This chicken kimchi fried rice is a little bit of everything delicious. It’s got spice and sweet, crunch and juicy, and the perfect amount of burnt caramelization.
The best part is that it takes less than 15 minutes to make. It’s a quick and easy recipe for when you want a little hit of Korean food without making an outsize effort.
Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice Ingredients
This is for a single (generously-sized) serving of chicken kimchi fried rice. If you’re cooking for more people, feel free to double, triple, quadruple the recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1.5 cups cooked rice
- 1/3 cup onions
- 1/2 cup chicken breast or thigh, diced
- 1/3 cup kimchi, diced into small pieces
And for the sauce:
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or salt
And options for garnish:
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (drizzled in at the end)
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 fried egg
- Green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Toasted seaweed
- Cheese
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredients list – it looks longer than it actually is. Chicken kimchi fried rice is essentially rice with chicken and kimchi. The sauce takes a minute to make.
And all of the garnish is completely optional but I do insist on the egg. Kimchi fried rice just isn’t the same without it.
Quick Tips
Here’s a couple things to help you make the perfect bowl(s) of kimchi chicken fried rice.
Prep ahead
The most important thing when making kimchi chicken fried rice – or any kind of fried rice, really – is to have everything ready to go. Because once that wok is heated, it goes fast. So chop the chicken and onions, make the sauce, and have the garnish you’ll be using on hand. The entire cooking time is barely 10 minutes so you’ll want everything gather nearby.
What rice to use?
Short grain or medium rice is the way to go for Korean style fried rice. But apart from that, it doesn’t matter too much whether it’s freshly made or leftover rice that’s been in the fridge for a day or two. Everyone recommends the latter but I’ve never noticed much difference – as long as you cool down the freshly made rice before tossing it into the wok.
What kimchi to use?
Older, more mature, slightly sour kimchi is ideal for any kimchi fried rice. Not to sound too ageist, but you don’t want that very crispy, seasoning-barely-soaked-in young kimchi. Save that to use as a side dish for ramyun and such. Use the old kimchi that’s been hanging around in your fridge just a little too long.
How do I make it more…?
The sauce listed here has it all – spicy, umami, sweet, and so on. I think it’s perfect. But everyone’s tastebuds are different. So if you need a little extra something, here’s what to do:
- More spice: To up the spice factor without affecting anything else, your best bet is gochugaru, dried chili pepper powder. Add in increments – 1/4 tsp at a time. It can get super spicy fast.
- More umami: The best thing to add for more umami is a dash of fish sauce. Even a quarter of a teaspoon can make a different. Just keep in mind that you want to start small as this stuff is strong. You can always add more but you can’t take it back out.
- More sweet: If you like your flavors more on the sweet side, a little bit of mirin or mirim will do you. It’s not typically added to kimchi fried rice but the few times I have added it, it’s been delicious.
How to Make Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice
This recipe comes together remarkably quickly. Here’s how to make it.
Egg First
If you’re using an egg, fry it first. I use the same wok I’ll be using to make the kimchi fried rice, heated at medium heat. Fry the egg and set aside.
Don’t turn the heat off – use a paper towel to wipe off any remnants of cooked egg, if you need to. Keep the wok heating while you make the sauce, which will only take a minute or two.
Make the Sauce
Pre-mix the sauce for easy cooking by blending kimchi juice, gochujang, sugar, and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Fried Rice Time
Turn the heat up to medium-high and drizzle in about a teaspoon of oil. Add the onions and stir fry for a few seconds.
Next, add the chicken and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s mostly cooked. The chicken pieces are small so they should cook fairly quickly.
Add the kimchi and stir to mix for about a minute so the chicken pieces are coated in kimchi spice.
Add the rice and the sauce immediately. Mix everything together and cook for another minute.
At this point, your chicken kimchi fried rice is good to go. Or you can take an extra step and get some of that delicious burnt caramelization…
Caramelize It
Want a yummy bit of Maillard browning that leads to perfectly burnt and toasty rice? Spread the chicken kimchi fried rice out in a layer on your wok and gently press down so the rice flattens. Let it just sit like that for another 2 to 5 minutes.
How long it takes depends on your wok and heat how long it takes. Check the bottoms by scooping it up after about 2 minutes and leave longer if necessary.
Add the Garnish
Turn the heat off and drizzle in the sesame oil. Add the butter too and mix through. If you’re adding cheese, you can do it now as well.
Place the fried egg you cooked earlier on top – bonus points if the yolk is runny. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and/or seaweed strips. Serve immediately.
What to Do with Leftovers?
Kimchi chicken fried rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. The chicken, even though it’s cooked, won’t be good for much longer than that so consume it as soon as you can.
How Do I Reheat It?
You can reheat it on a skillet or wok for a little additional caramelization. Or you can just heat it in the microwave. The microwave will dry it out a bit so add a little drizzle of sesame oil when you’re done microwaving.
Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice
- 1.5 cups cooked rice short or medium grain
- ⅓ cup onions
- ½ cup chicken breast or thigh about 1 chicken breast, diced
- ⅓ cup kimchi cut into small pieces
Sauce
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice
- 1 tbsp gochujang1
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic
- ½ tbsp soy sauce or salt
Garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp butter optional
- 1 fried egg
- 1 green onion sliced thinly
- ¼ tsp sesame seeds
- ⅛ cup cheese
- toasted seaweed strips
Instructions
- Heat the wok, add a little bit of oil and fry the egg first over medium heat. Set aside.*Don't turn the heat off. Use a paper towel to wipe off any remnants cooked egg, if you need to. Keep the wok heating while you make the sauce, which will only take a minute or two.
- Make the sauce by blending kimchi juice, gochujang, sugar, and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and drizzle in a teaspoon of oil into the wok. Add the onions and stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add the chicken and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s mostly cooked through.
- Add the kimchi and stir to mix for about a minute so the chicken pieces are coated in kimchi spice.
- Add the rice and the sauce immediately. Mix everything together and cook for another minute. You can stop here and add the garnish OR you can add some caramelization by doing the next step…
- Spread the chicken kimchi fried rice out in a layer on your wok and gently press down so the rice flattens. Let it just sit like that for another 2 to 5 minutes.Check the bottoms by scooping it up after about 2 minutes and leave longer if necessary.
- Turn the heat off and drizzle in the sesame oil. Add the butter too and mix through. If you’re adding cheese, you can do it now as well.Place the fried egg you cooked earlier on top. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and/or seaweed strips.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- More spice: To up the spice factor without affecting anything else, your best bet is gochugaru, dried chili pepper powder. Add in increments – 1/4 tsp at a time. It can get super spicy fast.
- More umami: The best thing to add for more umami is a dash of fish sauce. Even a quarter of a teaspoon can make a different. Just keep in mind that you want to start small as this stuff is strong. You can always add more but you can’t take it back out.
- More sweet: If you like your flavors more on the sweet side, a little bit of mirin or mirim will do you. It’s not typically added to kimchi fried rice but the few times I have added it, it’s been delicious.