Sweet and Spicy Low-Carb Thai Fried Rice

Sweet and Spicy Low-Carb Thai Fried Rice

Everyone loves a good fried rice recipe. What’s not to love, really? Slightly crisp rice, salty, savory flavors, tender veggies, and often a bit of protein for good measure. If you’re a fried rice lover, prepare to have your tastebuds blown away by this sweet and spicy Thai fried rice!

So, what's the difference between traditional Chinese fried rice and Thai fried rice? And how do we make fried rice that's low-carb and guilt-free? We'll get to all that! First, let's explore your new favorite keto-friendly Thai fried rice!

Thai Fried Rice Versus Chinese Fried Rice

Fried rice is a beloved dish throughout many different Asian cultures. The dish originated in China and goes back as far as the Sui dynasty of 589-618 CE. Throughout Chinese history, rice itself was a mealtime staple. Many people enjoyed rice with meats, fish, and vegetables.

Traditionally fried rice is a way to use up leftovers. In other words, when there’s a delicious stir-fry or steamed vegetable and meat dish for dinner one day, the next day, it might be reheated with a bit of oil in a wok. Stir-frying the rice is a great way to heat it back up and enjoy the ingredients twice.

Often fried rice is heavily seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and aromatics. These additions (along with oil and egg) help it become a brand-new dish—one that tastes fresh and interesting.

Now, throughout China, variations of the popular dish evolved. Some regions preferred to add chopped meat, including pork or chicken. Other places added additional vegetables, spices, and occasionally shrimp. Eventually, the dish spread to other Asian countries, including Thailand.

So what’s the difference between Chinese fried rice and Thai fried rice? Thai fried rice, also known as khao phat, is very popular throughout Thailand (and in many Thai restaurants in the United States). The main difference between Thai fried rice and Chinese fried rice is the addition of basil in Thai rice.

Thai fried rice is often a little sweeter as well because instead of traditional long-grain rice, cooks often use jasmine rice. But today, in our version, we’re going to give it a low-carb twist that still captures all the flavors of Thai fried rice without the carbs.

Most Thai fried rice includes popular Thai seasonings, including ginger and chili. Bean sprouts are frequently included in Thai food, along with fresh tropical flavors—often lime or coconut.

If all this sounds delicious, you are correct! It’s crave-worthy and amazing! Unfortunately, when you go to most restaurants, you’re going to get a dish that’s heavy on carbs, sodium, sugar, and oil. When you make our version at home, you can enjoy healthy Thai fried rice with all the sweet and spicy flavors you love and nothing to feel bad about.

How Did We Make Low-Carb Sweet and Spicy Thai Fried Rice?

There are two secrets to our low-carb Thai fried rice recipe. The first is pineapple. Although pineapple in Thai fried rice is somewhat common, we feel like it’s the perfect way to get the citrusy, tropical brightness that comes with this dish. Pineapple offers a bit of sweetness but doesn’t add too many carbs to the dish.

If you're following keto, you should still check the stats on this dish to ensure you don't use enough pineapple to move you out of ketosis. The idea is to sweeten the dish just enough to get the flavor you want while still keeping it diet-friendly.

For other low-carb diets, this dish should be perfect as-is. The pineapple, ginger, and carrot add sweetness, and coconut oil also imparts a subtle tropical flavor. These ingredients pair perfectly with the chicken, basil, chili, and other ingredients we use to make this sweet and spicy Thai fried rice.

Now, the BIG secret to keeping the carb count low here is It’s Skinny Rice. It’s Skinny Rice has ZERO net carbs, only 9 calories per package, and the perfect taste and texture to go with this dish. You’ll be amazed at how well It’s Skinny Rice lightens up all your favorite rice and noodle dishes while letting you keep all the ingredients and flavors that you crave.

It’s Skinny gets those impressive stats from a special ingredient called konjac. Konjac is actually quite popular in Asia but relatively unknown in the United States. It’s a fibrous root vegetable that looks a little like a turnip, potato, or radish.

The special fiber in konjac is amazing. It's called glucomannan, and it's ultra-filling. It helps prevent hunger by keeping your blood sugar steady—no spikes and dips like you get with traditional carbohydrate-heavy rice or pasta.

Konjac also happens to be a pretty perfect pass for pasta (and RICE). The taste is mild, and it takes on the surrounding flavors of the dish. The texture is spot-on and doesn't require major preparation, special cooking, or any time-consuming activities. Instead, you rip open the pack, drain it, and add the noodles or rice to the rest of your ingredients at the end of cooking. It's Skinny heats through in about two minutes and is ready to enjoy. It's that easy.

You can order It’s Skinny in four fantastic varieties:

• Rice
• Spaghetti
• Fettuccine
• Angel Hair

We also offer a variety pack if you’re feeling indecisive. Order some today and get started. We promise It’s Skinny will change your low-carb game.

It’s Skinny is perfect for all kinds of diets. It’s vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and keto-friendly. It’s low-carb, suitable for paleo, and contains just a few ingredients. If you want a great pasta or rice swap, welcome to the It's Skinny family. You've found your answer!

With It’s Skinny, there’s no guilt and no deprivation. You don’t have to give up the foods you used to love! Remake your favorite recipes your way with low-calorie, ZERO net carb It’s Skinny Pasta and Its Skinny Rice. Imagine the “pastabilities.”

Low-Carb Sweet and Spicy Thai Fried Rice: FAQs

So, most cooks have questions, especially when making a new or less-traditional dish. Fortunately for you, we have answers! If you’re wondering about some of the ingredients or customization options for low-carb sweet and spicy Thai fried rice, read on!

Can I use a different protein?

You can use any preferred protein in this dish. Thai food often includes seafood like shrimp, crab, or scallops. All of these would be lovely in this low-carb Thai fried rice. You can omit the chicken entirely if you prefer or include it along with the fish for an extra boost.

Thai fried rice frequently includes pork—ham, or even canned meats like Spam. You can try any of those here if you like. Ground pork would also work well in this version of Thai fried rice.

Could I make this vegetarian? Add different vegetables?

Fried rice is also a great vegetarian option. Unlike some versions of khao phat, our recipe doesn’t include fish sauce. So, if you leave out the chicken, it’s automatically vegetarian. If you’d like to add tofu or another vegetarian protein, choose any you prefer.

As for increasing the veggies in this dish—the sky is the limit! Remember that fried rice is traditionally a way to use up leftovers. So if you have a vegetable languishing in your fridge, you could definitely add it to this dish. Red or green peppers would be delicious; zucchini, spinach, or any other low-carb vegetables should keep the stats similar while allowing you to use up some of those veggies.

How about a noodle bowl?

All of our It’s Skinny Pasta and Rice versions are swappable! If you prefer noodles to rice in this dish, you could mix it up! Make this meal your way! Follow the same instructions—add It’s Skinny near the end of cooking time and sauté along with the final ingredients.

Many Thai dishes use noodles, including our favorite Thai Drunken Noodles, so It’s Skinny Pasta is perfectly appropriate. With It’s Skinny, it’s so easy to customize low-carb meals that you can enjoy experimenting and trying your own takes on our recipes (of course, they’re all delicious as-is, too, so if you’re a rule follower, we won’t judge).

How to Make Low-Carb Sweet and Spicey Thai Fried Rice

Ready to make this craveable dish? It’s a don’t miss—in less than 15 minutes! Whip up some of this sweet and spicy low-carb fried rice today. You won’t be sorry!