Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice is an easy vegetarian dish that doubles as a side dish AND a main course! It’s great the first day and fantastic reheated as a tasty meal prep option.
This healthy quinoa fried rice does it all!
It works great with anything you have on hand!
Fresh veggies, frozen veggies, and even leftovers from last night’s dinner.
In an effort to make adding quinoa to my eats oh-so-convenient, I decided to add it into my meal prep (or in this case ingredient prep) rotation.
By cooking a few cups of fluffy quinoa for the week, I can ensure its appearance on my plate over and over again.
The quinoa will keep up to four days in the fridge and stays light and fluffy. Love it so! It even freezes well and will stay fresh frozen in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.
How to Cook Quinoa
Here is my go-to technique for making perfect quinoa every time. While the package calls for 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried quinoa, I find that it comes out fluffiest when I use 1 and 1/2 cups water for every 1 cup dried. I’ve been making it this way for over a decade.
1. First rinse and drain your quinoa using a mesh strainer or sieve.
2. Bring a small pot to medium heat and lightly toast the damp quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is totally optional but adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
3. Next add water, set burner to high heat, and bring to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 12-13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Store cooled quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Now that you have fluffy and fabulous quinoa on hand, we can make this tasty Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice. WOOT!
Vegetables to Add to Quinoa Fried Rice
This dish gets its veggie on with peas, carrots, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and scallions but there are others you can add to the mix for a fully custom bowl of deliciousness.
Vibrant and versatile, this recipe a great way to clean out your crisper drawer or even your freezer!
Here is the full list of veggies to mix and match:
- Peas
- Carrots
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Bell Pepper
- Scallions
- Zucchini
- Summer Squash
- Broccoli
- Sweet Corn
- Mushrooms
- Bean Sprouts
- Bok Choy
- Snow Peas
- Spinach
- Green Beans
- Edamame
You can also add some fresh herbs to your quinoa fried rice.
Basil is super tasty or you can try it with cilantro. Both are excellent options!
You’ll want to aim for around 2 cups of veggies total to even out the quinoa ratio (1 cup dry quinoa yields 3 cups cooked) or feel free to double the recipe so you can add even more veggies!
Special Diets and Swaps
This rockin’ fried rice copycat is incredibly easy to customize.
Vegan + Vegetarian
If you’re one of my vegan or vegetarian friends, fret not! I have two tasty veggie varieties: Vegetarian Quinoa Fried Rice and my Classic Quinoa Fried Rice. I even make a mean Vegan Cauliflower Rice with a similar “fried rice” vibe.
You can also add baked or fried tofu in place of the chicken. Delish! I love quinoa fried rice paired with this vegan Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Tofu and, if you’re simply vegetarian, you can try my Honey Garlic Tofu too.
Pescatarian
Pescatarian? I got you! This recipe is excellent with my Honey Garlic Shrimp or fiery Spicy Sriracha Shrimp.
Feeling saucy? Drizzle this dish with a little sweet chili sauce, garlic chili sauce, sriracha, or yum yum sauce. Anything goes!
Gluten-Free
Need to make this dish gluten-free? It’s oh so easy to do! Grab some bragg liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or use gluten-free soy sauce (like low-sodium tamari soy sauce) to replace the soy sauce and seal the deal.
Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice
This recipe yields 4 servings and any leftovers are fantastic the next day or two! It’s excellent reheated so feel free to add this quinoa fried rice to your meal prep rotation.
I love serving this fried rice copycat with my Spicy Edamame appetizer and a simple garden salad with ginger dressing. SO GOOD!
Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water or broth
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced (or ½-¾ cup frozen diced carrots)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup red bell pepper
- 3 eggs
- 3-4 TBSP low sodium soy sauce or GF alternative
- ¼ cup sliced green onion (scallions)
- chili garlic sauce or Sriracha, for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE QUINOA
- Rinse and drain quinoa using a mesh strainer/sieve.
- Bring a medium/small saucepan to medium heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water. Stir as it toasts for just a few minutes. This step is optional but really adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa!
- Next add water, set burner to high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 12-14 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
FOR THE CHICKEN
- While the quinoa cooks, prep chicken and chop into small pieces for faster cooking. Feel free to use leftover chicken if you typically purchase a rotisserie or meal prep for the week!
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok to medium-high heat with 1 tsp sesame oil. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through. Approx. 6 minutes.
- Remove and transfer chicken to a plate. Set aside.
FOR THE VEGGIES
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add peas and garlic along with a little bit of salt and pepper. (I like to season all the components) Minced ginger can be added during this step too, if you'd like. Cook for another minute or two until the garlic is fragrant and the vegetables are tender.
- Use a spoon/spatula to push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add a little extra avocado oil to the pan prevent sticking. Scramble eggs then mix into the vegetables. Add cooked and fluffed quinoa along with cooked chicken. Season with soy sauce and sliced scallions.
- Mix well and taste test. Season with any additional salt and pepper desired and portion into bowls. Top with garlic chili sauce or Sriracha and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Tasty Quinoa Recipes to Try
First up, you’ve GOT to try my spicy Sriracha Shishito Peppers as an appetizer or side to serve with this quinoa dish.
For my T-Rex friends, I have the most amazing Chicken Shawarma Quinoa Bowls that always get rave reviews.
Craving an easy peasy salad? Whip up a bowl of Rainbow Quinoa Salad and prepare to lick your plate clean!
- NEW! Healthy Quinoa Salad
- READER FAVORITE: Greek Quinoa Bowls
- Quinoa Taco Bowls via Lemon Tree Dwelling
- 11 Easy Quinoa Recipes
If you get a chance to try this tasty chicken quinoa fried rice, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
This was such a hit! Thank you for loving all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this!
I’m always looking for ways to use quinoa! This recipe was delicious and does not disappoint!