rewrite this title Chicken Fried Rice ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

Published: by Brigette on October 23, 2025  |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Craving takeout but want something healthier and more budget-friendly? This easy homemade chicken fried rice recipe brings all the flavor of your favorite restaurant dish straight to your kitchen and is ready in under 30 minutes!

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she will be sharing easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

If you’re looking for an easy, cheap way to use up leftover chicken or rice, this is the perfect meal idea. Making fried rice is so fast — if your chicken and rice are already cooked, this entire meal can be on the table in less than 15 minutes! And, if you love Chinese food but are trying to save money on takeout, this one is for you!

This is also a great recipe to throw in extra veggies for some bonus nutrition and added volume. Cabbage, zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, and mushrooms would all work well with these flavors.

Chicken Fried Rice Dinner Menu:

Chicken Fried Rice

Pineapple

Ingredients for Chicken Fried Rice:

5 cups cooked rice (Aldi – $1.99 for 7 1/2 cups uncooked) — $0.40 (refrigerated, leftover rice works best for this!)

2-3 cups cooked, diced chicken (Aldi – $2.49/lb) — $2.49

1 onion (Aldi – $2.86 for 4 lbs) — $0.30

4 green onions (Aldi – $0.95 per bag) — $0.20

3 cloves garlic (Aldi – $1.75 for 3-ct pkg) — $0.20

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (Aldi – $2.09 for a large bag of ginger root) — $0.20

3 Tablespoons canola oil (Aldi – $2.89 for 96 Tablespoons) — $0.09

1 teaspoon salt

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (Aldi) — $0.95

5 Tablespoons soy sauce (Walmart – $1.58 for 30 Tablespoons) — $0.25

1 Tablespoon sesame oil (Aldi – $7.49 for 33 Tablespoons) — $0.23

4 eggs (Walmart – $2.34 for 12) — $0.78

Salt and pepper to taste

Pineapple (Aldi) — $2.15

Grand Total for Dinner: $8.24 (Serves 6)

How to Make Chicken Fried Rice:

1. Finely dice the onion, ginger, garlic and green onions, setting the green onions’ dark green tops aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.

3. Heat 3 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok or frying pan.

4. Sauté the finely diced onions, green onions, ginger and garlic until tender.

5. Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt, and fry until heated through.

6. Add the cooked rice, chicken, soy sauce and sesame oil, and continue to fry until well-combined and the rice is starting to caramelize.

7. Make a well in the center of the pan by pushing the rice and veggies up the edges. Pour the beaten eggs into the center. Cook the eggs gently until they start to set, and then stir them until they scramble. Mix them into the rice.

8. Chop the remaining tops of the green onions and sprinkle them onto the fried rice.

9. Serve with fresh pineapple.

Recipe

Chicken Fried Rice

Author Brigette

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

If you’re looking for an easy, cheap way to use up leftover chicken or rice, this is the perfect meal idea. Making fried rice is so fast — if your chicken and rice are already cooked, this entire meal can be on the table in less than 15 minutes!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients  

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5 cups cooked rice Aldi – $1.99 for 7 1/2 cups uncooked — $0.40 (refrigerated, leftover rice works best for this!)2-3 cups cooked diced chicken (Aldi – $2.49/lb) — $2.491 onion Aldi – $2.86 for 4 lbs — $0.304 green onions Aldi – $0.95 per bag — $0.203 cloves garlic Aldi – $1.75 for 3-ct pkg — $0.201 Tablespoon fresh ginger Aldi – $2.09 for a large bag of ginger root — $0.203 Tablespoons canola oil Aldi – $2.89 for 96 Tablespoons — $0.091 teaspoon salt1 bag frozen mixed vegetables Aldi — $0.955 Tablespoons soy sauce Walmart – $1.58 for 30 Tablespoons — $0.251 Tablespoon sesame oil Aldi – $7.49 for 33 Tablespoons — $0.234 eggs Walmart – $2.34 for 12 — $0.78Salt and pepper to taste1 Pineapple Aldi — $2.15

Instructions

Finely dice the onion, ginger, garlic and green onions, setting the green onions’ dark green tops aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok or frying pan.

Sauté the finely diced onions, green onions, ginger and garlic until tender.

Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt, and fry until heated through.

Add the cooked rice, chicken, soy sauce and sesame oil, and continue to fry until well-combined and the rice is starting to caramelize.

Make a well in the center of the pan by pushing the rice and veggies up the edges. Pour the beaten eggs into the center. Cook the eggs gently until they start to set, and then stir them until they scramble. Mix them into the rice.

Chop the remaining tops of the green onions and sprinkle them onto the fried rice.

Serve with fresh pineapple.

Notes

This is a great recipe to throw in extra veggies for some bonus nutrition and added volume. Cabbage, zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, and mushrooms would all work well with these flavors.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 1329mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2731IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg

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More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:

And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!

Do you have a favorite family dinner for under $10 or a suggestion for what I should make next? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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