This Thai-Style Pineapple Fried Rice brings takeout flavors home with tender chicken, juicy pineapple, fluffy eggs, crisp veggies, and toasted cashews. Everything gets tossed in a deeply savory, sweet-and-salty sauce with warm curry spices for an unexpected twist. Ready in about 35 minutes, it’s an easy, flavor-packed dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
Cancel The Takeout, Make This Instead
I love pineapple, and I love a tasty fried rice, so when a friend told me about a Thai restaurant nearby that had chicken and pineapple fried rice on the menu, I couldn’t order it fast enough. Friends, it was so good that we ordered it three weekends in a row! Unfortunately, it was only on the menu for the month of September, so on our last order, I made sure to dissect it carefully so I could recreate it at home.
The dish had everything we love about fried rice: tart-sweet flavors from the pineapple, tender chicken for protein, scrambled eggs, perfectly crispy rice, chopped vegetables, an umami-filled savory sauce, and toasted cashews for extra crunch.
But the biggest surprise of this fried rice, was the fragrant curry flavor. It didn’t come from a Thai curry paste, but from the warm aromatic flavor of an Indian-style curry powder (more on that below). After a lot of testing with different curry powders, and different levels of sweetness and savouriness, I was thrilled with the result.
This fried rice is deeply savory, slightly spicy, and filled with a delicate curry flavor throughout. And if you use a mix of frozen veggies, it can be on the table lightning-fast. Just make sure to prep all your ingredients before getting started. Once you heat up your pan, your cooking will be done in no time.
Good To Know Before You start
Use day-old rice: Cold, preferably day-old rice is a non-negotiable for stir-fried rice. If you’re cooking rice specifically for this recipe, spread it on a baking sheet and refrigerate it uncovered until thoroughly chilled and dried out.
Customize it: While I don’t recommend playing around with the sauce, feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as bok choy, thin strips of zucchini, or bean sprouts. No matter what, the whole family is going to ask for it again.
Heat: Medium-high to high heat helps develop those delicious crispy bits of chicken, rice and caramelized pineapple. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.
The curry flavor – The unexpected curry flavor is what makes this fried rice so special. After an extensive deep-dive, I discovered this particular Thai dish often includes a Vietnamese-style curry powder blend which is heavily influenced by India, not Thailand. A few of the most predominant spices found in that curry blend are turmeric, coriander, cumin, and star anise. Unfortunately, Vietnamese curry is not always easy to find so it was a little tricky getting that curry flavor just right. Many tests and variations later, I found that a Madras-style curry powder very closely resembled the flavor I was trying to recreate. The key is to find a blend that contains turmeric as well as chili powder. This brand is lovely and checks all the boxes.
Note On Key Ingredients
- Rice – Use cooked, day-old long-grain rice such as Jasmine. Chilling it uncovered overnight helps dry the grains so they separate when stir-fried. Freshly cooked rice tends to be too moist and can turn mushy.
- Chicken – Thinly sliced chicken breast cooks quickly and works beautifully here.. Chicken thighs, shrimp, or tofu are also great alternatives.
- Pineapple – For best results, use fresh pineapple which has the best balance of tartness and sweetness, and will caramelize beautifully in a hot pan. For a shortcut, look for fresh pineapple that’s already been peeled and cored in the produce section.
- Curry powder – If you can find a Vietnamese curry powder such as this one, you’re in luck. Otherwise, use a good quality madras curry powder, preferably one that contains turmeric and Indian chili powder, such as this one. A standard yellow curry blend powder will also work fine.
- White pepper – White pepper is common in many Asian dishes and brings a warm, slightly earthy heat. For many Thai dishes, white pepper, rather than black pepper is called for. White pepper has more warm undertones, and lends a slightly herbaceous punch. You’ll find it at Asian markets and many well-stocked grocery stores. Black pepper can be used, if needed.
- Fish sauce – Fish sauce add s a wonderful depth of savory, umami flavor to this fried rice so try your best not to leave it out. I prefer brands made with just anchovies and salt, such as Red Boat fish sauce which add lovely flavor without being too fishy.
How To Make Thai-Style Pineapple Fried Rice
Step 1: In a medium bowl, toss sliced chicken with soy sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beaten eggs and cook gently until just set but still soft and fluffy. Transfer to a large plate.
Step 4: Increase heat to high and add a little more oil to the skillet. Cook the chicken until browned in spots and cooked through (you may need to do this batches). Transfer to the plate with the cooked eggs.
Step 5: Add a little more oil to the skillet and add the onions, garlic, carrot, and green beans. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, until softened.
Step 6: Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add a little more oil to the empty side. Spread out the rice evenly along the bottom of the skillet and cook, undisturbed, allowing the rice to brown in spots. Toss with the vegetables, add the sauce, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the grains are separated and evenly coated.
Step 7: Toss with the vegetables, add the sauce, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the grains are separated and evenly coated.Push the rice and veggies to one side and add the pineapple to the empty side. Cook until slightly browned in spots, then toss with the rice.
