This authentic Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice recipe features plump shrimp stir-fried with rice, vegetables, and Chinese seasonings. It's among the most popular fried rice dishes in Chinese takeout restaurants. It's super easy to make, requires just a single pan, and is ready in under 15 minutes.
Can't get enough of fried rice dishes? Try my Pork Fried Rice and Hawaiian Spam Fried Rice next!
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🥄 What is it?
Shrimp fried rice, or Seafood fried rice, is one of the most popular fried rice dishes at Chinese takeout restaurants. It's typically made with rice, shrimp, and only a couple of Chinese seasonings to enhance the flavor of the shrimp. Unlike most fried rice recipes, shrimp fried rice doesn't use soy sauce or oyster sauce. It's primarily seasoned with chicken powder and white pepper to give it a lighter color.
Some Hong Kong chefs add XO sauce, a condiment made from dried scallops, shrimp roe, chili peppers, garlic, and aromatic spices. It enhances the flavor of the fried rice and adds a deeply complex seafood flavor. XO sauce can be rather expensive, so Shacha sauce or Bullhead BBQ sauce is a good substitute.
🥢 Secrets to authentic fried rice
- Use Totole granulated chicken flavor soup base mix. This is a closely guarded secret among Chinese chefs. It's basically chicken seasoning with a not-so-healthy amount of MSG added.
- Use high heat and stir fry fast. We want the oil hot enough to start smoking and impart a smoky flavor to the fried rice. Stir fry fast to allow steam to escape quickly from the food.
- Use XO sauce or Shacha sauce to add complexity and umami.
🧂 Ingredients
- Frozen uncooked shrimp - Use any size of shrimp for this recipe. Prawns will also work. Frozen cooked shrimp can be used as well, but ensure they're fully defrosted.
- Eggs - No fried rice is complete without fluffy morsels of fried egg.
- Oil - A generous amount is needed so that the ingredients sizzle in the pan.
- Frozen peas - Or any other frozen vegetable or frozen vegetable mix.
- Cooked rice - Jasmine rice is the best rice for fried rice. I prefer freshly made rice for shrimp fried rice.
- Garlic - For that garlicky flavor. Just enough to provide depth but not overpower the shrimp.
- Totole chicken seasoning - This is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice.
- XO sauce (or Shacha sauce) - Adds a deeply complex flavor to the fried rice. It's usually the missing ingredient when home cooks try to make seafood fried rice.
- Green onions - Provide freshness and color.
- White pepper - Adds an earthy, slightly funky flavor.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Cook shrimp
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes until cooked through. Remove to a bowl.
Step 2. Cook eggs
Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the same wok and swirl it around. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them with chopsticks or a spatula. They should not be runny. Remove to a bowl.
Step 3. Cook garlic and peas
Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 5-10 seconds, then immediately add the frozen peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the peas are hot.
Step 3. Add rice & seasonings
Add the rice, XO sauce, and Totole chicken powder and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the rice to separate the grains, until the rice is hot.
Step 5. Finish
Finally, add the white pepper, eggs, shrimp, and green onions and stir to mix.
💭 Top Tips
- Prepare and chop all of your ingredients before you begin cooking. Once the stove is turned on, making rice is quick. Ideally, each ingredient should be prepared in a different bowl and placed within easy reach of the wok.
- Follow the instructions as they're laid out. Add the ingredients to the pan separately and in the order listed. When you add everything at once, the pan will cool too quickly, and your fried rice will fail.
- Use Totole chicken seasoning mix. It's seriously a game-changer.
- Consider using day-old or leftover rice when making fried rice. Many chefs believe it has a better, chewier texture. But freshly cooked rice works fine if you don't have old rice.
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions & Variations
- Brown rice - You can substitute with equal parts brown rice for a more nutritious option. Some people actually prefer the texture of brown rice over white rice.
- Coconut Aminos - You can substitute soy sauce with Coconut Aminos if you want a soy-free option. Remember that Coconut Aminos are less salty, so you should add a bit more.
- Scallops - You can add ½ cup of defrosted scallops with the shrimp in Step 1.
- Black pepper - Add freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes if you like it spicier.
- Toasted sesame oil - Add ½ teaspoon at the end of cooking to add a nutty aroma.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Store homemade Shrimp Fried Rice in the refrigerator after allowing it to reach room temperature. Use an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag and store for up to three days.
Reheating: Use a non-stick pan and heat it over medium heat. Fry the leftovers for 4-5 minutes, breaking up large clumps with a spatula, until heated. Add more water as necessary if the rice seems too dry. Cover it with a lid to generate steam and add moisture.
Freezing: Spread the Shrimp fried rice on a baking sheet to air dry to room temperature. Once the rice has cooled, divide it into zip-lock freezer bags or airtight containers. It can be frozen for up to a month.
📖 Recipe FAQs
I like using Jasmine rice, but any medium or long-grain rice will work. You can even use brown rice if you're looking for a healthier option.
Yes! Shrimp fried rice is extremely versatile and adaptable. The vegetables (and even protein) can be changed to your preferences. Peas, carrots, bell peppers, onions, corn, and green beans are among the frequently used vegetables, but you can use whatever you have in your kitchen. Remember that certain vegetables take longer to cook, so for stiff vegetables like carrots or broccoli, you should parboil them in boiling water for 45 seconds before stir-frying.
Traditionally, carbon-steel woks are used to make fried rice. Carbon steel is highly conductive, meaning it heats up fast, giving chefs better control of the heat, which is necessary when frying so many different ingredients with varying cooking times! Additionally, carbon steel woks develop a thin layer of seasoning called patina, which enhances the flavor and aroma of the food prepared in it.
However, for everyday home cooks, any pan will do. If you don't have a wok, I recommend a non-stick pan or skillet that helps prevent the rice from sticking during cooking.
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📋 Recipe
Shrimp Fried Rice (Authentic)
Equipment
- 1 wok (optional)
- 1 fish spatula (optional)
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon neutral oil (divided)
- 1 cup uncooked frozen shrimp (defrosted, peeled and deveined)
- 3 egg (beaten)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cup cooked rice
- 1 teaspoon Totole chicken powder (or any other chicken stock powder)
- 1 teaspoon XO sauce (optional, or Shacha sauce)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper (optional)
- ⅓ cup scallion (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes until cooked through. Remove to a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same wok and swirl it around. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them with chopsticks or a spatula, for about 15-25 seconds. They should not be runny. Remove to a bowl.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 5-10 seconds, then immediately add the frozen peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the peas are hot.
- Add the rice, XO sauce, and Totole chicken powder and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the rice to separate the grains, until the rice is hot.
- Finally, add the white pepper, eggs, shrimp, and scallions and stir to mix. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Prepare and chop all of your ingredients before you begin cooking. Once the stove is turned on, making rice is quick. Ideally, each ingredient should be prepared in a different bowl and placed within easy reach of the wok.
- Follow the instructions as they're laid out. Add the ingredients to the pan separately and in the order listed. When you add everything at once, the pan will cool too quickly, and your fried rice will fail.
- Use Totole chicken seasoning mix. It's seriously a game-changer.
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