Restaurant-style Mexican Fried Rice made at home! Traditional Mexican flavors come together in a simple, one pot rice dish that the whole family will enjoy!

mexican fried rice in a skillet with a wooden spoon

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This Mexican Fried Rice comes together so easily and quickly, and in a single pot – meaning less dishes to clean! Traditional Mexican flavors, tossed together with white rice to create a simple meal that everyone will enjoy!

Chicken, corn, onion and beans are added to rice. From there, the rice is tossed in a rich and bold homemade enchilada sauce, with a hint of smoked paprika and lime juice for that extra kick of flavor. This is a rice dish that is far from boring, and will have you fighting with your family over the leftovers!

What is Mexican fried rice?

This Mexican fried rice has a different feel than the Asian fried rice we are used to. It hosts bold, bright flavors and is so easy to throw together! This is one of those “empty your fridge and pantry” kind of meals. It’s super versatile – allowing you to load up on yummy toppings, use different grains and proteins, basically you can do whatever you want with this recipe!

I take it as an opportunity to use up a bunch of stuff I have leftover in my fridge, plus some pantry staples. And voila! Pure deliciousness.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Olive Oil – Substitute canola, vegetable, sunflower, safflower or avocado oil.
Chicken – I used ground chicken!
Salt & Pepper – To taste.
Onion – White or yellow, you choose!
Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
Beans – I used canned black beans, drained and rinsed.
Corn – Fresh or frozen, if using frozen make sure it’s thawed!
Rice – White rice and cooked.
Sauce – I used my homemade enchilada sauce to give it even more Mexican flavor, you can substitute store bought or tomato sauce as well.
Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice (store bought will work if that’s what you have).
Smoked Paprika – For added kick.

Optional toppings

Cilantro – Freshly chopped.
Tomato – Diced.
Feta Cheese – Crumbled. *Cotija cheese would also be a great substitution.

How to make Mexican fried rice

Cook the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the chicken as you go. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add Ingredients: Add the black beans, corn, and rice to the skillet. If needed, add another drizzle of olive oil if needed. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring often, just until the rice begins to crisp.
Toss in Sauce: Whisk the enchilada sauce, lime juice, and smoked paprika in a small bowl, then pour over the rice in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and toss the rice well to coat in the sauce.
Finish & Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat and top with cilantro, tomatoes, and feta. Serve.

two bowls filled with mexican fried rice

What else can I add to my rice?

If you want to keep it simple, you can – sometimes the simpler, the better! But if you want to really add some sustenance to this fried rice, try these additions:

Diced Bell Peppers
Green Onion
Chili Powder
Chorizo Sausage
Jalapeno
Cumin
Avocado
Peas
Tortilla Chips
Jalapeno Jack Cheese
Carrots
Scrambled Egg

mexican fried rice in a skillet with a wooden spoon in it

How to serve

You can serve your Mexican fried rice as is, or as a side dish alongside some tacos, fajitas or enchiladas. I love serving it as a main dish, accompanied by some tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole – yum!