“Marry Me” Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Check out my new dinner recipe that combines two favorite dishes: fried rice and “marry me” chicken.

Given our audience’s obvious love for a quick fried rice dinner, as you can clearly see by the nearly 13,000 saves of our Easy Fried Rice recipe, we’ve created a new mash-up.

Although this recipe deviates from the authentic flavors of Chinese fried rice, we take the quick fried rice technique with a modern and trendy twist and mix it with the flavors of the popular ‘marry me, chicken orient yourself.

How I Created My “Marry Me” Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

My initial approach focused on the ubiquitous fried rice sauce base. Sun-dried tomato pesto and chicken broth immediately stood out as a quick and effective way to get that great, savory flavor.

To honor classic fried rice, I incorporated broccolini as a stir-fried vegetable. Although broccolini is not traditional, its texture offers a sought-after vegetable crunch. It also cooks quickly and can be sautéed with garlic, preventing the garlic from burning too quickly. Chicken adds extra protein, making it a more substantial and filling dinner.

What’s in my “marry me” chicken fried rice recipe? Key Ingredients

• Long grain rice for microwave: For a quick and easy dish, this recipe uses microwave rice. It’s the perfect choice because it retains its texture and doesn’t get gooey while stir-frying. Leftover boiled rice from the day before can be used as a substitute.
• Dried tomatoes in oil: For this stir-fry, dried tomatoes preserved in oil are the ideal choice. The oil, infused with herbs and spices, provides additional flavor and the tomatoes themselves have a soft texture.
• Broccolini: this addition brings more vegetables and crunch to the dish, evoking a nostalgic feeling of the classic textures and flavors of stir-fries.
• Garlic: It’s an essential ingredient in “marry me” chicken and fried rice, adding lots of umami flavor.
• Tomato pesto: The smooth, creamy consistency of Sacla Tomato Pesto is ideal for an instant flavor boost. You can use other brands, but note that some may have an oilier finish.
• Chicken broth: adding chicken broth is essential. It thins the sun-dried tomato paste, allowing it to spread and evenly coat every grain of the fried rice. This makes it easier to absorb flavors and helps keep the rice tender during the stir-fry process, while also providing additional flavor.
• Barbecue chicken: Using pre-cooked grilled chicken to turn this fried rice into a quick, all-in-one, satisfying meal saves you time.
• Green shallots: these add an extra layer of sweet onion bite, flavor and freshness when added at the end of the dish.
• Baby spinach: This ingredient is essential in “marry me” chicken, as it brings freshness and extra vegetables to the dish.
• Sea salt flakes: an extra touch of salt when serving brings all the flavors together.

Next: try our slow cooker “marry me” chicken recipe for a set-it-and-forget-it dinner that you’ll look forward to all day.

Recipe and notes from Food Director Michelle Southan, photography by Nigel Lough, styling by Lucy Busuttil and food preparation by Lara Reynolds.