Chili Lime Pork Chops with Cilantro Cream

Don't be alarmed by any of the names of the recipes we chose! They may sounds fancy and exotic and expensive, but they are generally quite budget friendly. I found this recipe in the Milk Calendar produced by the Dairy Farmers of Canada and the picture looked great and it sounded tasty-it was even better than we thought it would be! We made this one for the first time several weeks ago and have had it twice since then! So here it is...enjoy!

1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lime zest
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
4 thick (about 1-inch/2.5 cm) boneless pork loin chops
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, divided
1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) 10% half-and-half cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
Pepper
Lime wedgestructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, lime zest and salt; set half aside. Rub remaining chili powder mixture over both sides of pork chops.

In a skillet, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat; sear pork chops for 1 to 2 min per side or until browned; transfer chops to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 12 min or until just a hint of pink remains inside.

Meanwhile, return skillet to medium-low heat and melt remaining butter, swirling to coat. Sauté onion for about 5 min or until softened and starting to brown; add remaining chili powder mixture and sauté for 1 min.

Whisk flour into cream and gradually pour into pan, stirring. Simmer, stirring, for about 3 min or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with pepper. Spoon sauce over rice onto serving plates and top with pork chops; garnish with lime wedges to squeeze over top.

Nutrition Info:

Per serving

Energy: 363 Calories
Protein: 44 g
Carbohydrate: 8 g
Fat: 17 g
Fibre: 1.3 g
Sodium: 369 mg

Top 5 nutrients provided by a serving of this recipe

Nutrient and % DV*

Calcium: 8 % / 88 mg 
Selenium: 131 %
Thiamin: 103 %
Vitamin B6: 85 %
Niacin: 68 %

If you do try this recipe (and we strongly recommend it) let us know what you think and share any of your recipes with us!