Lemongrass Chili Crunch Pork Chop
These Lemongrass Chili Crunch Pork Chops are the answer to weeknight chaos. If you’ve ever thought of pork chops as dry and boring, get ready to have your mind blown. The combination of grated lemongrass with the chili crunch will redefine your pork chops expectations in a big way. I love adding new recipes to our lives that are easy to throw together but also delicious and exciting. Even when you’re crazy busy, the food on your table should still be exciting.
Our new naughty puppy Milo with a very patient Daisy.
At LemonAid 2026 with the Township Clerk and one of the Township Trustees.
This fall, our family is in the middle of a lot of new chapters. I have a new job. Sophie is starting high school and on the tennis team. Our new puppy Milo gets into everything, absolutely everything. He burrows in our tomato plants. He stockpiles my shoes and sports bras. Every day feels like a race to the finish. Coming home to Steve’s fresh take on weeknight pork chops was like a love letter.
Steve and Sophie celebrating their birthdays at our happy place this summer: Drowsy Water Ranch.
Steve loves to cook as much as I do but we rarely cook together. We prefer to experiment alone and surprise each other with the outcome. Over time, we’ve developed two simple rules:
“Rule #1 - Don’t yuck my yum. ”
“Rule #2: You cook or you clean. ”
I’ve tried to institute other rules, about no phones at the table, lingering at the table to chat, and no feeding dogs… but those battles continue. For now, we’re doing pretty well, as this delicious Lemongrass Chili Crunch Pork Chop proves!
Lemongrass Sweet Chili Crunch Pork Chops
This bright and zesty lemongrass marinade brings pork chops to life and make this easy to throw together dish something everyone will remember.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops on the bone - 3/4 inch thick
- 1 clove of garlic
- lemongrass grated - 2 TBSP
- soy sauce - 2 TBSP
- fish sauce - 2 TBSP
- brown sugar - 2 TBSP
- lime juice - 1 lime
- Fish sauce - 1/4 cup
- water - 1/4 cup
- sugar - 2 TBSP
- lime juice - 1 lime
- garlic - 1 clove
- Momofuku Chili Crunch - 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Grate the lemongrass. You can also use lemongrass paste if you're in a hurry without sacrificing too much flavor but fresh is always a little better and you'll get some aromatherapy as you grate!
- Juice the lime.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together (lemongrass, garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce). Set aside 1/3 of a cup of your marinade.
- Place the pork chops in a bowl, with the remaining marinade. Let it rest for 2-6 hours in the fridge.
- Now make your serving sauce so you'll be ready to whip dinner off in under 10 minutes. In a tupperware with a lid, mix together the water, fish sauce, chili crunch, sugar, lime juice, and garlic. Shake like Tom Cruise in Cocktail and set aside. Go off and enjoy your day, looking forward to your delicious dinner.
- Heat a pan on high with your favorite searing oil. We love avocado oil with a high smoke point and health benefits. Add the pork chops and sear 3 minutes on first side, until just beginning to brown.
- Brush with the extra marinade you set aside, flip the pork chops. Sear for another 3 minutes. Brush with more set aside marinade, flip again.
- Continue flipping and basting with extra marinade (not the one that sat with the raw pork), until the pork is brown and cooked to your liking. I like to use a meat thermometer to make sure the pork has reached 145 degrees. You can take it off at 140 as the temperature will continue to rise as it rests. Don't overcook as that will make the pork tough.