Tender pork chops reach chef level flavor with spicy jalapeños and the perfect blend of cheese in these cilantro jalapeño pork chops with cheesy cauliflower rice recipe.
The cilantro jalapeño pork chops in this recipe are great to serve alone, with the included cheesy cauliflower rice recipe, or with any side of your choosing.
Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice Recipe Inspiration
The inspiration behind this Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice dish was a keto frozen meal I had recently. I got a hankering for it again, but, of course, could not find it at any of my usual grocery stores. So I set to imitate as best I could remember. I can’t say I necessarily hit the TV dinner exactly, but what I did come up with is pretty darn tasty!
What to Serve with Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
Honestly, this Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice recipe is just fine completely by itself as I have it written. There is your protein (the pork chops) plus your non-starchy veggie (the cauliflower rice). It’s all there and yummy!
However, let’s say you’re not fond of cauliflower rice. You can substitute it with brown rice to transform this dish into a Trim Healthy Mama XO (for Crossover–a blend of fats and carbs). When I serve this to my family, I make myself the cauliflower rice and regular brown rice for everyone else (since hubby and children need more XOs). I LOVE the cauliflower rice with this recipe!
Or you can completely omit the cauliflower rice altogether and instead serve it with a different side dish. Without the cheesy cauli rice, the pork chops are still an S (Satisfying on THM). So you can add any non-starchy veggie side you like. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli (I like to roast our veggies) all work. So would a side salad. These also work as great sides in addition to the cauli rice.
THM Fuel for Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
If you’re following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle (which, by the way, is great for EVERYONE–men, women, kids–not just mamas–as well as anyone trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain their weight while eating a very healthy lifestyle), this recipe as it is is a THM S (S stands for Satisfying, which means fat is the primary fuel source).
If you remove the cauliflower rice (or just remove the cream cheese and shredded cheese from the cauliflower rice), this dish would still be an S because the pork chops themselves are not lean enough to be an FP (Fuel Pull) protein. Plus, the marinade also amps up the fat content (and flavor) a bit more.
If You Want Lighten Up These Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
If you want to make these Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice a lighter (i.e. lower in calories) THM S, you can omit the cream cheese and the shredded cheese from the cauli rice. Or remove the cauli rice and add a different non-starchy side (as discussed above). The cheesey cauli rice tastes AMAZING with the pork chops (it’s a perfect balance of flavor), but sometimes you really need to lean it up a little (especially important if you are somewhere further in your weight loss journey). That’s okay, and it’s still yummy!
Please Let Me Know What You Think!
If you give this recipe a try, please leave me a review! I am a one-woman stay-at-home mom running this website and working hard to provide tasty, Trim Healthy Mama friendly recipes for you and your family to enjoy for free, so any support you can give me (such as sharing this recipe, leaving a review, etc.) helps out my small business tremendously! Thank you!
Cilantro Jalapeño Pork Chops with Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops (boneless or bone in both work)
For Marinade
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and hard ends trimmed
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt
- 1 teaspoon Gentle Sweet
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces (1 package) riced cauliflower (if frozen, thaw first and pat dry with paper towels)
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 4 ounces (½ package) ⅓ fat cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
For Relish
- 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (or more)
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon mineral salt
For Garnish (optional)
- chopped cilantro
- jarred jalapeño slices
Instructions
Marinating Pork
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel. Put in a gallon zippy bag and set aside.
- In a food processor or quality blender, puree all the marinade ingredients until smooth. If necessary, gradually add some water a teaspoonish at a time to get it to blend smoothly.
- Pour the marinade into the zippy bag and knead over the pork chops. Press out as much air as possible, zip shut, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Making Cauliflower Rice
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the riced cauliflower and sprinkle with garlic salt.
- Sauté, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- Add the remaining cheesy cauliflower rice ingredients. Stir constantly until the cream cheese and pepper jack cheese has melted and everything is well mixed.
Making Relish
- Mix together all of the relish ingredients. Set aside.
Cooking Pork Chops
- Lightly spray a pre-heated grill or skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the pork chops, flipping once, until cooked through (145 °F).
Serving
- Scoop some cauliflower rice onto a plate.
- Place a pork chop on top of the cauli rice.
- Spoon some relish over pork chop. Garnish with cilantro and jarred jalapeño as desired.
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