Pineapple Cashew Chicken Fried Rice

Inspired by a local Thai restaurant, this quick and easy fried rice dish, packed with pineapple, green onions, raisins, cashews and chicken, is a dinner-time hit

Credit: Catherine Roscoe Barr

Make tasty Thai pineapple cashew chicken fried rice in a snap

Fresh, bursting with flavour, and surprisingly easy to make, this healthy Thai dinner will delight

This dish was inspired by one of our favourite Thai restaurants, Papaya Hut in Kitsilano. The combination of crunchy green onions and cashews, juicy pineapple, sweet raisins, and seasoned chicken is out of this world – and aside from a little bit of prep work, it’s really quick and easy to make.

I never, under any circumstance, cook with any other rice than brown. It’s so much better for you, so health trumps tradition in my recipes.

It didn’t seem weird until I was on the flip side, but I didn’t have fresh pineapple (only out of a can) until I was married! Now I can’t imagine going back to canned.

The only time I ever use canned pineapple anymore is for my carrot cake with cream cheese icing recipe, the absolute best carrot cake recipe on planet earth, care of the fabulous foodies at Canadian Living.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
  • 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 white onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 pineapple, chopped
  • 2 tbsp raisins
  • 1/4 cup cashews

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl or resealable bag, combine chicken, chili sauce, soy sauce and garlic. Let marinate for 1 to 24 hours.
  2. In large wok, heat half of oil over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook chicken just until it’s no longer pink inside, and remove to clean, covered bowl.
  4. Add remaining oil to wok and add white onion, cooking until it starts to become translucent, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add brown rice, stirring constanly, then add remaining ingredients and cook for 2 more minutes.
  6. Add chicken back to wok, stirring until everything is evenly combined and chicken is hot.
  7. Serve immediately.