Let’s continue on my comfort food kick shall we? Today’s star of the table is a sweet and spicy pork chop. This recipe brings lots of flavor and is perfect for a Sunday family dinner. Although it is sweet and spicy, the heat is not overpowering by any means. It also happens to pair perfectly with another great food, mashed potatoes! These pork chops are a crowd pleaser and very easy to make right on the stovetop. So grab your frying pan and let’s head to the kitchen to whip up some delicious chops!

Become A Fan Of Pork

It is funny how much our taste buds can change as we age. I honestly didn’t grow up as a huge fan of pork. I don’t really know why, but it just didn’t appeal to me. Even into my adult years, pork just wasn’t a favorite. Because of this, my family didn’t really eat it either. Recently however, I have started to venture out into the world of pork and have found that there are recipes that I can really love. If you are like me, and struggle to enjoy a pork dish, then these sweet and spicy pork chops might just be for you!

Before we talk about sauce, we have to first focus on the main ingredient. This of course, is the pork chop itself. Pork chops can come both with bone-in or boneless. I feel that for this recipe, it is really a matter of personal preference. Both bone-in and boneless would work. My family personally prefers boneless. To me, it seems like less waste and they are a little bit leaner. Pork in general is pretty lean which is important to keep in mind when cooking. The cooking time is not very long (bonus!) so it is very easy to overdo it.

Creating Sweet And Spicy Pork Chops

Once you have found your dream cut of pork, it is time to get started with the seasoning. Pork on its own doesn’t really have a lot of flavor, so you will need to season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. It is a good idea to pat it nice and dry with a paper towel first to help it brown nice and evenly in the pan. After you have seasoned the pork to your liking, it is time to cook. I like to use a big, heavy skillet that has plenty of room to prevent overcrowding. Just preheat over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil and place the pork in the pan. The chops will cook very quickly, needing only about 3-4 minutes per side. I like to keep a meat thermometer handy because it makes knowing when it’s done a breeze.

After the pork has cooked, set it aside to rest and keep warm. You don’t necessarily have to clean the pan before making the sauce (some prefer to use the cooking juices for extra flavor), but if you want to start clean then that is fine too. Regardless, in the same pan, you will make the sauce. Give the heated pan another drizzle of olive oil and then give your garlic and ginger a quick sauté. I love garlic, and won’t argue that fresh has the most intense flavor, but I just can’t pass up the convenience of pre-minced garlic. It has all of the delicious garlic flavor without having to peel and chop your own. I also happen to love buying ginger in the form of paste. Ginger is a pretty intense spice and is not one that I use very often. For this reason, it doesn’t make sense for me to buy fresh. Ginger paste lasts much longer and is there whenever I need it.

Sweet And Spicy Sauce Comes Together

Once your garlic and ginger are fragrant, it is time to start building the rest of the sauce. This requires only a few ingredients, one of which you may or may not have ever tried. The ingredient I am speaking of is apricot preserves, which is where we get the “sweet” in these sweet and spicy pork chops. The flavor is subtle, so if you aren’t a fan of apricots, don’t worry! The preserves melt nicely into this sauce and give it such a subtle sweet flavor. This pairs well with its spicy counterpart, sriracha. Sriracha is a staple in my home because my husband and I both really enjoy spicy food. It goes well on just about anything that you would want to add a little heat to. In this recipe, the amount of sriracha you add will determine the level of spice you get. While I love all things spicy, I chose to keep the spice level a little more subtle as to not overpower the sweet. You could always add a little more sriracha on top of your plate once served.

Time To Eat!

The sauce will simmer gently on the stovetop until it reduces down and becomes a little thicker. I think it is important to note here that this is not a “saucy” recipe. What I mean by this is that your pork chop will not be swimming in sauce. If you prefer to have more sauce, then all you have to do is double the ingredients. Personally, I think that it is just the right amount to not overwhelm the pork itself. But to each his own! Once the sauce has thickened, it is time to return the cooked pork to the pan and flip it over to cover it with the sauce.

Now your beautiful sweet and spicy pork chop is ready to head to a nice warm bed of mashed potatoes or rice. You can then spoon a little extra sauce over the top. This comfort food dish is perfect for your next family get together. Whether a holiday or just a low key gathering, these chops will be a hit! Ready to get cooking? Then grab your ingredients and head to the kitchen to whip up some pork chops! You’ll be glad you did! Want to see this recipe in action? Check out the video below! Want more comfort food recipes? Why not give my easy cheesy shells or stuffed meatloaf a try!