Butter Chicken Fried Rice (Printable)

Creamy butter chicken meets fragrant fried rice in this quick 30-minute fusion dish using leftovers.

# What You Need:

→ Leftovers

01 - 2 cups leftover butter chicken with sauce, boneless pieces preferred

→ Rice

02 - 3 cups cooked rice, preferably day-old and cold

→ Vegetables

03 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
04 - 1/2 cup diced carrots
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 green onions, sliced, plus extra for garnish

→ Sauces & Seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
09 - 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Oils & Fats

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Eggs

13 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

# Steps:

01 - Prepare all ingredients and have them ready, as the cooking process moves quickly.
02 - In a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
03 - Add the onion and carrots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
04 - If using eggs, push the vegetables to the side, pour in the beaten eggs, and scramble until just set. Mix with the vegetables.
05 - Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
06 - Stir in the leftover butter chicken with sauce. Add peas, green onions, and tomato paste.
07 - Season with soy sauce, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated and heated through, about 3-4 minutes.
08 - Add the remaining tablespoon of butter for richness. Toss to combine.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with extra green onions. Serve hot as a main dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its practically two comfort foods having a delicious love affair on your plate, with all that creamy butter chicken sauce hugging each grain of rice.
  • When youre feeling uninspired but still want something that feels like a proper meal, this comes together in minutes but tastes like you planned it all along.
02 -
  • Never use freshly cooked rice unless you want a sticky, gummy mess cold rice from the fridge is absolutely essential for that perfect separate-grain texture.
  • Adding too much sauce from your butter chicken can make the dish soggy, so if your leftovers are particularly saucy, use a slotted spoon to control the amount.
03 -
  • For an extra dimension of flavor, bloom a pinch of cumin seeds in the hot oil before adding vegetables this creates an aromatic foundation that enhances everything.
  • If youre making butter chicken specifically to use in this recipe later, cut the chicken into smaller pieces than usual so they distribute more evenly through the finished fried rice.
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