PINEAPPLE CHICKEN FRIED RICE

SERVES 4 to 6

This recipe is so nostalgic to me. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 17, and soon found the cutest little Thai hole-in-the-wall down the street with the best pineapple fried rice I’d ever had (I love pineapple!). I would buy a large to-go container and ration it out for three days. Years later and miles from my favorite Thai spot, I finally tried my hand at making it at home. Success! I still make it for my family, but only when Stephen isn’t home, because he doesn’t like warm pineapple. Oh well, more for me!

Don’t be dissuaded by the long ingredient list—this recipe comes together very quickly. For that reason, you should have all of your ingredients prepped and at the ready before you start cooking.

Fried rice is an excellent way to use up bits and bobs in your fridge; you should feel free to add other vegetables you have on hand (grated carrots, chopped mushrooms, spinach) or use different cooked protein in place of the chicken (leftover steak or pork would be great).

This is best made with rice that’s at least one day old; it’s drier and absorbs the seasonings better. If you don’t have leftover rice, you can cook a batch of rice, then spread it out on a rimmed sheet pan and leave it to cool and dry for at least an hour before frying it up.

3 tablespoons canola oil

½ medium yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cup frozen green peas

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 large eggs, beaten

3 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is fine)

¼ cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or coconut aminos)

2 teaspoons curry powder (I like Betapac brand)

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Finely sliced green onions and chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until just starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pineapple and peas and cook until the peas have begun to thaw, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Push the vegetables off to one side of the pan and add the beaten eggs to the empty side. Stir the eggs with a rubber spatula until scrambled, then transfer the vegetables and eggs to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and return to medium-high heat. Add the rice, chicken, raisins, soy sauce, curry powder, sambal, and salt and cook, stirring, until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the rice starts to brown slightly on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Return the vegetable-egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, until rewarmed and incorporated into the rice, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a large platter and garnish with sliced green onions and cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve hot.