Low in carbs but full of flavor, Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice is on the menu tonight! This healthy version of the popular takeout dish is packed with protein and vegetables. It’s so filling and delicious, you won’t even miss the carbs!
Cauliflower makes a handy substitute for starches in low carb cooking. We love it in Cauliflower Mash and now you can satisfy that Chinese takeout craving with this cauliflower fried rice too! Serve it up with our favorite Egg Roll in a Bowl!
Why this Recipe Works
- Low Carb Chicken Fried Rice is made with riced cauliflower instead of rice. It’s totally grain free!
- Chili infused sesame oil and chipotle peppers give the fried cauliflower rice a perfect kick of heat.
- Protein from eggs and chicken make this meal hearty and satisfying.
- It’s ready in 20 minutes!
Ingredient Notes
Sesame oil. Try toasted sesame oil for a more prominent sesame flavor.
Cauliflower rice. You can make it yourself using a raw head of cauliflower or find it already “riced” at the grocery store.
Cooked chicken breast. Diced chicken thighs can be used in chicken fried cauliflower rice as well.
Chipotle Peppers in adobo. You’ll need one of these canned peppers in its sauce. Mash it up into a paste before adding it to the recipe.
PRO TIP: avoid wasting the remaining can of peppers by freezing it mashed up in an ice cube tray. Pop them out when frozen and store in ziploc freezer bag.
Tips and Tricks
- Work quickly. After adding the cauliflower to the skillet, move through the remaining recipe steps right away. The cauliflower will get mushy if its cooked too long. Try to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.
- Pork Fried Cauliflower Rice. Substitute the chicken for cooked diced pork if you prefer
- Spicier fried rice. If you want a spicier dish, swap out the plan sesame oil for more chili oil. You can also add a diced jalapeno for more heat!
- Freezer meal option. Leftover chicken cauliflower fried rice can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw and reheat before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the fried cauliflower rice in bowls garnished with extra green onions and soy sauce to taste.
This is a delicious meal on its own. Or serve smaller portions as a side dish to a larger Asian inspired meal.
Don’t forget dessert! Serve some keto peanut butter cookies or crustless pumpkin pie!
Recipe FAQs
It’s just raw cauliflower that’s been finely chopped so that it resembles rice. You can easily do it in a food processor or you can buy it fresh or frozen.
Traditional chicken fried rice has about 55 carbs per serving. This low carb version has just 4 net carbs per serving!
Peas and carrots are fairly high in carbs so we’re leaving them out of this recipe to keep the carb count low. You can add a few if you like, just remember to adjust the nutrition information.
You can use liquid aminos made from soy protein in place of soy sauce. Don’t use coconut aminos – they have more carbs.
More Low Carb Dinners
- Broccoli Buddha Bowl
- Baked Ranch Chicken
- Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
- Chaffle Recipe
- Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Big Mac Salad
Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice
All of the flavor of your favorite take out chicken fried rice but without the high number of carbs or calories! Ready in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon chile sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 cups boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- 2 ½ cups riced cauliflower
- ¼ cup green onion, divided use
- 1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
- 1 Tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo, mashed to a paste
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- On medium high heat, heat the sesame oil and chile sesame oil in a wok or large skillet until it shimmers. Turn the heat down to medium.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook quickly over medium heat – don’t let it brown. Add the celery and bell peppers. If you are using fresh cauliflower rice add it now.
- Stir fry for about one minute.
- Add the chicken. Stir fry for one to two minutes more.
- If using FROZEN cauliflower rice add that now. If you already added the fresh, skip this step.
- Pour in the soy sauce, chipotle in adobo, and powdered ginger. Give it a good stir.
- Move the cauliflower mixture to the side to create empty space in the pan.
- Quickly beat the eggs with a whisk just until the yolk and the white are mixed. Pour in the beaten eggs.
- Using the bamboo spatula push the egg around and mix in with the cauliflower mixture until it is cooked.
- Stir in half of the green onions.
- Taste and add more soy sauce or chipotle if necessary.
- Serve garnished with remaining green onions.
Notes
- Use 3 tablespoons of chile sesame oil and leave out the plain sesame oil for a spicier dish. Use smoked sesame oil for more flavor.
- Chicken thighs may be substituted for the breast. Cooked pork may be substituted for the chicken.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Save time by using frozen cauliflower rice. Add it in while it’s still frozen – no need to thaw. One bag of Green Giant frozen rice cauliflower is about 2 1/2 cups.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 332Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 182mgSodium: 481mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 38g
Savory and lightly spicy, Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice is a low carb diner’s dream. Lower in calories and higher in protein than regular versions, this Asian inspired recipe is a must try.