Thai-style fried rice is a wonderfully flexible dish that can be adapted to whatever vegetables or protein you have on hand. It is also an excellent way to use leftover cooked rice, which makes the dish especially quick to prepare.
For this Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice, I made my own curry paste because I didn’t have prepared Thai curry paste at home. I also used my own combination of chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, and pineapple. Shrimp can be substituted for the chicken, or you can leave out the meat completely for a vegetable version.
The combination of sweet pineapple, savory soy sauce, coconut milk, spices, vegetables, and chicken makes this a flavorful one-pan meal that comes together quickly once the rice is ready.
Khao Pad Sapparod / Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice
Recipe Details
Main Dish / Fried Rice
Thai
Sashi
15 minutes
2
Cook time assumes the rice has already been cooked and cooled.
Ingredients
For the Fried Rice
- Basmati rice / Long-grain rice – 1 cup, cooked and cooled
- Water – 1 1/4 cup, for cooking the rice
- Chicken – 1/2 cup, cut into small pieces
- Oil – 1 tsp
- Salt – to taste, divided
- Coconut milk – 1/4 cup
- Mushrooms – 5, chopped
- Pineapple – 1 cup, cut into small pieces
- Broccoli – 1/4 cup, finely chopped
- Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Green chilies – 2, thinly sliced lengthwise
- Coriander leaves / Cilantro – from about 2 stalks, chopped
- Spring onions – 2, chopped
For the Curry Paste
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Ginger – 1-inch piece
- Garlic – 3 cloves
- Clove – 1
- Cinnamon – 1 small piece
- Mustard seeds – 1/8 tsp
- Cardamom – 2
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Dried red chilies – 3
- Salt – to taste
Preparation
- Cook the rice until just tender, then spread it out and allow it to cool completely. Chilled leftover rice also works very well.
- Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, ginger, garlic, clove, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cardamom, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, and salt to a blender or spice grinder.
- Grind the ingredients into a fine curry paste.
- Cut the chicken, pineapple, mushrooms, and broccoli into small pieces.
- Thinly slice the green chilies and chop the coriander leaves and spring onions.
Cooking Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken along with about 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Stir-fry until the chicken is completely cooked through, then transfer it to a plate and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add the coconut milk.
- Cook over medium heat until it reduces slightly and becomes aromatic.
- Add the prepared curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the raw aroma of the spices disappears.
- Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked chicken, pineapple, and broccoli. Mix well.
- Add the cooled rice, soy sauce, and sugar.
- Toss everything together gently over medium-high heat until the rice is evenly coated and heated through.
- Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, spring onions, and thinly sliced green chilies.
- Serve hot.
Tips
Use Cooled Rice: Freshly cooked hot rice can become soft and sticky when stir-fried. Allow it to cool first, or use refrigerated leftover rice.
Leftover Rice: If using cold leftover rice, stir-fry it for an extra minute or two so it heats evenly.
Chicken: Cut the chicken into small, even pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
Variations: Shrimp can be substituted for chicken, or the dish can be prepared entirely with vegetables.
Vegetables: Feel free to substitute or add vegetables according to what you have available.
Serving Suggestion
Serve Thai Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice hot on its own or alongside your favorite Thai vegetable or meat curry.
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