Spicy Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Salsa is a delicious and impressive dish!
I am super excited to finally post a pork chop recipe, and this Spicy Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Salsa will not disappoint!
And by spicy I mean flavorful, not hot.
My daughter loves pork chops, probably because she gets tired of always eating chicken.
We eat a ton of chicken, a little bit of beef, and little bit of pork.
I adapted this recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, where she uses this marinade on pork tenderloin.
She also has the apple salsa recipe that is from Cooking Light, that I found on myrecipes.
So, I thought I would credit them for the apple salsa.
Cooking Light has many healthy and delicious recipes, and they always come out really good.
Some of them are way better than I even expected them to be.
This is a beautiful dish and it tastes so good!
It is so flavorful and super quick, just a couple of minutes per side on the grill.
I make the marinade, score the fat on the chops, and marinade the meat while I make the salsa. It really comes together fast.
Speaking of scoring the fat on the chops; the picture below shows how to cut the fat on the edge of the pork chops.
You could cut the fat off completely, but I like the flavor it gives them.
So, you just use a very sharp knife and cut through the fat, just to the meat.
I’ll admit, sometimes I cut into the meat a little, and that is okay.
When I was first learning to cook I made pork chops and I didn’t know anything about scoring the fat.
Well, when the fat shrinks it makes the meat go into an odd shape, almost like a bowl.
Then all the surface doesn’t touch the pan (or grill) and then it doesn’t cook right, not to mention it isn’t a pretty sight.
I was lucky enough to be at my sister-in-law’s house when she was preparing pork chops and saw her do this.
Such an easy fix, but I am guessing I would have never figured this out on my own (thanks, Janet!).
Even scoring the fat, sometimes chops take on a weird shape when you cook them, so sometimes I use one of those cast iron weights to make sure they stay flat and cook right.
This marinade has cinnamon in it.
I have only used cinnamon in savory cooking a few times, but I find it gives the dish such depth of flavor.
To me, it really makes it seem like a gourmet dish.
For a different type of recipe using cinnamon in a savory way, check out this Skillet Beef Tagine with Spiralized Butternut Squash.
It is a quick and delicious dish that I found on myrecipes (also from Cooking Light) that I adapted to be quicker.
These Super Easy Pan Fried Fresh Green Beans or Super Easy Pan Fried Fresh Brussels Sprouts would be a healthy, quick and easy vegetable to go with these Spicy Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Salsa.
Spicy Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Salsa
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 thin cut pork chops
For the salsa:
- 2 apples I used Gala
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper
- 1/8 cup red onion
- 1 small jalapeno
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley I prefer parsley over cilantro, but cilantro is popular in salsa
- 1/3 cup freshly squeazed lime juice
- 1 tablespooon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
I earn a small commission from Instacart for qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350° - 400°.
- Mix olive oil, chili powder, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
- Score fat on pork chops. Place pork chops and marinade in a zip top bag, let marinade while you make the salsa.
- Chop apples, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro and place in a medium bowl, stir in lime juice, honey, salt and pepper.
- Remove chops from marinade and discard leftovers. Grill chops about 2 minutes per side. Serve with Apple Salsa.
Notes
Follow us on social media!!
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram |Twitter
Pin this image for later!!
The pork chops are very juicy and tender…perfectly grilled, Mindy.
Thanks, Angie!
Sounds delish! Agree 100% w/cinnamon bringing an extra depth of flavor to savory dishes… Nutmeg too.
Ooh, I’m going to have to look into that nutmeg thing. Thanks!