Chicken Bacon Fried Rice (Print Format)

One-pan fried rice packed with chicken, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and peas in a savory soy-sesame sauce.

# Ingredients:

→ Base ingredients

01 - 5 cups leftover cold rice, preferably day-old
02 - 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
03 - 3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
04 - 1 cup crispy bacon, roughly chopped or crumbled

→ Vegetables and aromatics

05 - ⅔ cup frozen peas, no need to thaw
06 - 3 green onions, sliced (reserve some green parts for garnish)

→ Sauce and seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons bacon grease or cooking oil, divided
08 - ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil for that amazing nutty flavor
10 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in your beaten eggs and let them sit undisturbed for a few seconds until they start to set around the edges. Then gently scramble them until just cooked through but still nice and soft. Scoop them out and set aside on a plate.
02 - Add the remaining tablespoon of grease to the same pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Break up your cold rice with your hands as you add it to the hot pan - this helps separate the grains so they don't get mushy. Let it sizzle for a minute, then start stirring to coat every grain with that flavorful oil.
03 - Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice and toss everything together really well. Keep stir-frying for about 5 minutes until the rice starts getting those lovely crispy spots and all the sauce is beautifully distributed throughout.
04 - Toss in your cooked chicken pieces, crumbled bacon, and frozen peas. Stir everything together and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes until the peas are warmed through and everything is steaming hot.
05 - Lower the heat and gently fold in those scrambled eggs and most of the sliced green onions, saving some of the pretty green parts for garnish. Give everything a good but gentle stir to mix it all together without breaking up the eggs too much.
06 - Sprinkle with black pepper, give it a taste, and add a pinch of salt if needed - though the bacon and soy sauce usually provide plenty of saltiness. Serve immediately while hot, scattered with the remaining green onions for a fresh pop of color and flavor.

# Tips:

01 - Day-old cold rice is the secret to perfect fried rice - fresh rice tends to get mushy and clumpy when stir-fried.
02 - Rotisserie chicken from the store works perfectly for this recipe, or use any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand.
03 - Want some heat? Add a drizzle of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes when serving - it's delicious with a little kick!
04 - This recipe is incredibly flexible - swap the peas for other quick-cooking vegetables like corn, bell peppers, or bean sprouts.
05 - The bacon grease adds amazing flavor, but you can absolutely use vegetable oil or peanut oil if you prefer.

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