One-Skillet Thai Pork Chops & Coconut Rice

By Greens & Chocolate

July 30, 2024

Twin Cities food blogger greens & chocolate shares her recipe for One-Skillet Thai Pork Chops — it’s flavorful, juicy and delicious, it’s sure to become a family favorite!


Pork chops are one of the underappreciated cuts of meat, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because we grew up with over-cooked and bland pork chops. Perhaps it’s because we don’t really know how to cook them ourselves. Regardless, pork chops are quickly becoming a favorite cut of meat in our household.


I love pork chops because they’re economical, lean, and really take on any flavor that you introduce to them. We are big fans of Thai flavors in our family, so I was really excited about this idea for Thai Peanut Pork Chops!


The steps to make these Thai Peanut Pork Chops are quite simple. You’ll start by making the Thai peanut sauce and coconut rice. The sauce is made in a food processor with peanut butter, coconut milk, Thai chili sauce, ginger, soy sauce and garlic, which are puréed for a sauce that is bursting with flavor.


Once that is made, you’ll sauté bell peppers and brown and cook the pork chops. I’m a huge believer in using a meat thermometer when cooking meat, which takes the guesswork out of cooking meats to a certain temperature. The cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of your pork chops and whether or not they are boneless or bone-in, so I would definitely recommend using a meat thermometer with pork chops! I used bone-in pork chops in this recipe, but boneless would also work well.


Put it all together and dinner is served! We topped it all off with a sprinkle of cilantro, which is my favorite herb to pair with Thai peanut sauce. The whole dinner was full of flavor and all of us loved it. My kids can be picky with meat, so I cut the pork into really small pieces, mixed it in with the coconut rice, and topped it with a bunch of peanut sauce. They ate it all up!


If you want to make this an even faster weeknight meal, you can make the Thai peanut sauce and chop up the bell peppers in advance. This will cut down on about 10 minutes of prep time, which can be important when you’re rushing to get dinner on the table. Your family will love this meal and will be begging you to make it again!

SERVINGS

4

PREP TIME

10 min

COOK TIME

30 min

For the Thai peanut sauce:

  • 1
    cup coconut milk
  • 1/2
    cup Thai sweet chili sauce
  • 1/2
    cup peanut butter
  • 1/4
    cup rice vinegar
  • 3
    tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3
    cloves garlic, minced
  • 1
    tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

For the coconut rice:

  • 2
    cups jasmine rice
  • 1
    cup coconut milk
  • 1 1/2
    cups water
  • 1/2
    teaspoon salt

For the peppers and pork:

  • 4
    tablespoons olive oil
  • 1
    red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and sliced
  • 1
    yellow bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and sliced
  • 4
    pork chops*
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    To make the Thai peanut sauce: place the coconut milk, sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and blend.

  2. 2

    To make the coconut rice: In a medium pot, add jasmine rice, coconut milk, water and salt over medium-high heat.

  3. 3

    Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the rice simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. I like to stir it every few minutes to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.

  4. 4

    To make the peppers and pork chops: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a plate.

  5. 5

    Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.

  6. 6

    Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

  7. 7

    Once the oil is hot, add the pork chops. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Cook until the pork is cooked through and at least 145 degrees F throughout.

  8. 8

    Add the Thai peanut sauce to the pan with the pork chops and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until warmed through.

  9. 9

    Serve the pork chops topped with bell peppers, Thai peanut sauce, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a side of the coconut rice. Enjoy!

*For the pork chops, boneless or bone-in will work. I used bone-in for this recipe.

Additional Blog Posts

Candy Cane Cookies

Green Bean Casserole

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Honey-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
See all blog posts