Cumin Chicken Fried Rice
Updated Feb. 24, 2026
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving if desired
- 2tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1½ teaspoons ground cumin)
- 1tablespoon neutral oil or ghee
- 1pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2tablespoons salted butter or ghee, divided
- 1bunch scallions (about 6), white and light green parts thinly sliced, and dark green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
- 5garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1(2-inch) knob fresh ginger, finely grated
- 5cups cooked, day-old jasmine rice (from 1⅔ cups uncooked rice)
- 1tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Crispy fried eggs, for serving
- Pickled onions, achaar or kimchi, for serving
- Sriracha, for serving
For the Fried Rice
For the Toppings (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1152 calories; 21 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 193 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1136 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Stir soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar together in a small bowl. Crush cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground.
- Step 2
Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) high-sided, nonstick skillet or a wok over medium-high. Add chicken in an even layer and season with 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until crisp and browned underneath, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, leaving as much fat behind as possible.
- Step 3
Add 1 tablespoon of butter, white and light green parts of the scallions, garlic and ginger to the skillet and stir-fry until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds and more freshly ground black pepper. Stir until toasted and fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds more.
- Step 4
Add the rice, remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the soy sauce mixture to the skillet. Toss the rice to coat in the sauce. Press rice firmly into the skillet, and top with the cooked chicken and remaining dark green parts of scallion. Let cook, undisturbed, until chicken is warmed through and rice is slightly crisp underneath, about 2 minutes. (You may hear dry popping sounds.)
- Step 5
Drizzle over the sesame oil and toss once again. Taste and season with additional soy sauce if desired. Serve with crispy fried eggs if desired, along with your choice of pickled onions, more black pepper, and a drizzle of soy sauce or Sriracha if you like.
- The chicken, scallions, garlic and ginger can be prepped ahead and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance; store sliced chicken in one airtight container, and the scallions, garlic and ginger in another. The sauce can be stirred together and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 48 hours in advance.
Private Notes
Comments
Swell fried rice recipe. Ate with kimchi and fried egg. I hate crispy fried eggs though so mine was more soft and runny. I think high heat ruins an egg. Just me
Holy moly this was so good, made as directed, no notes
It was very good. I followed the tip and made several elements ahead for a quick weeknight prep the next day. My kids 3 and 6 loved it as is, although they picked out the large dark green onions. I tossed in some sriracha, crispy fried garlic, and a runny egg. I’ll be making this again.
First off, I had to make some adjustments due to my laziness and what was in the pantry: only two scallions so used two small shallots, no fresh ginger so used 1 teaspoon powdered, no day old rice so used just cooked. Freshly cooked rice made the consistency a bit gloppy and I had almost double the chicken so had to brown in batches. I imagine this recipe in particular benefits greatly from a non stick pan which I unfortunately don’t have so chicken and rice sort of stuck. All that said, it tasted marvelous!
Very good recipe. I made it as written except I didn't have oyster sauce on hand so I omitted it. I added chili crisp and pickled onion to the finished dish - delicious!
you're telling me a cumin chicken fried this rice? they're a great cook. delicious