Southwest Pork Chops with Mango Salsa and Lime Rice

Sweet and savory come together in this vibrant dish featuring perfectly seared pork chops. A bold Southwest spice rub gives the meat a delicious crust, while a fresh mango salsa adds a bright, tropical contrast. The meal is rounded out with fluffy lime rice and a drizzle of smoky red pepper crema for a restaurant-quality dinner at home.

This recipe is all about layering flavors: the mango appears twice-once in a tangy pan sauce and again in the salsa. It’s a simple yet impressive weeknight meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce MangoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Pork ChopsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1/4 cups water (2 1/4 cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. While rice cooks, drain mango over a small bowl, reserving juice; roughly chop. Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro. Trim and thinly slice scallions. To the bowl with mango juice, stir in Tex-Mex paste, juice from half the lime and 2 TBSP water (3 TBSP for 4 servings).
3. In a medium bowl, combine chopped mango, cilantro, scallions and a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with half the Southwest Spice Blend (all for 4 servings), salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. If seasoning begins to burn before pork is cooked through, reduce heat to medium. Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Wipe out pan.
5. Return pan used for pork to medium-high heat. Add Tex-Mex paste mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice pork crosswise. Divide rice between bowls and top with pork. Drizzle pork with pan sauce, then garnish with mango salsa and smoky red pepper crema. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of rice?

Yes, you can substitute basmati or long-grain white rice, but adjust the water and cooking time according to package directions.

What can I use instead of Tex-Mex paste?

Mix 2 tablespoons tomato paste with 1 teaspoon chili powder and a pinch of cumin as a substitute.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

The components are best fresh, but you can prepare the mango salsa and lime rice a few hours ahead. Cook the pork just before serving.