Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice (Thai Style) – Easy Weeknight Recipe

Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice is a quick, flavor-packed weeknight dinner that brings together sweet pineapple, juicy chicken, and bold Thai sauces in every bite, aka the best crowd pleasing meal!

Looking for more Thai fried rice ideas? Don’t miss my go-to Vegetable Thai Fried Rice (hello, veggie drawer clean-out!), Thai Curry Fried Rice for major flavor, or Vegetarian Thai Fried Rice if you’re skipping fish sauce.

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Why This Recipe Works:

• LEARN FROM A THAI COOKING CLASS TEACHER: I’m Sherri, a Thai cooking instructor, and I’m sharing my best step-by-step secrets to nailing authentic flavor at home.
• EASY + EXCITING WEEKNIGHT DINNER: A tropical spin on fried rice that’s as doable as it is delicious—your people will love it.
• LEFTOVER RICE HERO: Got cold, old rice in the fridge? This is the best way to give it new life!

What Is Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice?

Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice in Thai is “Khaw Pad Gai Supparod”, which literally means Stir-Fried Chicken Pineapple Rice. It contains all the amazing Thai flavors that made me fall in love with Thai food:

• sweet from the juicy fresh pineapple
• sour from the zesty lime
• umami from the fish sauce
• savory from the chicken or sausage
• spicy from the Thai chilies, if you want, YES! I want!

Ingredients for Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

Uh-oh! Don’t have some of these ingredients? Don’t worry! Just look below for how to sub them in my Substitutions section!

Stir-Fry Sauce

• 1–1.5 tbsp fish sauce or Thai thin soy sauce, to taste – Adds salty umami goodness. 
• 1–1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, to taste – Brings savory sweetness and depth.
• 1/2 tbsp-1 tbsp. Thai dark soy sauce, to taste (optional) – Add until you hit the golden brown color you prefer, gives a rich color and a hint of sweetness.
• 1–2 tsp sugar, to taste – A touch of sugar balances the salty sauces and brings harmony to the dish.

Fried Rice Ingredients

• 1/2 of a small white onion, finely chopped: Yellow, white, or red onions add a sweet and savory flavor.
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped: Adds that aromatic kick.
• 4 eggs: Adding eggs provides richness and texture.
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly chopped into bite-size pieces. In Thailand they usually use Chinese sausage, and it’s so good, but we often can’t find that. You can also try it with about 1 lb. of shrimp, beef, Thai Fried Tofu or whatever you prefer.
• 2 cups veggies: Feel free to mix it up with whatever you have in the fridge: peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, Chinese broccoli, bell peppers, etc.
• 4 cups cooked day-old rice: the drier, the better
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional), to taste: if it needs more flavor, add salt to taste instead of extra fish sauce or oyster sauce since that can make it more gooey
• 1 tsp curry powder: brings earthy notes of ginger, turmeric, cumin and coriander
• 1 cup fresh diced pineapple: we love fresh, and it’s best to use not super juicy pineapple so it wont make your rice wet. Buy some pre-cut at the produce area if you aren’t up for cutting up a whole pineapple.
• 1/2 cup cashews: use any type that you have on hand.
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional): Thai Hubby and I like raisins in our Thai Pineapple Fried Rice to add another note of sweet, but some people, like my kiddos, don’t like raisins in savory food, so you do you!
• 2 green onion stalks cut into 1/4-inch pieces: Green onions provide a fresh, mild onion flavor.

Optional Toppings

• 1 quartered lime: The citrusy kick adds a sharper, fresher flavor. 
• 6 or so cucumber slices: Cool, refreshing palate cleanser.
• Handful of cilantro: Adds sharp, clean notes and sprinkled on each serving makes Pineapple Thai Fried Rice look extra pretty! 
• Nam Pla Prik: Aka my Thai Flavor Bomb Sauce that adds some spicy zing!

Ingredient Substitutions for Pineapple Thai Fried Rice

• Chicken substitute: Chinese sausage, which is one of our fav meats with it, shrimp, beef, or Thai Fried Tofu.
• White onion substitute: any onion you prefer, red, yellow or shallots.
• Cashews substitute: crushed peanuts or leave them out.
• Fish sauce substitute: Kikoman soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos.
• Oyster sauce substitute: extra soy sauce or a splash of mushroom soy sauce for depth.
• Curry powder substitute: 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp ginger

Step-by-Step Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

Stir-Fry Sauce: Make the sauce by mixing 1-1.5 tbsp. Thai light soy sauce, 1-1.5 tbsp. mushroom soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp-1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1–2 tsp sugar in a small bowl.

