Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

Home Chicken Side Dishes Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Becky Hardin

4.66 from 81 votes

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Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice is a healthy version of the take-out favorite and an easy one pan dish that’s perfect for those busy weeknights. It’s chocked full of veggies and chicken, making it a wholesome, filling meal the whole family will love!

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (1)

Why we love this Quinoa and Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Do you ever want to eat chicken fried rice, but also want to keep things healthy? This quinoa version checks all the right boxes:

  • Healthy: To make this dish extra wholesome, we’re using the nutrient-packed grain, quinoa, instead of rice. It’s also loaded with plenty of hearty and colorful veggies. With just a bit of sesame oil for sautéing, this recipe is a healthier alternative to traditional fried rice.
  • Quick: This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes! It’s a super quick and easy recipe that’s wonderful for crazy weeknights.
  • Satisfying: While it may be on the healthier side, have no fear. We never sacrifice flavor for health! Soy sauce, sesame oil and more lend plenty of flavor to this filling chicken dinner.

What kind of chicken is best for fried rice (or quinoa)?

For the chicken, I started with uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts and chopped them into tiny pieces. From there, I seasoned with salt and pepper and sautéed them in sesame oil. To save the step of cooking the chicken, you can always use leftover cooked chicken or even store-bought rotisserie chicken.

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How to Store and Reheat

You can store any leftover quinoa fried rice you may have in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir every time it stops until heated all the way through.

How to Freeze

Let the meal fully cool to room temperature prior to storing in a freezer safe container. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! Also, I recommend letting it slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken fried quinoa is a meal all by itself! It’s well rounded with carbs, protein and veggies. If you’d like to compliment it with a Chinese take-out inspired side, some of my favorites include egg rolls and crab rangoon.

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (4)

More Healthy Chicken Recipes We Love

  • Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
  • Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
  • Chicken Caesar Salad
  • Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
  • Asparagus Stuffed Chicken
  • Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Top Reader Review

“This was a delicious recipe! I would have never thought to use quinoa in this way. I love Asian food so this was a nice, healthier twist. Thanks for the recipe!” – Debbie

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (5)

4.66 from 81 votes

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice is a healthy version of the take-out favorite, and it's an easy one pan dish that’s perfect for those busy weeknights. This fried quinoa is stuffed full of veggies and chicken, making it a wholesome, filling meal the whole family will love!

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (6)

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Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil divided
  • 1 pound uncooked chicken breasts chopped into small pieces
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 1 cup peas
  • 1/2 bell pepper chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • green onion chopped, optional
  • Sriracha optional

Instructions

  • Cook the chicken: Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken for 7-8 minutes, or until the pieces are cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

    2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 pound uncooked chicken breasts, salt and pepper

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (7)

  • Cook the veggies: Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent. Add in the garlic, carrots, peas, and bell pepper. Season well with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and chicken.

    2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 medium carrots, 1 cup peas, 1/2 bell pepper, salt and pepper, 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (8)

  • Scramble the eggs: Make a large well in the middle of the skillet. Add a bit of oil or cooking spray to the exposed portion of the pan. Crack the eggs in the well, and scramble the eggs. It’s okay if the eggs mix into the quinoa and veggies when scrambling.

    3 eggs

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (9)

  • Add the finishing touches: Pour in the soy sauce. Stir everything until combined. Season with salt and pepper or add more soy sauce to taste. Top with chopped green onion and a drizzle of sriracha

    1/4 cup soy sauce, green onion, Sriracha

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (10)

Notes

Storage: Store quinoa chicken fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 383Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 163mg54%

Sodium 927mg40%

Potassium 615mg18%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 6095IU122%

Vitamin C 37.6mg46%

Calcium 72mg7%

Iron 3.8mg21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Side Dish

Cuisine:Chinese

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at@easychickenrecipesfor a chance to be featured.

How to make Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Step by Step

Cook the chicken:Add 1 tsp sesame oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add 1bl chopped chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Set the cooked chicken aside on a plate.

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (11)

Cook the veggies: Add 1 tsp sesame oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Sauté 1/2 chopped onion until softened. Then, add in 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 medium chopped carrots, 1 cup peas and 1/2 chopped bell pepper.

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (12)

Scramble the eggs: Create a large well in the middle of the skillet. Add 3 eggs to the middle and scramble them.

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (13)

Finish it off: Pour in 1/4 cup soy sauce. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with green onions if desired!

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (14)
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Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (22)Debbie says

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (23)
    This was a delicious recipe! I would have never thought to use quinoa in this way. I love Asian food so this was a nice, healthier twist. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (24)Becky Hardin says

      Thanks for sharing, Debbie!

