Pineapple Fried Rice is what I make on the nights there’s cold rice in the fridge and cooked chicken that needs using up. It turns two lots of leftovers into a full skillet dinner in about the time it takes to lay the table.

Sweet pineapple against salty soy sauce gives you that takeout flavor at home, and a handful of cashews makes an ordinary weeknight plate feel like a little more. The one thing that decides how it turns out is the rice, so start with cold, cooked rice, and you’re most of the way there.

A flavorful plate of Pineapple Fried Rice with shredded chicken, peas, carrots, chopped green onions, and cashews, served with chopsticks and extra green onions on the side. — Pineapple Fried Rice. Photo Credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It uses up leftover rice and already-cooked chicken, so two things that usually get shoved to the back of the fridge become dinner instead.
Everything cooks in one skillet in about 25 minutes, start to finish.
One and a half cups of shredded chicken stretches across six servings, because the rice, egg, pineapple, and vegetables carry most of the plate.
Sweet pineapple, low-sodium soy sauce, and cashews land sweet, salty, and crunchy in the same forkful.
It leans on freezer and pantry staples like frozen peas, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, so there’s no special shopping trip.
The portions reheat and freeze well, so you can cook once and eat through the week.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the full list with quantities in the recipe card below. These are the few worth a word before you start.

Cooked, cooled rice. This is the part that decides everything, so I start with cold rice from the day before whenever I can. Use 3 cups of cooked basmati that has been chilled. Cold rice fries up in separate grains, while warm fresh rice steams in the pan and softens. If all you have is a fresh batch, spread it thin on a tray and chill it for about thirty minutes before you cook.

Pineapple. You want about 1½ cups, coarsely chopped. Fresh gives the cleanest sweetness, but well-drained canned pineapple works too. If you use canned, drain it and pat it dry, because the extra juice will steam the rice instead of letting it caramelize.

Cooked chicken. A cup and a half of shredded cooked chicken is where the leftovers come in. Leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird both shred well, and since the chicken is already cooked, it only needs to warm through at the end.

Low-sodium soy sauce. Use low-sodium soy sauce so you can season to taste. Regular soy sauce can push the whole pan salty before you’ve added enough for flavor, while low-sodium leaves you room to adjust at the end.

Cashews. Raw cashews go in as they are, adding crunch against the soft rice and sweet pineapple.

A bowl of Pineapple Fried Rice surrounded by labeled ingredients: red bell pepper, green onions, pineapple, eggs, chicken breast, garlic, low-sodium soy sauce, peas, cashews, carrots, and ginger. — Pineapple Fried Rice Ingredients. Photo Credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

How to Make Pineapple Fried Rice

Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.

This comes together in five quick stages, so get everything chopped and within reach before the pan heats up. Fried rice moves fast once it starts.

Scramble the Eggs First

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat, then scramble the 2 beaten eggs for 1 to 2 minutes, just until set. Slide them onto a plate and set them aside. Cooking them first keeps them in soft folds instead of turning stringy in the rice.

Softly scrambled eggs cooking in a black skillet, with pineapple and peas nearby.

Scrambled eggs pushed aside with green onion, garlic, and ginger sautéing in a wok.

Cook the Aromatics

Add the second tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, then the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and keep them moving so the garlic doesn’t catch.

Caramelize the Pineapple and Vegetables

Stir in the pineapple, diced red bell pepper, carrots, and peas, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pineapple takes on a little color at the edges. That light caramelizing is what turns the sweetness savory, so give it the full few minutes rather than rushing it.

Diced pineapple, carrots, peas, and red bell pepper stir frying with scrambled eggs. — Stir fry pineapple and vegetables for 3–4 minutes.

Shredded chicken, cashews, and rice added to a wok of stir-fried vegetables. — Stir in rice, chicken, and cashews; cook 2–3 minutes. Add soy sauce and toss to combine.

Add the Rice, Chicken, and Cashews

Add the cold rice, shredded chicken, and cashews and stir everything together. Press the rice flat into the pan and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes so the bottom crisps a little before you toss it again. Those crisp grains are the reason to press the rice at all.