Step 8: Stir in the cooked chicken, eggs, and green onions. Cook until heated through, tossing constantly to ensure everything is well combined. Remove from heat and stir in toasted cashews. Serve immediately garnished with chopped cilantro, if using.
Helpful Tips
- Add more spice. If your curry powder isn’t very spicy and you’d like a little bit more heat, add one or two chopped Thai chili peppers, or a few drizzles of sriracha.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Cook the chicken in batches if needed, especially when doubling the recipe. Overcrowding prevents proper browning and can make the ingredients steam instead of sear.
- Toast the cashews. Even if the cashews are already toasted, it’s always a good idea to toast them again in a dry skillet. This ensures they stay nice and crispy even after getting tossed with the fried rice. Peanuts work well here, too.
- Take a short cut! Finely diced frozen vegetables are ideal for stir-fries. Not only do they save you from all the chopping, they cook really fast so you don’t even have to thaw them first. I like a carrot, green bean or green pea mix, but use your favorite or whatever you have on hand.
- Switch up the vegetables. Green peas, edamame, diced bell peppers, and small broccoli florets are all good options.
- What to serve it with: This fried rice is a complete meal but my family loves it with a side of salted avocado wedges drizzled with lots of fresh lime juice. Please try this and report back!
- Leftovers are delicious. I’m happy to report this pineapple fried rice is just as good after chilling in the refrigerator overnight. If possible, hold back on the cashews as they will soften after a few hours in the fried rice.
Let Me Know Your Thoughts
If you gave this Thai-Style Pineapple Fried Rice recipe a try, I would love to hear how it worked out for you. Share your thoughts in the comment section below or feel free to ask me anything — I always enjoy chatting with you.
Don’t forget to leave a star rating, too!~Sandra x
Thai-Style Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounces boneless chicken breasts, very thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 Tablespoons neutral oil, divided, plus more as needed (I use avocado oil)
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
- 1 small yellow or red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 fat garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup finely diced carrot (about 1 large carrot)
- 1/2 cup finely diced green beans
- 3 cups cooked, day-old long grain rice, such as Jasmine rice (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, in 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup toasted cashews (see notes)
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Madras curry powder (or yellow curry- see notes)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar (or lime juice)
Optional additions/garnishes
- chopped cilantro, finely diced Thai red chili peppers, sriracha
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the sliced chicken with soy sauce and cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the curry powder, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white (or black) pepper, and rice vinegar until combined. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the beaten eggs and cook gently, stirring occasionally until just set but still soft. Transfer to a large plate.
- Turn heat to high and add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the chicken and spread in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for or 1–2 minutes, until browned in spots. Stir and continue cooking until cooked through, about 2–3 minutes more. Transfer to the plate with the eggs. If necessary, cook the chicken in batches, adding a little more oil as needed.
- Lower heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and green beans. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables have started to soften.
- Push the vegetables to one side, bring heat to medium-high, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the empty side. Add the rice, breaking up any big clumps and spreading it out along the bottom of the skillet. Cook undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to develop some browned spots. Toss with the vegetables, then pour in the sauce and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the rice is evenly coated and the grains are separated.
- Push the rice and vegetables to one side and add the pineapple to the empty side. Cook for about 2 minutes, until lightly browned in spots. Toss everything together and cook for another minute.
- Return the chicken and eggs to the skillet and add the green onions. Toss everything together and cook for about 1 minute, until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cashews.
- Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed. Serve immediately garnished with chopped cilantro, extra green onions, and Thai chili peppers, if desired.
Notes
- Rice: Day-old rice works best for fried rice. I like to spread out the cooked rice on a small sheet pan and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. This dries out the grains so they separate nicely when “fried” in the skillet.
- Cashews: Even if you buy toasted cashews, it’s always a good idea to toast them again to ensure they stay nice and crispy even after getting tossed with the fried rice. Simply add them to a small, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to avoid scorching. Let cool completely before using. You can also use peanuts, if you prefer.
- Curry powder: Thai pineapple rice often contains a Vietnamese curry powder blend such as this one. However, this is hard to find so a good quality Madras curry powder is a good substitute. Ideally, try and find a blend that contains turmeric and Indian chili powder such as this one. A standard yellow curry blend powder will also work fine.
- Adjust the heat as you go. Medium-high to high heat helps the fried rice ingredients get nice and crispy which also lends more flavor to the dish. That said, the heat will vary depending on your stove or the pan you’re using so make sure you adjust accordingly. If anything is browning too quickly, or the sauce begins sticking, lower the heat slightly.
- To store: Leftovers of this fried rice are excellent the next day. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a drizzle of water and/or oil if it seems dry. Alternatively, place fried rice in a bowl, then wet a piece of parchment paper and scrunch it up into a ball. Open and drape the parchment paper snugly over the rice and microwave on medium-high in 2 minute intervals until warmed through.
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