      Reply

  2. Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (25)Emma says

    Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (26)
    This recipe turned out great! My family loved it even the small one who isn’t a big fan of the quinoa. Thanks a lot

    Reply

Older Comments

Quinoa Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you use quinoa instead of rice? ›

Rice Substitute. Even though they may differ in texture and flavor, quinoa can be used as an alternative to rice. Whenever you are looking to surprise your family with something different, try using these seeds in any classic rice recipe like paella or risotto.

Can you deep fry quinoa? ›

Fried quinoa makes a tasty snack and easy to to at home.

Can you eat toasted quinoa? ›

Can you eat quinoa toasted? Quinoa is delicious toasted. Toasted quinoa can be eaten without boiling it as a crunchy topping to yogurt, oatmeal, salads, or to replace breadcrumbs as a topping on something like mac and cheese. You can also grind it into toasted quinoa flour.

Can you cook quinoa with a rice cooker? ›

Simply rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, drain it, and add it to the rice cooker with the water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, close the lid, then turn it on — it will cook the quinoa automatically and turn off when it's done (this takes between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on your rice cooker).

Is 1 cup of quinoa too much? ›

You can eat one-two cups of cooked quinoa in a day. You should avoid eating it if you experience stomachache, itchiness or vomiting after consuming it. A study by Harvard Public School of Health has reported that eating a bowl of quinoa daily is healthy and without any side effects.

Is one cup of quinoa the same as one cup of rice? ›

One cup of white rice has 111 calories, brown rice has 218 calories while quinoa has around 222 calories. But these calorie in quinoa are worth the nutrition it provides. Quinoa has more potassium, which makes it better for people with kidney stones, hypertension and weak bones.

Why should you soak quinoa before cooking? ›

*Soaking grains helps to remove some of the naturally occurring phytic acid in the grain, which helps improve digestibility and speed cook time. To soak: Rinse quinoa thoroughly then add to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover with twice the amount of lukewarm water (2 cups water, 1 cup quinoa).

How not to cook quinoa? ›

Add too little water and your grains may burn on the bottom of the pot before they cook through. Add too much water and you'll end up with soggy, overcooked, and mushy grains.

What happens if you overcook quinoa? ›

If overcooked, quinoa can become mushy and unappealing, especially in salads where you want it to have some texture and nuttiness. The tips below will assist you in creating fluffy quinoa with a bit of chewiness, perfect for salads.

Should you rinse quinoa before cooking it? ›

Some people are particularly sensitive to saponins, which is why unrinsed cooked quinoa has a reputation for tasting bitter. However, most quinoa that is sold in packages has been "pre-rinsed," which means the saponins have been removed and rinsing isn't necessary.

Can I eat raw quinoa? ›

Quinoa can be eaten raw or cooked, but it is most often eaten cooked. Quinoa is frequently used as a substitution for rice because it also takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with. Salads, tacos, and skillet dishes often incorporate quinoa.

How much does 1 cup of quinoa make? ›

Now that your quinoa is rinsed or toasted, it's time to cook it. For 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, you'll want to use 2 cups of water—this will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa.

Is quinoa good for diabetics? ›

Quinoa has a glycemic index of around 53, so it won't cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar. It also has a high fiber content which can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes.

What to eat with quinoa? ›

Quinoa's got the carbs covered, so you'll likely want to add some additional protein (eggs, lentils, beans, tofu, chicken), a fat (olive oil, nuts, butter, cheese), and, ideally, some kind of fruit or vegetable (broccoli, berries, squash, spinach).

Is cooking quinoa the same as cooking rice? ›

When I cook rice, I add oil and salt to the pot, but cooking quinoa is even simpler. All you need is quinoa and water! If you look at different methods for how to cook quinoa, you'll find a range of water ratios. Some recipes call for as high as a 2:1 water to grain ratio, while others go as low as 1 1/2:1.

Does quinoa expand like rice? ›

How much does 1/4 cup dry quinoa make? Similar to rice, quinoa expands while it cooks. 1/4 cup of dry quinoa yields about 3/4 cup.

How does quinoa compare to white rice? ›

Quinoa vs. rice nutrition
QuinoaWhite rice, medium-grain
Carbs39.4 g53.2 g
Fat3.55 g0.391 g
Fiber5.18 g0.558 g
Calcium31.4 milligrams (mg)5.58 mg
7 more rows
May 23, 2022

Is quinoa high in carbs? ›

It's not a low-carb food. A cup of cooked quinoa has more than 39 grams of carbohydrates. That's 50% more than in the same amount of brown rice and almost as many carbs as in white rice. If you have type 2 diabetes or other conditions, you may be watching how many carbs you eat.

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