Oh. Wow. This chicken and bacon fried rice has firmly established itself in our house as the best “unplanned and incredibly delicious” meal ever.

I originally made this Bacon Chicken Fried Rice on a whim one night while I had leftover rice in the fridge, and I’ve been making it for years now and was finally able to get some updated photos to share with you can.
The whole family loves to give this dinner two thumbs up every time I make it.
Fried rice with chicken and bacon
There really aren’t many dishes that beat the convenience of combining leftover rice with some bacon and some leftover chicken in such a delicious way.
Chicken fried rice and fried bacon circles have become staples in our weeknight dinner plans. I regularly double or triple the amount of rice I use for one meal just to make sure there’s enough left over for a fried rice dinner, too.
And for the easiest “leftover” chicken ever, I often grab a roast chicken from the store. Full Disclosure: With two teenage boys and a very rapidly growing 10 (almost 11) year old in the house, there’s very little really left after most meals.
And if yes? You might find it in my fridge with a giant note on the container that says “DO NOT EAT THIS” when I actually want it there for a recipe the next day. Anyone else have anything to do with this?
Fried rice with bacon
Can you go wrong when adding bacon to fried rice? I say it’s impossible. As evidenced by this delicious Chicken and Bacon Skillet we’ve been making for almost a decade, the combination of chicken + bacon + Asian flavors is absolutely amazing.
Tender chicken, salty bacon, along with egg, onion and pea bites in a very flavorful stir-fry? Oh yes, you have to do that.

Fried rice is perfect every time
If you’ve made the “Better Than Takeout Fried Rice” I featured a few years ago, you may recall that our method is a little different than others.
Two things that make this fried rice stand out are the extra minutes that it’s just the rice and sauce in the pan. It really makes a difference. This allows the flavor to permeate each grain of rice and also makes it a little crunchier.
Side note: The rice for this recipe is a must complete chilled so it can be easily broken up into individual grains without clumping or sticking.
I recommend preparing the rice a day or two (even four to five days) before using it. The key to great fried rice is to use rice that is as cold and dry as possible so your fried rice doesn’t get soggy or soft.

The second difference from other fried rice recipes is the method of cooking the eggs. First, boil the eggs in a flat pancake, and then cut the pancake into cubes.
When I first tried it, it was a real game changer for fried rice, and I will never stir-fry scrambled eggs with rice again.
The entire recipe is ready to eat in just 15 to 20 minutes. Now just promise me you won’t skip the extra 5 minutes with the rice in the pan. It’s worth it, I promise!

Fried rice with bacon
You have several options for the bacon in this recipe. You can prepare the bacon in the oven either when you are ready to make the recipe or a day or two in advance.
You can shred the bacon and cook it in the pan before starting the recipe here.
Or for the easiest twist ever, you can use real bacon crumbles like this one. (Please note these are not the crispy dried bacon bits you find in a jar.) We use these crumbles in our omelettes and on salads. They even get crispy when heated in a pan. They are basically magical.
I use bacon fat in this recipe (and I always keep a jar in the fridge), but refined coconut oil or lightly flavored olive oil also work well.
Because I use bacon fat, I can also make this recipe in a non-stick pan (photo above) and it works perfectly without the risk of burning anything.
If you’re using a higher heating point oil, you should be fine using a stainless pan (photo below).

Recipe for fried rice with bacon
- Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil to cover the surface of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan, tilting as needed to distribute them throughout the pan.
- Let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn them over. Cook for another minute. Slide the egg out of the pan onto a cutting board and let cool. Cut into strips 1/2 inch wide, then chop into small pieces.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of fat or oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the rice and stir. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir well to distribute the sauce throughout the rice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is warmed through.
- Add chicken, bacon and peas. Stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes until hot. Add the eggs and spring onions to the pan. Sprinkle with pepper. Stir gently to mix. Taste the rice and add salt only if necessary. Serve with soy sauce as a side dish.

Fried rice recipes
Kielbasa and Shrimp Fried Rice is another fried rice dish that we can’t get enough of. For a new twist on traditional Asian flavors, Mexican fried rice is stuffed with ground beef, bell peppers, black beans, corn and green chili.
And just in case you want something a little different, Cauliflower Fried Rice features fresh, cold cauliflower rice and deep fried with veggies, Mexican spices, boiled chicken and a generous helping of shredded cheese.
For the crazy heat lovers in my family, I added this Nasi Goreng Gila (aka Crazy Spicy Fried Rice) to my list to try. I’ll steer clear of the Trinidad Scorpion and Scotch Bonnet peppers in the recipe, but my oldest son will probably love it.
If you’re looking for another lightning-fast dinner option with tons of flavor, this Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl is a big favorite as well!
Servings: 6 portions
Prevent your screen from going dark
To boil the eggs
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Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil to cover the surface of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan, tilting as needed to distribute them throughout the pan.
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Let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn them over. Cook for another minute. Slide the egg out of the pan onto a cutting board and let cool. Cut into strips 1/2 inch wide, then chop into small pieces.
Cook the rice
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Add the remaining tablespoon of fat or oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the rice and stir. Continue stirring and cook for about 2 minutes.
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Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir well to distribute the sauce throughout the rice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice is warmed through.
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Add chicken, bacon and peas. Stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes until hot. Add the eggs and spring onions to the pan. Sprinkle with pepper. Stir gently to mix. Taste the rice and add salt only if necessary.
* I use 100% jasmine rice in cooking. However, any long grain rice will do for this recipe.
Calories: 512kcal · Carbohydrates: 34G · Protein: 24G · Fat: 31G · Saturated Fatty Acids: 10G · Cholesterol: 150mg · Sodium: 695mg · Potassium: 317mg · Fiber: 1G · Sugar: 1G · Vitamin A: 305IU · Vitamin C: 6mg · Calcium: 40mg · Iron: 2mg
{originally posted 13/01/21 – recipe notes and photos updated 05/06/23}

