Shake and Bake Coconut Chili Pork Chops

Sharing is caring!

I had such a great time developing this Shake and Bake Coconut Chili Pork Chops recipe for Lindsay Olives for this month’s Kitchen PLAY event, that I decided to participate, as well.  It really is fun, innovating and kind of reminds me of a Chopped Episode!

The National Pork Board conducted a survey to find out the trends with pork and holiday recipes. The good news; folks are enjoying pork from brunch to small bites.  Pork is no longer meant only for dinner.  After the survey was over, they challenged 6 food bloggers to develop recipes using pork in different recipe categories.  One particular recipe really caught my eye, and that was for Flavor Flashbacks.

I loved how Julie of Mommie Cooks took a classic Shake N Bake concept and made it her own.  The twist?  She used coconut milk, Dijon mustard, and lime to enhance the flavors of the creamy pork before breading them with seasoned panko and she served the dish with coconut milk infused rice and steamed broccoli.  Very nostalgic of many meals that I ate in the 70’s and 80s.

I took a different approach when incorporating coconut into my faux “Shake N Bake” recipe.  I decided to use unsweetened coconut flakes, in addition to the panko for, the dry mix.  I heavily seasoned (because we like spice) the dry mix with fresh ginger, lime zest, and diced Fresno chilies.  Before coating, the boneless pork loin chops, I submerged them into a bath made of creamy coconut milk and egg, to give it more binding.  I felt there was enough coconut in the recipe, so I opted not to use coconut oil for browning the chops.  The chops smelled so exotic while baking;  caramelized pork fat, mixed with sweet coconut milk, and spicy ginger and chilies.  Since we are on the fast track to eating healthier this year, I served the pork chops with quinoa and kale that was lightly sauteed with fresh garlic.  Overall?  This recipe is amazing!!

I am thrilled that I found Julie’s recipe, as it was a gentle reminder of an old time favorite as a kid;  now I have a recipe that is a bit more adult, and a little healthier.  Let us know what you think of it.

• The recommended temperature for pork loin chops is 145 degrees.  I like to remove the meat before it reaches that temperature as it will continue cooking while it rests for 10 minutes.  As well a good cut of pork is perfect when served a slight shade of pink.  This guideline is perfect for referencing cooking times for pork.

Yield: 4 servings

Shake and Bake Coconut Chili Pork Chops

Print

A remake of a childhood classic Shake and Bake Pork Chops. This recipe using coconut flakes along with panko to create that crunchy outside coating on the pork chops.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup panko
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger zest, use a microplane
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons diced Fresno chili
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other high heat frying oil

Instructions

Bring meat to room temperature - 30 minutes before starting the prep and cooking.

Heat oven to 350.
In a shallow bowl mix together the coconut milk and egg; whisk until blended.
In a Ziploc bag add the coconut flakes, panko, salt, chili, lime, and ginger zest; shake like crazy. Dip each pork chop into the milk mixture, coating completely, and then drop the chop into the bag, close, and give a good shake.
I like to do each chop separately.
After shaking each chop, pat any extra dry mixture into the meat.
Heat the oil over medium heat, in a large frying pan, that can also go into the oven.
Brown each side of the pork chops; about 3 minutes per side, until golden.
Place the frying pan into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
Serve.
Eat.

Notes

Bringing the meat to room temperature helps it cook more evenly.

Did you make this recipe?

Thank you for joining us at the Chez Us table. We truly love having you here.Have you made this recipe?  Please share what recipes you are enjoying from Chez Us. We would love to see and be able to share with our followers. Use the hashtag #chezuseats on your social media channels, then we can pull a chair up to your virtual table and share with our friends.

SaveSave