Discover the most delicious of easy dinners: Pork Chop Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa! Juicy cubed pork is coated in a savory, smoky, and zesty rub before being grilled and nestled in warm tortillas and topped with a juicy, sweet, and spicy pineapple salsa. Bet you can't have just one!
Table of Contents
These cubed pork chop tacos are proof that you don't have to just eat your dinner, but you can love it, too. Hot, juicy, and crispy pork is seasoned with a smoky and just-spicy-enough spice rub, making for the likes of which you'll want to pile high onto toasted tortillas.
While the pork cooks, mix up the pineapple salsa for pork tacos. All you need are 5 common ingredients, unless if you want to mix in jalapeños for additional heat, to make a cool, sweet, refreshing, and crisp fruit salsa you won't soon forget.
The combination results in the type of dinner everyone will love and that will be requested to make an appearance on the dinner rotation in the weeks to come. Dinner success achieved! Now let's celebrate by diving in.
Why You'll Love Pineapple Pork Tacos
- Hot & Fresh: Nothing quite delights like a street taco made with sizzling meat hot off the grill. Tuck this recipe with diced pork into freshly toasted tortillas to take it to even higher heights.
- Meaty & Satisfying: Recharge after a full day with a delicious meal that will fill you up and content every one of your taste buds.
- Sweet & Spicy: The juice and mild acid of the pineapple perfectly complements the heat of the jalapeño and smokiness of the cubed grilled pork. Balanced flavor nirvana achieved!
- Simple & Delicious: Though, admittedly, there are a handful of ingredients, most of them are easy to find in your local supermarket and no complicated techniques are needed to make this Mexican pork chop taco recipe.
Ingredients
Pork Chop Taco Ingredients
- Pork Chops: Thick-cut, standard-cut, or thin-cut chops all work for this diced pork recipe. Similarly, I find that boneless pork chops are the easiest to cube but you can also use bone-in pork chops if that is all you can find.
- Ancho Chili Powder: Adds mouthwatering smokiness without overpowering heat.
- Cumin: For earthy and nutty tones.
- Ground Cinnamon: Balances the smoky earth flavors with some sweet heat. If you can, use Saigon cinnamon. Otherwise, traditional cinnamon powder works just fine.
- Cayenne: A pinch for just the right amount of heat. Add an extra pinch or two if you prefer extra spice.
- Garlic Powder: Enhances the umami flavor of the pork, bringing sweet and savory roasted garlic notes to the pork chop taco seasoning rub.
- Olive Oil: To make the seasoning slurry and for grilling the cubed pork on the stovetop.
Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa Ingredients
- Pineapple: Cubed. Both fresh and frozen and defrosted pineapple work for the salsa for the pork tacos. If you can, avoid using canned pineapple.
- Lime Juice: Use fresh juice for the best flavor.
- Cilantro: Chopped. Omit this if you do not like cilantro.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the fruit and ties together the flavor of the salsa.
- Red Onion: Minced finely, this allium adds a kick of sweet heat to the salsa.
- Jalapeño: Technically optional, jalapeño offers a tantalizing heat, dreamily complementing the sweetness of the pineapples.
How to Make Pork Chop Tacos
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder together until combined.
Step 2: Stir 4 teaspoons of the olive oil into the spice mixture to make a slurry.
Step 3: Toss the pieces of pork in the spice mixture until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.
Step 4: Combine the pineapple, lime juice, salt, cilantro, red onion, and jalapeños (if using) in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
Step 5: Heat a medium-sized non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and heat until the oil sputters when flicked with water.
Step 6: Add the pork to the hot oil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the pork is cooked through.
Step 7: Toast the tortillas if desired. Assemble the tortillas with ⅛ of the pork mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of shredded cabbage, a heaping tablespoon of pineapple salsa, and sour cream (if using). Serve hot!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Marinate the Pork Longer for More Flavor: The cubed pork recipe can marinate for anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. The longer that it sits in the taco seasoning rub, however, the more flavorful the pork will be.
- Pork Cooking Temperature: The pork is cooked through and safe to eat when it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the pork.
