Turmeric chicken fried rice with veggies makes for a flavorful, colorful side dish (or dinner!). Make it in bulk to meal prep for the week or to serve alongside your favorite entrée.
Fried rice is a major staple in my life. I love to make it every which way! Lately, I’ve been changing up the add-ins and flavors to keep it vibrant and interesting.
I’ve been in the habit of making al sorts of recipes with turmeric lately, so I had the bright idea to create a fried rice recipe with it!
For this edition of turmeric fried rice, we have all the usual fried rice suspects – carrot, peas, bell pepper, green onion and scrambled egg – but with ground turmeric and chicken thighs all nestled in for a nutrient infusion.
Is it dinner? For me, it is! Can you use it as a vibrant side dish to any main dish? Yes, absolutely!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for my turmeric chicken fried rice recipe.
Turmeric Fried Rice Ingredients:
White Rice: For the best results, use 4 cups of leftover white rice. If you don’t have leftover rice, no sweat – I have included instructions in the recipe for cooking your own.
Chicken: This recipe calls for cooked chicken, which can be sourced in numerous ways. I use my Instant Pot Whole Chicken, but you can also use any type of leftover chicken, store-bought chicken, or simply sauté up a chicken breast or chicken thighs.
Ground Turmeric: Responsible for the vibrant yellow color, in addition to a whole host of health benefits. Ground turmeric is touted as an anti-inflammatory food, helping the body rid itself of free radicals. I only use a little in this recipe, but you can increase the amount to your personal taste.
Carrots, Peas, Bell Pepper, Green Onion: The fresh vegetables that add refreshing flavor and color to this delicious chicken fried rice recipe!
Avocado Oil: For sautéing the vegetables and to add richness to the rice.
Eggs: For scrambling! Traditional egg fried rice contains scrambled eggs, and I love adding them to this easy recipe too.
Looking for ways you can customize this turmeric chicken fried rice recipe? Here are some options!
Recipe Adaptations:
- Add 1 cup chopped yellow onion and 3 cloves garlic if you don’t follow a Low-FODMAP diet.
- Toss in additional vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, etc for more vegetation.
- Make it a tri-protein situation by adding shrimp.
- Toss in raisins, dried cranberries, pine nuts, and/or cashews for more flavor and texture.
For me, one of the appeals of this recipe is it is a marvelous utilization for leftover chicken and leftover rice. Don’t let a gem like cooked chicken go to waste when you can re-purpose it in a delicious fried rice dish!
Let’s whip it out!
How to Make Turmeric Chicken Fried Rice:
Soak the white rice 15 minutes. Drain. Add 2 3/4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of oil, ¼ tsp sea salt, and ground turmeric.
Bring to a full boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes according to package instructions.
While the rice is cooking, sauté the vegetables.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrot, bell pepper, and green onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the green beans and cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Similarly, stir in the cooked rice as well.
Scramble the eggs in a separate skillet and stir into the fried rice. Serve alongside your favorite entrée.
Entrée Suggestions:
Need ideas for a main event? The following main dishes go great with this turmeric chicken fried rice!
- Paleo Orange Chicken
- Orange Butter Lemon Salmon
- Pressure Cooker Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Red Curry Meatballs
- Thai Paleo Panang Curry
If you’re on the prowl for more recipes with turmeric, try these out!
Recipes With Turmeric:
- Baked Turmeric Salmon
- Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Turmeric Ginger Ground Turkey Bowls
- Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup
- Turmeric Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
What are your favorite fried rice add-ins?
Turmeric Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white rice soaked*
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil divided
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 bunch green onion
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped
- 3 large eggs scrambled
Instructions
- Soak the white rice 15 minutes. Drain. Add 2 3/4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of oil, ¼ tsp sea salt, and ground turmeric. Cover, bring to a full boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes according to package instructions. If you're using leftover cooked rice, skip this step and add the turmeric in step 3.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chopped carrot, bell pepper, and green onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the green beans and cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Add the cooked rice and stir well.
- Scramble the eggs in a separate skillet and stir into the fried rice. Serve alongside your favorite entrée.
Great recipe. Thank you for posting.
I noticed the recipe instructions include the addition of green beans yet no green beans appear in the list of ingredients. Are the green beans already cooked since they are added later?
How much water should I put in with the rice when I’m cooking it?
Hi Cecelia, I use 3 cups of water for 1 1/2 cups of white rice. If the package instructions indicate a different amount of water, use the amount specified on the package 🙂 Hope you enjoy!! xo
I have curry powder in my pantry, but no plain turmeric. Could it be a decent substitute?
Absolutely! You can definitely use curry powder instead of the turmeric. It will be delicious! xoxox
@Julia, trying this for dinner tomorrow! Thanks for your help! <3
The recipe you shared is full of vegetables and healthy. Can’t wait to try it out. Hope it turns well. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! So happy you like it, Vania!
I roasted a chicken this weekend spicing it up with turmeric. This recipe could very well be a main dish! We will try it out tonight! (I will send photos if they are presentable!)..