
• Potstickers
• Sweet chili sauce
• Spicy mayo drizzle
• Cucumber salad
• Garlic sautéed broccoli

It also works great as a meal prep dish — reheats beautifully!

Tips for the BEST Fried Rice

• Cold day-old rice is essential — warm rice turns mushy.
• Cook ingredients separately for the best texture.
• Don’t over-stir; let the rice sit to crisp up.
• Add a splash of soy sauce at the end if rice tastes bland.
• For extra flavor, add 1–2 teaspoons hoisin sauce or teriyaki sauce.

Time

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes