Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Fried (Print version)

Tropical pineapple, tender chicken, and colorful vegetables come together in a quick, flavorful fried rice dish.

# Required ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.6 oz), diced
02 - 2 large eggs, beaten

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
06 - 3 green onions, sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Rice

08 - 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled

→ Sauces & Seasonings

09 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
10 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
11 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes, optional

→ Oils

15 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp roasted cashews or macadamia nuts, optional
17 - Extra sliced green onions

# How to make it:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
02 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Pour in beaten eggs, scramble until just set, then push to the side of the pan.
03 - Add minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and sliced green onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add thawed peas, carrots, and fresh diced pineapple. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add chilled jasmine rice, breaking up any clumps. Return cooked chicken to the pan.
06 - Pour in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry everything together for 3 to 4 minutes until well combined and heated through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat.
08 - Garnish with roasted nuts and extra sliced green onions before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table before anyone gets too hungry and cranky.
  • The sweet-savory balance feels a little bit fancy without requiring any fancy skills or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • Leftover rice transforms into something genuinely craveable instead of sad reheated rice.
02 -
  • Day-old refrigerated rice is essential because fresh warm rice has too much moisture and turns into mush when you stir-fry it; if you only have fresh rice, spread it on a sheet pan to cool completely first.
  • Don't skip the high heat for this dish because medium heat will make everything steam rather than fry, which loses that slightly crispy texture that makes fried rice actually good.
  • Taste the dish before serving because soy sauce saltiness varies by brand and you might want more or less depending on your preference and the brands you're using.
03 -
  • Keep your heat high and your ingredients moving because this cooks fast, and anything sitting still in the pan will start to stick or lose its texture.
  • If you can find macadamia nuts for the garnish, they're worth the splurge because their buttery richness feels genuinely luxurious and pairs perfectly with pineapple.
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