Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (2024)

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By

Darlene Schmidt

Darlene Schmidt

Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.

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Updated on 01/29/23

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Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (1)

Fried rice is an all-time favorite takeout that you can easily make at home in a few simple steps. Whether you like the Chinese, Thai, Peruvian, or Vietnamese version, there is something about fried rice that makes it the perfect dish. It might be the combination of flavors, textures, and colors, or the fact that the rich fried rice has something for everyone, but what's undeniable is that when you make fried rice, every plate is cleaned empty, and you get happy faces all around.

Our sweet and savory version of a Thai chicken fried rice has a stir-fry sauce that brings together savory chicken, sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy nuts, and soft raisins. This festive-looking meal is an all-in-one dish that shines as a special dinner when you don't have much time. Prep the rice and veggies in the morning and cook everything in no time at night.

22 Quick and Easy Chicken and Rice Recipes

The Thai rice has soy sauce, which some might say is not actually Thai, but many cooks—professional and not—swear by the addition of the salty sauce, and we agree. For soy allergies, use coconut aminos instead, or an extra pinch of salt. If finding fresh pineapple is difficult, go for canned, but try to use fruit preserved in water and not sweetened syrup.

Serve with a fresh salad.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 2 chicken breasts, or 2 to 3 thighs, chopped into small pieces

  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/3 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander

  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 3 tablespoons minced onion

  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 fresh red or green chile, minced, or 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed chile

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

  • 1 small carrot, finely sliced

  • 1 large egg

  • 4 to 5 cups cooked white jasmine rice

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks

  • 3 tablespoons chopped raisins

  • 1/4 cup frozen peas

  • 1/4 cup dry roasted, unsalted cashews

  • 1 bunchfresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (3)

  2. Place the chicken in a bowl with the soy sauce. Stir to combine, cover, and set aside to marinate.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (4)

  3. In a small bowl, combine stir-fry sauce ingredients: pineapple juice, fish sauce, sugar, turmeric, coriander, and cumin; stir to dissolve the sugar. If using fresh pineapple, you might have to press some of the fruit down to come up with the juice. Set aside.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (5)

  4. Place a wok or a large, deep frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Drizzle in the oil, and add the onion, garlic, chile, whole cumin seeds, and carrot. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (6)

  5. Add the marinated chicken and the juices into the wok and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken turns white on the outside.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (7)

  6. Crack in the egg and continue stir-frying, breaking up the egg with a utensil into small pieces.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (8)

  7. Combine all ingredients well and add the prepared stir-fry sauce.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (9)

  8. Add the cooked rice, pineapple chunks, raisins, and peas. Fry together by gently stirring, lifting, and turning all of the ingredients.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (10)

  9. Break up any clumps of rice by pressing down against them with the flat side of a utensil. Keep stirring and let the mixture cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the rice is of a uniform golden color. Add the cashews and stir them in.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (11)

  10. Remove the rice from heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce for a saltier, more flavorful rice, or more fresh or dried chile for a spicier version.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (12)

  11. Place the rice in a big serving bowl and top with chopped fresh cilantro.

    Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (13)

Vegetarian and Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice

You can make this recipe vegetarian or vegan with a few easy swaps:

  • Vegetarian version. Use 1 block of cubed and pressed extra firm tofu, 10 ounces of seitan, or 10 ounces of tempeh instead of chicken. Use soy sauce or tamari instead of fish sauce, and marinate either of the suggested plant-based proteins as you'd marinate the chicken. Follow the rest of the recipe as is.
  • Vegan version. Follow the vegetarian rice instructions but skip the egg. Instead, add an extra handful of cashews or 1/2 cup of bean sprouts to add volume and aid with the texture of the dish.

Tip

Make the jasmine rice ahead of time as it not only saves you time on the day of preparing this dish, but it also helps in keeping the rice from clumping up when making the stir-fry. And this dish does better with cold rice.

