Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (2024)

By Kim Hardesty

Seasoned Mexican pork chops recipe topped with a tasty (chile) chili verde sauce cooks in one pan in minutes. Serve with Mexican green beans and a cheesy cauliflower mash for the ultimate low carb Mexican food meal!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (1)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

I recently visited my brother and his family in Texas. There’s a Mexican grocery near his house which he swears has the best meat in town, for the best prices. One of his favorite purchases is Mexican style pork chops or chuletas de puerco (chuletas de cerdo). The Mexican pork chops are thinly sliced bone-in pork chops that cook up in minutes. He fries them in a pan and claims they taste like bacon (I think they taste like pork chops).

Mexican Pork Chops with Chile Verde Sauce and Cotija Cheese

Unless you’re from New Mexico, you may not be familiar with chile verde which is a stew made from roasted green peppers (specifically Hatch green chiles) and pork. It’s a bit thinner in consistency than the typical stew and often ladled over other dishes as a condiment. I love it served in a bowl and topped with an egg, ladled over chicken enchiladas or served in a tortilla as a soft taco. It’s delicious.

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (2)

This Mexican pork chops recipe is a version of chile verde. Instead of stewing the pork with the green chile peppers, I cooked the pork chops in a pan and then made a quick chile verde sauce to spoon over the pork chops. I found thin-cut, bone-in pork chops at my grocery store but substitute boneless pork chops if you'd prefer. Just make sure to pound them to ½ inch thickness so they cook quickly. I suggest to butterfly them before pounding.

If you haven’t noticed, this is a low carb recipe. Yes, you can have low carb Mexican food while watching your carbs. I stick with more traditional Mexican recipes that don’t require tortillas or rice, but you can always find substitutes for your favorite things. I often use low carb tortillas for soft tacos and cauliflower rice in place of Mexican rice. This time I made a meal of chile verde pork chops, Mexican green beans and cheesy cauliflower mash. It was delicious. I'm sure you'll love it, too.

For an interesting shrimp chile verde recipe check out this great appetizer on Beauty and the Foodie.

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce is 3 net carbs per serving.

(This post and recipe may contain affiliate links.)

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (3)

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce

Seasoned Mexican pork chop recipe topped with a tasty (chile) chili verde sauce cooks in one pan in minutes. Serve with Mexican green beans and a cheesy cauliflower mash for the ultimate low carb Mexican food meal!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chili verde, green chili

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 232kcal

Ingredients

Seasoning Rub

  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon powdered cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chile powder
  • teaspoon black pepper

Chile Verde Sauce Ingredients

  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup salsa verde, I like Herdez (or 4 oz diced green chiles with liquid)*
  • ½ teaspoon chicken base
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Optional Ingredients

  • water if needed
  • 2 tablespoon *cilantro if using diced green chiles
  • Cotija cheese for garnish (or feta)

Instructions

Preparation

  • Remove pork chops from the refrigerator to come to room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Mix seasonings. Chop onions, mince garlic, and finely chop cilantro if using canned chiles or as an additional garnish. Crumble Cotija cheese if using.

Method:

  • Rub about 1 ½ teaspoon of oil over both surfaces of the pork chops and sprinkle sprinkle with seasoning. Rub the seasoning into the meat for good adhesion.

  • Place a large pan over medium heat and allow it to get very hot. Add 1 ½ teaspoon of oil, swirling to coat the pan. Put the pork chops in the pan being careful not to crowd them. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip. Cook for three minutes more and remove to a plate. Tent with a piece of foil to keep warm.

  • Add the onion and garlic to the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Saute until they begin to become transluscent, about 1 minute. If they aren't softening, add 1-2 tablespoon water to help them along. Add the chicken base and stir into the onions and garlic.

  • Measure the salsa verde (or can of green chiles) into the pan and add the juices from the pork. Scrape-up any browned bits in the pan. (If you used canned chiles, add the cilantro now). Simmer the sauce until thickened but still spoonable. Taste to adjust seasoning. (Alternately, return the pork to the pan and simmer gently as the sauce thickens.)

Serve:

  • Place a pork chop on a serving plate and top with ¼ of the chile verde sauce. Garnish with cilantro (or fresh oregano) and crumbled Cojita cheese. Serves 4.

Notes

Nutrition Facts

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 232Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Sodium 352mg15%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Protein 15g30%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 352mg

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (4)

New Mexico Green Chile Pork Stew (Chile Verde)

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (5)

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (6)

Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops

More Low Carb Keto Dinner Recipes

  • Keto Teriyaki Salmon
  • Keto Teriyaki Shrimp Skewers (Kabobs)
  • Keto Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
  • Keto Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
FREE EMAIL BONUS

How to Love Your Low Carb Keto Diet

Secrets, tips & recipes to keep you on track!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. caroline k

    My whole family loved this, including my very particular 10 year old daughter, who doesn't usually like most meats! She had seconds and it blew me away. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Kim Hardesty

      I am so happy to hear this, Caroline! Kids can be particular and can feel like you've won the lottery when you find something they like. Yay! Have a nice week. -Kim

      Reply

  2. Kelly

    I made this and it is absolutely delicious! Saved the recipe and will use again, actually teach my hubby how to make.

