Description
Delicious pineapple fried rice combining sweet pineapple chunks, savory ham, colorful vegetables, and perfectly seasoned rice for a quick and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Fried Rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 (8 oz.) ham steak, diced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3/4 cup carrots, julienned and roughly chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups leftover rice
- 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup cashews, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prep Work: Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Drain pineapple chunks thoroughly and cut into smaller pieces if desired. Use paper towels to remove excess moisture. Prepare the remaining ingredients before cooking.
- Scramble the Eggs: Melt butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add whisked eggs and cook, stirring gently, until just set. Remove eggs and set aside.
- Cook Ham: Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced ham and cook for about 3 minutes until edges develop color. Remove ham and turn heat off.
- Deglaze Pan: Add white wine to the skillet and set heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape any browned bits from the pan. Let wine reduce by half over 3-4 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Then add carrots, red bell pepper, and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add Rice and Sauce: Stir in chilled leftover rice and pour in the prepared sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and continuously toss the rice for about 3 minutes until most of the sauce liquid is absorbed.
- Finalize Fried Rice: Reduce heat to medium and fold in cooked ham, pineapple chunks, and scrambled eggs. Toss to combine and heat through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, top fried rice with sliced green onions and chopped cashews, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Use day-old or leftover cold rice for best texture to prevent mushiness and achieve a crispy fried rice.
- If cooking rice fresh, simmer 1 cup long grain white rice in 2 cups chicken broth for 15 minutes, then let stand covered for 10 minutes before using.
- A wide skillet with lots of surface area helps evenly cook rice and vegetables.
- For a lower carb option, substitute cooked cauliflower rice instead of regular rice, cooking it in sauce for about 5 minutes before adding other ingredients.
- Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc work well for the wine; alternatively use chicken broth or a small amount of Chinese cooking wine.
- Remove excess moisture from pineapple chunks by draining and patting dry to keep rice crispy.
- Add shredded green cabbage for extra texture and nutrition, though it will soften the crispiness slightly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat well before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
