Trader Joe’s Tuesday: One-Skillet Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin and Rice with Roasted Peaches

Oh baby, this one-skillet meal is a new favorite around here! Mattis (17 months old) devoured every single component of this meal with such GLEE! So many audible “mmmmm”s! George (34 years old) went back for THIRDS!!! The “Island Soyaki” sauce is at the center of this recipe’s flavor, but you can use a teriyaki sauce from any grocery store in its place!

It’s summertime, so I wrote this recipe using peaches, but I will 100% be using the pre-sliced pineapple spears from Trader Joe’s when peaches are out of season.

The most important thing: your rice will cook in more or less time depending on the type of rice you use, your oven’s exact temperature, how tight your skillet lid (or aluminum foil) is, etc. Just keep cooking until it’s tender. When writing this recipe I read so many reviews for baked rice from people who had “crunchy rice” – but just don’t accept crunchy rice, guys! Add a splash of chicken stock if you need to, and just KEEP COOKING until it’s tender! Don’t worry, your pork won’t overcook, it’s already been removed from the skillet by this point. Even if it gets cold, you can just throw it in with the hot rice at the end and it will re-warm.

Got it?! Off you go! One-Skillet Teriyaki bliss coming your way.

Update: a few people have found this dish too salty when using “Very Teriyaki” marinade. If using Very Teriyaki, only use 3/4 cup and add 3/4 cup water. Also be sure to buy low-sodium chicken stock!

One-Skillet Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin and Rice with Roasted Peaches

Servings 2 people with leftovers (if serving 4+ people, see notes below)

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• 12-inch skillet, Dutch oven, or braiser, preferably with a lid

Ingredients

• 1 (1 to 1 1/2 pound)  pork tenderloin
• Kosher salt
• Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper  (or regular black pepper)
• 2 tbsp  olive oil, divided
• 1 large  vidalia onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/4  cups  Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki Marinade
• 1 cup  low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup  jasmine rice 
• 1 fresh basil spring
• 2 peaches, cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges
• 1/3  cup thinly sliced basil

Substitutions:

• Pork tenderloin:  you can make this with bone-in chicken thighs instead! Just cook skin-side-up and don’t let the skin submerge below the liquid or it will get soggy.
• Lemon pepper:  regular pepper is fine, but I love lemon pepper!
• Olive oil:  any cooking oil. Avocado, grapeseed, etc.
• Vidalia onion:  yellow or red onion, or two shallots.
• Island Soyaki Marinade:  “Veri Veri Teriyaki” is a brand that you can find at most standard grocery stores!
• Chicken stock:  just use water!
• Jasmine rice:  basmati or sushi rice.Basil sprig: I don’t like dried basil, so I suggest just omitting this if you don’t have access to fresh herbs. Cilantro would be great!
• 2 peaches: the pre-cut pineapple spears at Trader Joe’s would also be awesome here! Don’t dice them up, add the full spears over top the rice! Nectarines would also be tasty. Or, skip the fruit entirely and add a bag of snap peas to the rice after you remove the pork tenderloin. They cook quickly so they’ll only need that final 10 minutes.
• Basil:  cilantro or omit.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Season a 1 to 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, patted dry, with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper. Allow to come to room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes. Use this time to prep the rest of your ingredients!
• Preheat a 10 to 12 inch skillet or Dutch oven for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the pork tenderloin (make sure it’s straight, not curled up). Sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip the pork and add 1 large onion, sliced around either side of it. If your skillet is dry, drizzle the second tablespoon of olive oil over the onions. 
• Season the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté while the pork sears.
• When you’ve seared both sides of the pork, transfer it to the cutting board.
• Stir 1 cup Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki Marinade, 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, 1 cup jasmine rice, and 1 fresh basil sprig into the skillet with the onion. Nestle the seared pork tenderloin into the rice.
• Cover with a lid, or tightly with aluminum foil if you don’t have a lid, and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven and transfer pork tenderloin to a cutting board. Don’t slice it until the rice has finished cooking! It needs time to rest so that the juices can redistribute throughout the meat, making it perfectly juicy and tender.
• Scatter 2 sliced peaches over the rice. re-cover the skillet, and return to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Don’t stop cooking until the rice is tender! All rices and ovens are different, yours might need more or less time! That’s ok! Just keep cooking until it’s perfect. If you need to add more liquid, all good! 
• Taste for seasoning. I didn’t add any salt to the rice because it had plenty from the chicken stock and Island Soyaki, but you might need some!
• Slice the pork tenderloin, place it over the rice, and sprinkle 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil over top. Enjoy immediately!

• 1 (1 to 1 1/2 pound)  pork tenderloin
• Kosher salt
• Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper  (or regular black pepper)
• 2 tbsp  olive oil, divided
• 1 large  vidalia onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/4  cups  Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki Marinade
• 1 cup  low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup  jasmine rice 
• 1 fresh basil spring
• 2 peaches, cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges
• 1/3  cup thinly sliced basil

Substitutions:

• Pork tenderloin:  you can make this with bone-in chicken thighs instead! Just cook skin-side-up and don’t let the skin submerge below the liquid or it will get soggy.
• Lemon pepper:  regular pepper is fine, but I love lemon pepper!
• Olive oil:  any cooking oil. Avocado, grapeseed, etc.
• Vidalia onion:  yellow or red onion, or two shallots.
• Island Soyaki Marinade:  “Veri Veri Teriyaki” is a brand that you can find at most standard grocery stores!
• Chicken stock:  just use water!
• Jasmine rice:  basmati or sushi rice.Basil sprig: I don’t like dried basil, so I suggest just omitting this if you don’t have access to fresh herbs. Cilantro would be great!
• 2 peaches: the pre-cut pineapple spears at Trader Joe’s would also be awesome here! Don’t dice them up, add the full spears over top the rice! Nectarines would also be tasty. Or, skip the fruit entirely and add a bag of snap peas to the rice after you remove the pork tenderloin. They cook quickly so they’ll only need that final 10 minutes.
• Basil:  cilantro or omit.

Notes

• Be SURE to use low-sodium chicken stock. If you can’t find it, use water instead! Otherwise, this dish will be too salty.
   
• If serving 4+ people, use at least a 12” skillet and make 2 pork tenderloins. Increase the rice to 1 1/2 cups, but only increase the Island Soyaki to 1 1/2 cups and the chicken stock to 1 1/2 cups. Add one extra peach and you’ll be good to go!

Author: Caroline Chambers