South of the Border Pork Chops

boneless pork chops and rice on a white plate

Full confession – I’ve not been a fan of pork chops for most of my life, until recently.  Growing up if pork chops were on the dinner docket – it was most likely Shake ‘n Bake and overcooked.  So – not a fan.  Plus, I was never a big fan of chops in general – I thought they were fatty and the bone kind of freaked me out.  Fast forward to now and I’m a big fan.  And as if someone were catering to me, pork chops are now thin cut and even boneless – for which this recipes calls.

Not having the bone allows you to pound them even thinner and possibly do a Milanese flare or even a Pork Parmigiana – which is what I thought I was going to do, when I decided to take a turn south…like to Mexico.  Instead of a marinara, why not salsa? And toss in some tortilla chips for a little extra crunch.  Give this a try!

Directions

Serves:  3-4
Time:  30 minutes

1 ½ pounds boneless thin cut pork chops (about 4-5 chops)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbs red wine vinegar (separated)
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup corn meal
3 tbs olive oil
½ cup jarred salsa (use whatever kind you like)
½ red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, minced (I left the ribs and seeds in, but if you don’t like it too spicy, remove them)
1 can Rotel (tomatoes and chiles)
2 tsp Tajin
1 tsp sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
A generous handful of corn tortilla chips, crushed, and another reserved for serving
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups cooked Jasmine rice

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Trim the pork chops to remove any excess fat.  Arrange on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap.  Using a mallet or heavy frying pan, pound to about ¼” thickness.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In shallow wide dish (think pie plate), beat two eggs with 1 tbs red wine vinegar.  In another pie plate, combine the breadcrumbs and corn meal until well mixed.

Meanwhile, prepare the onions, garlic, and jalapeño by chopping and mincing.  Set aside.

chopped red onion and jalapeño on a cutting board

In a sauce pot with tight fitting container, prepare the rice according to package directions.  Typically, the rice should take about 20 minutes, which should be about when the pork is finished.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat; add 2 tbs olive oil.  One at a time, dip a chop into the egg mixture, then dredge in the bread crumb/corn meal mixture and place into the skillet.  Cook until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes) and then flip.

boneless pork chops fying on the stovetop

While the second side fries, add the jarred salsa to the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish until it coats the bottom.  When the second side of the chops are done, place them in the dish.  Set aside.

Wipe out the skillet and add one more tbs olive oil.  Bring the pan back up to medium high heat and add the onions, peppers, and garlic.  Allow them to cook for about 1-2 minutes.  Add the Rotel and 1 tbs red wine vinegar.  Cook for another 5 minutes or so.  Add Tajin and sugar, plus salt and pepper to taste.  After a total of about 7 minutes, the sauce (or your own salsa) should be thickened.  Add a handful of crushed tortilla chips and mix.

homemade salsa cooking on the stovetop

Spoon some of the sauce over each pork chop, reserving about ¼ cup.  Top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes.

South of the Border pork chops going into the oven

Combine the reserved ¼ cup sauce with the rice and serve with the chops.  Top with a final flourish of crushed tortilla chips.  I also splashed some jalapeño sauce for a final garnish – but that’s totally optional.

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A great day for me is preparing great meals for friends and family. I enjoy experimenting with new ingredients and also updating classics that I've enjoyed for years. I love to travel and try lots of new cuisines - and wouldn't be anything without the love of my family!

One thought on “South of the Border Pork Chops

  1. I don’t usually like pork chops. I find them too dry and tough. I’m going to give this a try. I’ll let you know how it comes out.

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