Shrimp Fried Rice

This Shrimp Fried Rice recipe is easy to make and tastes better than takeout! It's got juicy shrimp, the best sauce, and fluffy scrambled eggs!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings: people

Calories: 308kcal

A 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid is highly recommended for steaming the rice.
A wide skillet with a lot of surface area is recommended for frying the rice.

Combine the sauce ingredients.
Thaw the shrimp completely (if frozen) and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins. Sprinkle with paprika.
Place the shrimp in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture to it. Toss to coat and set aside.

Add chicken broth to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and submerge it into liquid. Bring back to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer (I put my heat on medium-low), and let it steam for 15 minutes. Check on it, if the liquid is gone and the rice is cooked, turn heat off. If not, simmer 5 more minutes.
Optional: Remove it from the heat and let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes. This makes the rice extra fluffy, and allows any rice stuck to the bottom of the pot to release naturally. Refrain from stirring as this will release starch and make it sticky.
Spread the cooked rice out on a tray and transfer to the fridge to allow it to cool completely, (the longer the better). A dry consistency is best for fried rice.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the whisked eggs. Cook/scramble until just cooked through, then remove and set aside. (I like to use an 8-inch nonstick skillet when I make fluffy scrambled eggs.)

Add the oil to a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the shrimp. Cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp onto a plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the skillet.
Reduce heat to medium and add the wine. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pan and let the liquid reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, peas, and carrots (it’s okay if the veggies are still frozen) and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cold rice and the remaining sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and toss continuously for about 3 minutes, until the rice is brown from the sauce and most of the liquid from the sauce is absorbed.
Reduce heat to medium and add the shrimp, eggs, and green onions and toss to coat and heat through. Remove from heat and serve!

Pro Tips

Rice:
- Dry Rice is Key: Cold, dry leftover rice works best for fried rice. If cooking it fresh, you'd ideally lay it on a tray for a few hours (or cover and store overnight) before frying. Dry rice absorbs the sauce while remaining crisp.
- If using leftover rice, you'll need 3 cups for this recipe.
- Rinsing Rice: There is debate as to if rinsing rice is necessary to remove excess starch, I am in the "no" camp and prefer the consistency when I don't rinse it. 🙂 Feel free to rinse if preferred, and use 2 tbsp. less liquid for cooking it.
- I like to use long grain white rice for this. The consistency is much better than Instant Rice. (But instant can be used if needed!) See blog post about using other rice varieties as well as cauliflower rice.
Wine: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are great in this recipe. Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing cooking wine) can also be used, (only 2 TBSP. should be used). Chicken broth can also be used if you don’t cook with wine.
Make Ahead Method: It's easy to do prep work for this recipe ahead of time, the rice is actually better if made ahead and refrigerated for 1-2 days. The sauce ingredients can be combined ahead of time as well.
Using Chicken: Be sure to check out my Chicken Fried Rice recipe if you prefer chicken!

Storage

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The rice freezes and reheats well, the shrimp is best if eaten fresh.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.