    Reply

    • Kim

      I'm so glad that you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Kelly. It's so easy that I'm sure you husband will learn it very easily. Thanks for your nice comment and for rating the recipe. Have a great weekend. -Kim

      Reply

  3. Sam

    I made this for my GF. It was easy and tasted great. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Kim

      Great, Sam. I'm happy you liked it. -Kim

      Reply

  4. Bill

    Really would love to have that green bean recipe that you suggest as an accompaniment...hint, hint

    thanks

    Reply

    • Kim

      Hi, Bill. I didn't like the photos. I plan to reshoot several recipes this weekend and post them next week. Thanks for checking up on the recipe. -Kim

      Reply

  5. Deborah

    Planned to grill pork chops and decided to merge the two and use your chile verde for a topping as I had the right ingredients. WOW. So good. Used feta for the cheese as I did not have the cotija. Was delicious. Great recipe Kim.

    Reply

    • Kim

      Sounds like a delicious meal, Deborah. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a great weekend. -Kim

      Reply

  6. Adina

    Such a great looking dish! I know almost nothing about Mexican food, well except the obvious things like tortillas or burritos, there just isn't anything related to Mexico around here, so sad! Should I try this recipe, I will have to make salsa verde myself I suppose, that is also something unavailable here. Oh, I am hungry!

    Reply

    • Kim

      Thank you, Adina. You could absolutely make a salsa verde with roasted green peppers. Homemade would taste even better! Have a great day. -Kim

      Reply

Mexican Pork Chops Recipe with (Chile) Chili Verde Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to juicy pork chops? ›

How to Keep Pork Chops from Drying Out? Brine Them! After you bring your pork chops home, time to brine! Brining pork chops is one of the best ways way to guarantee a juicy cooked pork chop.

What is the difference between chili verde and green chili? ›

In Spanish, chili verde means “green chili” and refers to the fruit people often use to give heat to dishes they are cooking. So, on the one hand, chili verde is an ingredient. On the other hand, green chili is a complete dish with which many people are familiar.

What is chile verde sauce made of? ›

Walk into almost any taqueria in this country and you will find chile verde on the menu. The chile will likely be made with chunks of pork shoulder, slow cooked in a green chile sauce of jalapeño chiles, garlic, and tomatillos.

How to thicken chile verde sauce? ›

To thicken the chili, in a bowl mix together the masa harina with 2 table spoons of the chili liquid. Stir this back into the pot, along with the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro and the lime juice. Cook until the chili has thickened, 10 more minutes. Serve with sour cream and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Is it better to bake or pan fry pork chops? ›

While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.

What is the best way to cook pork chops so they are not dry? ›

Try a Marinade or Brine. A marinade or brine can introduce more moisture or lots of flavor into your meat before you cook it. A marinade is a sauce that introduces extra flavor to your pork, depending on the aromatics or herbs you choose to include. A brine pulls more moisture into the meat, which keeps your pork juicy ...

Is green chili a Mexican thing? ›

Green chile pork is a dish that originated in Mexico. It's known by a number of names including puerco con chile verde, chile verde con cerdo, cerdo en salsa verde, and carne de puerco en salsa verde.

Is green enchilada sauce the same as chili verde? ›

The main difference between green enchilada sauce (verde sauce) and salsa verde is that enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce also requires liquid (either stock or water), but salsa verde ingredients are simply blended together and eaten as is.

Is verde sauce the same as enchilada sauce? ›

There are two main differences between green enchilada sauce and salsa verde. Enchilada sauce is cooked, while salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce is thinned out with a liquid (usually stock or water), while salsa verde is simply chopped or puréed vegetables and peppers.

Why did Taco Bell stop using verde sauce? ›

The Short and Spicy Answer

Taco Bell decided to discontinue the green sauce due to changes in their menu and customer preferences. They often update their menu, adding new flavors and removing less popular items to keep things exciting. But don't worry, green sauce lovers!

When did they discontinue verde sauce? ›

Taco Bell took salsa verde off its menu in 2016.

What to eat with chile verde? ›

I like to serve chile verde with warm flour tortillas, a side of beans and authentic Mexican rice.

How to thicken chili verde without cornstarch? ›

Cornstarch isn't the only way to thicken chili. You can also use flour, cornmeal, or masa harina as a cornstarch substitute.

Does tomato paste thicken chili? ›

Not only will tomato paste add a tangy flavor to the dish, but it will also act as a thickening agent. For this purpose, you can use homemade or store-bought tomato paste. Add 1 can of the paste to your pot of chili, stir the mixture, and let it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

How do you make pork soft and tender? ›

To tenderize pork before cooking it, try breaking up the tough muscle by hitting it with a meat mallet evenly across the surface of the meat. Then, if you want your pork to be extra tender, you can marinate it in a tenderizing marinade made with acids, like citrus juices, vinegar, or wine.

What do you soak pork chops in before cooking? ›

Combine water, salt, and any additional seasonings in a large container. Stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Soak the pork chops in the brine solution, making sure they're fully coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Does soaking pork chops in salt water make them tender? ›

A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Golda Nolan II

Last Updated:

Views: 5951

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Golda Nolan II

Birthday: 1998-05-14

Address: Suite 369 9754 Roberts Pines, West Benitaburgh, NM 69180-7958

Phone: +522993866487

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Shopping, Quilting, Cooking, Homebrewing, Leather crafting, Pet

Introduction: My name is Golda Nolan II, I am a thoughtful, clever, cute, jolly, brave, powerful, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.