Tips for Making the Perfect Stir-Fry

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
419Calories
15g Fat
58g Carbs
14g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories419
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g19%
Saturated Fat 2g12%
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 742mg32%
Total Carbohydrate 58g21%
Dietary Fiber 3g9%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 23mg115%
Calcium 58mg4%
Iron 4mg20%
Potassium 416mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • beans
  • entree
  • thai
  • family dinner

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Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice? ›

Cooking bits of chopped vegetables, seasoning, soy sauce, and oil, seems easy enough. However, when making fried rice at home, there's one ingredient you may be overlooking: Sugar.

What makes Thai fried rice taste different? ›

Peas, carrots, and other vegetables are notably absent from most traditional Thai fried rice recipes. The dish is seasoned with fish sauce or thin soy sauce as well as ground white pepper, and a squeeze of lime, resulting in a flavor profile that's primarily salty, with pops of lime, cilantro, and white pepper.

What gives restaurant fried rice its flavor? ›

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Why is pineapple fried rice so good? ›

The sweetness of pineapple can balance the savory flavors in the dish, providing a delicious and unique taste. Additionally, pineapple contains enzymes that can help tenderize meat, making it a great addition to fried rice dishes that include meat.

What is the difference between Chinese fried rice and Thai fried rice? ›

Thai fried rice is made with Thai jasmine rice, while Chinese fried rice is made with regular long grain white rice, or a blend of white rice. The other difference is that Thai fried rice is often seasoned with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and/or soy sauce. Chinese fried rice are not seasoned with fish sauce.

What is the difference between Chinese and Thai fried rice? ›

This dish differs from Chinese fried rice in that it is prepared with Thai jasmine rice instead of regular long-grain rice. It normally contains meat (chicken, shrimp, and crab are all common), egg, onions, garlic and sometimes tomatoes.

Why is Thai rice so expensive? ›

India's export restrictions on rice, coupled with measures to stabilise Thailand's paddy rice prices through cooperative purchases above market rates, also contributed to the overall rise in Thai paddy rice prices.

Why does Thai fried rice taste sweet? ›

Palm sugar balances the salty and savory flavors of the dish, but does make our Thai fried rice recipe distinctly sweeter than our Chinese fried rice dishes. Light or dark brown sugar is a good substitute for palm sugar if you can't find it; it's what we used in this recipe!

Why is Thai rice so good? ›

It has a long grain with moist and soft texture after cooking. Its unique quality is perhaps the pandan aromatic scent while being cooked. The rice was first grown in Thailand, which remains home to the best quality Thai Hom Mali Rice.

Which spice is good for fried rice? ›

The Perfect Nigerian Fried Rice
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 2 Tasty Cubes.
  • 1 teaspoon salt.
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper (substitute other ground pepper)
  • 2 teaspoon curry powder (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon thyme.

How to make fried rice 5 steps? ›

How Do You Make Simple Fried Rice?
  1. Heat your wok or skillet to medium-high heat. Pour in the oil. ...
  2. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs then mix them with the veggies.
  3. Finally, stir in the rice and a bit of soy sauce. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.
Apr 22, 2022

Why does homemade fried rice not taste like restaurant? ›

In fact, the use of classic Chinese sauces is exactly what makes takeout fried rice so incredibly moreish. Key amongst these is soy sauce. By adding soy sauce during cooking chefs are adding both salt and umami to the fried rice which, unsurprisingly, greatly improves the dish's overall flavor.

How do Chinese restaurants make fried rice yellow? ›

Actually, the yellow colour of the fried rice came from the beaten eggs. The beaten eggs is the one that gives the yellow colour to the Fried Rice. This type of Fried Rice is called “Golden Egg Fried Rice.”

Why does Chinese food taste better at a restaurant? ›

Restaurants will have a long list of ingredients prepped, including stocks, sauces, lots of different spices, dark, light, and regular soy sauce, etc. Many home cooks will skimp/compromise on some of these for convenience, unless it's a special occasion.

What is the difference between fried rice and Chinese fried rice? ›

In Fried Rice, most quick-service restaurants (QSRs) use long-grain white rice like Basmati, whereas Jasmine Rice is used in Chinese Rice. If you love rice unconditionally, you should definitely try out Fried Rice varieties (available in veg & no-veg) from Hong's Kitchen.

References

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