Authentic-style chimichurri features bright, fresh herb flavors balanced by the earthy notes of whole seed spices ground by hand. These chimichurri pork chops offer a sensory respite from the haze high-speed life.
Chimichurri pork chops have long been a staple in our meal rotation, one we enjoy just as much (if not more than!) steak night. This past week, I finally set out to document and shoot the recipe for the site.
It also turned out to be a rough week for me health-wise. A multi-week migraine and associated medications sent me into an anxiety-riddled brain fog, leaving me drained and low on capacity for work.
But, while fleshing out a recipe and photo-documenting its process is most definitely work, making this chimichurri turned out to be exactly the kind of work I needed. It's a traditional-style recipe that asks you to slow down and take your time. To work with your hands and senses, simultaneously smoothing all wayward thoughts into a singular, more intentional direction.
Picking through a bundle of fragrant parsley leaves. Clipping a handful of chives from the little patio herb box as it happily wakes from a long winter. Toasting whole spices and grinding them by hand in a mortar and pestle, letting their intoxicating aroma overwhelm frayed nerves in the best of ways.
The peace may be momentary, but finding these brief respites is the key to carrying on. If you can, let yourself get lost in something, no matter how briefly. Be mesmerized by the sight of something beautiful. Smell something so deeply, you fear you may never exhale. Make some chimichurri, slowly and simply, as if you had all the time in the world. It will be ok 💚
ingredients for chimichurri pork chops
ingredient notes & swaps
- I usually use fresh red pepper in my chimichurri, but when I shot this recipe I couldn't find any nearby. I found this beautiful jar of Bono Whole Calabrese Peppers in Oil and they are divine! Perfect for this chimichurri. Dried red pepper flakes are a more traditional option, but I prefer the fresh zip and crunch of fresh peppers. Leave the seeds in if you like it spicy, or remove them for a tamer chimi.
- Let's talk about spices! Using whole seed spices here is far superior. When you toast and grind them fresh, they release tons of fragrant oils that are tucked inside the whole seeds. This process fully unlocks coriander's citrusy brightness, cumin's earthy depth, mustard's subtle heat, and fennel's assertive bite. These rich flavors then make their way into your chimichurri sauce, taking it from good to incredibly special.
- I use apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar (the most common acidifier in traditional chimichurri recipes) specifically because it pairs so well with pork.
- Boneless pork chops are nice and straightforward to cook, but you can absolutely use bone-in chops instead. My boneless chops here weigh about 7-ounces each and have a thickness of about 1-inch. Bone-in chops (or a thicker boneless pork chop) will take longer to cook, so adjust your time accordingly.
What is the best oil to use for chimichurri?
The most important consideration to make when selecting an oil for your homemade chimichurri is to make sure it has a great flavor by itself. You want to avoid anything overly heavy as it could steal some of the limelight off your beautiful herbs and spices. Extra virgin olive oil is a great choice; avocado oil would also be wonderful.
chimichurri pork chops recipe
Authentic-style chimichurri features bright, fresh herb flavors balanced by the earthy notes of whole seed spices ground by hand. These chimichurri pork chops offer a sensory respite from the haze high-speed life.
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
for the chimichurri:
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley (enough to yield 1 cup minced)
- 1 bunch chives (enough to yield ⅓ cup minced)
- 4 garlic cloves (enough to yield 2 tablespoons minced)
- 1 whole red chili pepper (enough to yield 1 tablespoon minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon mustard seed
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seed
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt, to taste
for the pork chops:
- 4 boneless pork chops (about 7 oz. each)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking oil or spray
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Rinse and pick the parsley leaves from their stems; some smaller stem pieces are okay to leave in. Mince the parsley leaves and chives, then peel and mince the garlic and mince the chili pepper. Add these 4 ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Combine the coriander, cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds in a dry pan. Toast lightly over medium heat, tossing and swirling often, for about 2 minutes. You'll know their done when they become fragrant and very lightly browned.
- Pour the toasted spices into a mortar and pestle.
- Grind the whole seeds into a powder. It will never get as fine as the pre-ground spices you'll get from the store and that's just fine if a few larger bits remain.
- Add the spice mixture to the bowl with your herb mixture, then add the olive oil, cider vinegar, and salt.
- Stir until well combined. You'll see the chimichurri start seeping some moisture as the acid and salt pulls moisture from the greens. This is good! Cover and refrigerate the chimi for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight. This resting time is important to let the flavors mellow and marry-this is what takes it from being a simple combination of ingredients to being a fully flavored sauce.
- Pat the pork chops dry and heat a large oiled skillet over medium high heat. Mix the salt and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
- Season the chops with the garlic and salt mixture on both sides immediately before cooking. If you do this too early, the pork chops will develop surface moisture so make sure to do it just before they hit the heat!
- Place the seasoned chops in the skillet and Add and sear for about 5 minutes per side, flipping as needed to develop even golden browning on all sides. Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of each pork chop, pulling it when 145℉ is reached. If you have a large enough pan, you can cook all of the chops at once but I was taking my time on this recipe so I cooked them 2 by 2.
- Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board or plate and let them rest for about 5 minutes to redistribute all of those delicious juices. Slice and serve with your handmade chimichurri dribbled over the top!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sear
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 558
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 1009 mg
- Fat: 40.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
- Protein: 45.9 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
FAQs
What to serve with chimichurri pork chops?
Rich pork chops and sharp chimichurri balance each other so perfectly, they can pair well with any number of different side dishes! Plain rice or smashed potatoes would soak up juices nicely, as would the spanish-style rice from my Shrimp Burrito Bowls. Roasted vegetables or a hearty salad would be great options too.
What is the secret to perfect chimichurri?
Chimichurri sauce turns out best when you take the time to make it by hand. There are tons of recipes out there that call for blitzing chimichurri in a blender or food processor; please don't! Unfortunately that will ruin the texture of your chimi, making it paste-like instead of loose and saucy. My recipe uses an authentic-style process in that the herbs are chopped by hand and spices freshly ground, while I do take a bit of creative license with the ingredients.
Should chimichurri be served warm or cold?
Chimichurri is ideal at room temperature, but it does need to be refrigerated during storage. You may find that the oil clumps up a bit when chilled. That's ok! It will liquify again when it comes back to room temperature. I recommend not heating chimichurri, as part of its appeal is the freshness of the herbs and other ingredients.
dig in!
Enjoy & let me know what you think 🌙 💛
