Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

My friend Melissa has been raving about these Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice since the first time she made them. I was hemming and hawing about making them (it's been a long time since I last cooked pork chops) but I finally bit the bullet and I'm so glad I did.

Sadly, I couldn't find bone-in pork chops in my supermarket. They didn't even have them in the meat case. I'm not sure why - they had bone-in chicken breasts - but no bone-in pork chops. I ended up pounding the boneless chops out to an even thickness and just cooked them for less time. The key to fried rice is to cook the rice the night before. Every other time I've tried to make the rice the same day it clumps together and is totally unappealing. This was perfect - each grain stayed separate. Don't skip that step. It takes some planning ahead but it's well worth it.

This was a great dish and the leftovers were even better the next day.

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice
Very slightly modified from Alosha's Kitchen, who adapted it from Pioneer Woman

1 large can pineapple chunks, drained
4 cups white rice, cooked the previous day and chilled overnight (from 1 1/3 cups dry)
4 boneless pork chops, about 1 1/2" thick
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, sliced
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 1/3 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons soy sauce (additional)

Saute the pineapple chunks over high heat in a non-stick or cast iron skillet until they start to brown. Set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium high heat in a large deep skillet. Add the pork chops to the pan. Sear on both sides until they're golden brown. Add the sliced onions and work them into the spaces between the chops. Let them cook for about 5 minutes.

When the onions are soft, add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and chili garlic sauce. Stir the sauce around, and let it cook for another 5 minutes, until the pork chops are completely cooked and the sauce is thicker. Remove the pork chops to a bowl, then let the sauce simmer for another 30 to 45 seconds. Pour the sauce over the pork chops, then cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Add the other 1/2 tablespoon oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and sauté for 2 minutes, until just soft. Add the garlic and stir it around, then add the eggs and immediately stir them to scramble. Add the peas and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Add the cooked rice then gently stir in the cooked pineapple chunks. Mix everything together.

To serve, pile some of the rice on a plate, then top with a pork chop and onions. Drizzle a little bit of sauce over the top.