Cook the Aromatics: Add a few teaspoons of cooking oil to your wok. Stir-fry the 1/2 of a diced onion and 4 finely chopped garlic cloves until soft and fragrant.

Scramble the Eggs and Stir-Fry Chicken and Veggies: Add more oil if needed, and push the aromatics to the side and crack in the 4 eggs. Let them set, then scramble gently. Add the 2 thinly sliced chicken breasts and stir-fry until almost cooked through. Toss in your 2 cups veggies of choice, 1/2 cup cashews, and 1 cup diced pineapple, and stir-fry everything together until chicken is cooked, and veggies are vibrant and cooked through.

Set Aside: Transfer the chicken and veggie mix to a plate and set aside.

Fry the Rice and Combine: Add a little more oil to the wok. Break up the 4 cups of day old rice and stir-fry until heated through and slightly crisp. Mix in the Stir-Fry Sauce and 1 tsp. curry powder. Stir-fry until the rice has become a sunny yellow. Add back the chicken and veggies and stir everything together.

Finish and Garnish: Turn off the heat. Stir in the 2 green onions chopped into 1/4 inch pieces and 1/2 cup raisins, if using.

If using, garnish each serving with a sprinkle of coarsely chopped cilantro, a lime wedge, cucumber slices and drizzle Nam Pla Prik on top if you like spicy. Enjoy!

How to Store and Reheat Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

Fridge: 

• According to the USDA, leftovers like Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice are still good after 3-4 days of being in the fridge.

Freezer:

• According to the USDA, leftovers like Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice are still good after 3-4 months of being frozen. 

Reheat:

• To defrost, place it in the fridge overnight and use within one day of thawing. Or heat small portions in the microwave.

Expert Tips for Making the Best Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

One of my most helpful posts for fried rice is 5 Tips on How to Make Perfect Fried Rice! Here are the tips, but go to the post to see the full explanations: 

1. Keep the rice grains separate after making the rice to use for fried rice.
2. Start with a day or even better a few days old rice.
3. Don’t add much sauce.
4. Chop your ingredients into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
5. Figure out what ratio of rice to other ingredients you like.

Want more details? Check out my full post on tips for making fried rice here! 

How Thai Pineapple Fried Rice Changed My Life

Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice changed my life forever.

It was the first Thai dish I ever tasted. I had it in Chapel Hill, NC with my first Thai friend, Yui. She was studying abroad where I went to university, UNC Chapel Hill, and we were conversation partners

Apparently I was supposed to help her with her English, but we skipped over English lessons, and instead became fast friends. Usually we could be found eating good food all over Franklin Street and laughing all the time.

I’ll never forget when I went with her to my first ever Thai restaurant, and I ordered Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice.

I scooped a bite out of the cute pineapple shell bowl onto my spoon, put it in my mouth, and once the Thai flavors hit my tongue, it was like meeting someone for the first time, but connecting like I’ve always known them.

I had never eaten a dish that had such an array of flavors packed in it all at once: fish sauce, lime, cashews, green onion, pineapple, curry powder, and garlic.

I couldn’t stop saying, “This is so good!!! Wow! Does all Thai food have so much flavor? This is amazing! Why have I never eaten Thai food before?? I’ve been missing out my whole life!”

From that moment I fell in love with Thai food, and I’ve only fallen more in love since.

Whether you’ve just started trying to cook Thai food, or have always loved it, this recipe is for you!

Make Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice today, and fall in love all over again with Thai food!!

FAQs About Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

Other Thai Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re a fan of Thai food, check out these other fav recipes!

• Lad Na: Thai Noodles with Gravy – A comforting noodle dish with rich, savory gravy.
• The Best Creamy Tom Yum Pasta – A fusion recipe that brings together the spicy, tangy flavors of Tom Yum soup with pasta.
• How to Make Green Curry Fried Rice – A vibrant, flavor-packed fried rice that brings the heat of green curry to your plate.
• Garlic Pepper Chicken | Pad Kratiem – A simple yet flavorful dish with a bold garlic-pepper sauce that pairs perfectly with rice.

If you make it, I want to see! Take a pic and tag us on Instagram @thaifoodie.

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About the photos:
Some of these images were AI-generated to show the dish at its yummiest — but don’t worry, the recipe is 100% real. I’ve cooked it, tested it, and even teach it in my Thai cooking classes. Learn more about how and why I use AI photos here.