- How to Toast Tortillas: Warm the tortillas over a gas stovetop low flame for 30-45 seconds per side, or until just starting to char and form toasted brown spots. If you do not have a gas range, you can also toast the tortillas on a skillet over medium heat, turning them as soon as they develop the toasted brown spots.
Recipe Variations
- Pork Tenderloin Tacos: Cube up a pork tenderloin instead of pork chops to make extra tender pork tacos. Pork loin can also be used to make pork loin tacos.
- Mango Jalapeño Salsa: Substitute mango for pineapple for another refreshing take on these spicy pork tacos.
- Decrease the Heat: Don't prefer your tacos as fiery? Omit the jalapeños from the salsa for the most mild flavor or substitute sliced serrano peppers if you still prefer a more moderate kick.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pork street taco recipe on toasted corn or flour tortillas with pineapple jalapeño salsa, and sour cream to pass. Extra sliced limes and queso fresco are never bad pork tacos toppings, either!
Serve the tacos with Instant Pot black beans or smashed pinto beans, and a lager (standard or non-alcoholic) for a verified pork chop taco feast!
Dietary Adaptations
These pork street tacos are naturally dairy-free and nut-free. To make gluten-free, be sure to serve these tacos on corn tortillas.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftover taco ingredients keep best stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the pork taco meat in the microwave on medium heat for 45-second to 1-minute intervals or until heated through.
FAQs
Though you technically can shred pork chops, I wouldn't always recommend that you do so. The cut of meat is leaner, meaning that it doesn't fall apart and get tender as easily as does fattier cuts, like pork shoulder. If it does shred, it will need to be cooked for longer periods of time. Since this recipe uses a quick cooking method to keep the meat juicy, it will not be a good one to shred.
So many different toppings go well on pork tacos. Fruit salsas, salsa verde, minced onions, cilantro, queso fresco, and guacamole are all great options. For this recipe, we will be topping the pork chop taco recipe with a pineapple jalapeño salsa recipe, as the sweet juiciness of the salsa perfectly complements the savory smokiness of the grilled pork.
Tools Needed to Make This Recipe
More Pork Recipes
- Pork Chop Marinade
- Maple Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Asian Pork Meatballs
- Colorado Pork Green Chili
- Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta
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Recipe
Pork Chop Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Email FacebookIngredients
Pork Taco Filling:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil DIVIDED
- 1 ¼ lbs. Pork chops cut into 1 x 2- inch pieces
Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
- 1 ½ cups diced pineapple fresh or frozen & defrosted
- ½ lime juiced (or about 2 teaspoons lime juice)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1-2 tablespoons minced jalapeños optional
Tacos:
- 8 corn or flour taco tortillas or street taco size tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- sour cream to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder together until combined.
- Stir 4 teaspoons of the olive oil into the spice mixture to make a slurry.
- Toss the pieces of pork in the spice mixture until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.
- Combine the pineapple, lime juice, salt, cilantro, red onion, and jalapeños (if using) in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
- Heat a medium-sized non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and heat until the oil sputters when flicked with water.
- Add the pork to the hot oil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the pork is cooked through.
- Toast the tortillas if desired. Assemble the tortillas with ⅛ of the pork mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon shredded coleslaw, a heaping tablespoon of the pineapple salsa, and sour cream (if using). Serve hot!
Notes
- Refrigeration: Leftover taco ingredients keep best stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the pork taco meat in the microwave on medium heat for 45 second- 1 minute intervals or until heated through.
- Toasting tortillas: Warm the tortillas over a gas stovetop low flame for 30-45 seconds per side, or until just starting to char and form toasted brown spots. If you do not have a gas range, you can also toast the tortillas on a skillet over medium heat, turning them as soon as they develop the toasted brown spots.
- Marinate the Pork Longer for More Flavor: The cubed pork recipe can marinate for anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. The longer that it sits in the taco seasoning rub, however, the more flavorful the pork will be.
- Pork Cooking Temperature: The pork is cooked through and safe to eat when it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the pork.
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