Finish With the Eggs and Soy Sauce

Return the scrambled eggs to the skillet, pour in the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and toss everything together until it’s evenly coated and hot through. Taste, add a splash more soy if it needs it, and serve while the cashews are still crunchy.

Recipe Notes and Expert Tips

Cold rice is the line between fried rice and mush. Day-old is best, but a fresh batch spread thin and chilled for thirty minutes will get you there in a pinch.

I keep the heat high and give the food room. When I double the recipe I cook it in two batches rather than crowd the pan, because a full pan steams the rice instead of frying it.

Canned pineapple carries more liquid than fresh, and that extra liquid is the most common reason a batch turns out wet, so dry it well before it goes in.

Don’t skip pressing the rice into the pan. Letting it sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes is what gives you those slightly crisp grains.

Season at the very end. Because the soy sauce is low-sodium, you can add a little, taste, and add more, which beats salting early and overshooting.

For a bit more depth you can toast the cashews in a dry pan for a couple of minutes before they go in, though the recipe works fine with them raw as the card is written.

Recipe Variations

Leave the chicken out for a vegetarian version and add a third beaten egg or some cubed tofu so the plate still fills you up. I haven’t tested that swap here, though it changes neither the timing nor the method.
Peanuts stand in nicely for the cashews, or you can leave the nuts out altogether for a nut-free plate. Neither version is one I’ve tested in this recipe, but the change touches nothing else about it.
A squeeze of sriracha or a few slices of fresh red chili at the end will give it some heat. That’s an untested addition, but it only adds heat and leaves the method alone.
For a seafood or pork night, cooked shrimp or diced cooked pork can take the chicken’s place; that one hasn’t been tested here either, so stir it in near the end just to warm through, since it’s already cooked.

How to Store Leftovers

Get leftovers into the fridge within two hours of cooking, or within one hour if your kitchen is warmer than 90°F. Cooked rice shouldn’t sit out to cool completely first, so don’t leave the pan on the stove for long. In an airtight container, the fried rice keeps for 3 to 4 days at or below 40°F, and it reheats best in a hot skillet with a splash of water until it’s steaming and hot all the way through, to 165°F. To freeze, pack it into flat portions and freeze for up to three to four months for the best texture, then thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating. Cooking ahead is a little different from storing leftovers: for a head start, cook the rice a day early and keep it cold until you fry, which is exactly the rice this recipe wants anyway.

What to Serve With Pineapple Fried Rice

Because the rice is sweet, savory, and filling on its own, it does best next to something light and fresh. A crisp cucumber salad with a rice-vinegar dressing, a bowl of steamed edamame, or a light miso soup each balances it without piling on more richness. For a bigger spread, spring rolls or a few dumplings round it out. Save a second heavy, saucy dish for another night, since this plate already covers a lot of ground.

FAQs

How many calories are in pineapple fried rice?

The recipe card puts it at about 537 calories per serving, based on six servings. That figure is an automatic estimate, so it moves with the brands you use and any changes you make, like adding extra chicken or leaving out the cashews.

Can I use a rice other than basmati?

Jasmine or another long-grain white rice stands in fine for the basmati here. What matters is less the variety and more that the rice is chilled rather than freshly cooked and warm.

Can I make pineapple fried rice without a wok?

You don’t need one. A large skillet over high heat does the job, which is exactly what this recipe calls for. Get the pan good and hot, and don’t crowd it, so the rice fries rather than steams.

More Easy Asian-Inspired Dinners to Try at Home

If this one earns a spot in your rotation, here are a few more weeknight dinners in the same vein.

Beef Bulgogi brings the same sweet-and-savory balance, here as thin slices of beef seared in a soy and sesame marinade.
Chow Mein is the noodle answer to a takeout night, with stir-fried vegetables in a savory sauce.
Kung Pao Chicken turns chicken and vegetables out in a spicy, savory sauce in about 30 minutes.
Spicy Coconut Ramen is for a brothier night, with noodles in a creamy, chili-spiked coconut broth.
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs get seared and then baked until they’re sticky and glazed in honey, garlic, and soy.