Saucy Chicken & Pineapple fried rice

This dinner was really delicious! All the kids (and husband) had clean plates, which is always a good sign. It would work just as well with pork, which I plan to try soon. If you are making this for children, use tomato sauce in the sauce recipe, if it is for adults use some sort of hot sauce/chilli sauce. Re-using the same pan to brown the chicken, make the sauce & fry the rice means you keep all the lovely meat juices and flavour in the meal.

Serves 4

8 chicken thighs (or 4 large pork chops)
Salt & pepper
Oil/butter for frying
1 large onion (I used red) sliced
6 tblsp soy sauce
2 tblsp honey
1 tblsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup or chilli sauce

2 cups of cooked rice (cooled down)
1 tin of pineapple
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup of frozen sweetcorn
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 eggs
1 tbsp soy sauce (in addition to the above)

Preheat the oven to 190c.

In a large frying pan, heat 9medium/high) your oil/butter until it is shimmering in the pan. Season the chicken thighs, then add skin side down to the frying pan. Allow them to brown for 5 minutes, without moving them. This allows the skin to crisp up nicely. Turn them over & cook the underside for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large roasting tray.

In the same pan, add the onions & fry until softened. Add the soy sauce, honey, red wine vinegar and tomato/chilli sauce and allow to simmer for 4/5 minutes. Pour the whole lot over the chicken pieces, then pop into the oven.

Again, using the same pan, add a tiny bit of oil and scrap all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan - keep these, they add flavour! Add the garlic & stir fry quickly for 1 minute. Crack the eggs into the pan & scramble straight away. Now add your frozen vegetables and pineapple. Fry until the veg has defrosted, then add the rice. Stir fry the whole lot together until the rice is thoroughly heated through.

 Spoon the rice into bowl, place 2 chicken thighs on top and then pour the sticky sauce & onions over the top. Serve whilst hot.