Pineapple Chicken Thai Fried Rice

Written by
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Darlene Schmidt
Updated 02/09/21
Chicken fried rice with pineapple
Pineapple chicken fried rice

Joy Atkinson/Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
403 Calories
14g Fat
57g Carbs
13g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 403
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 729mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 12mg 61%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 375mg 8%
*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.)

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 than brings together savory chicken, sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy nuts, and soft raisins. An all-in-one dish, this festive-looking meal 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.

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 hard, 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 breasts chicken (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 onion (minced)

  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 1 red chili (or green, minced, fresh; or 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed chili)

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (whole)

  • 1 small carrot (finely sliced)

  • 1 egg

  • 4 to 5 cups cooked white jasmine rice

  • 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)

  • 3 tablespoons raisins (chopped)

  • 1/4 cup peas (frozen)

  • 1/4 cup cashews (dry roasted, unsalted)

  • Garnish:

    1 bunch cilantro (fresh, chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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

  3. In a small bowl, combine all stir-fry sauce ingredients, stirring 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.

  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, chili, whole cumin, and carrot. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

  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.

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

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

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

  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.

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

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

Vegetarian and Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice

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

  • For a 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.
  • For a vegan version follow the instructions for the vegetarian rice, 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.