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Spanish-Style Pork Chops with Garlic Tomato Rice

This one-pan Spanish Pork Chops and Rice recipe yields tender, juicy pork chops and a rich, flavorful Spanish-style rice—no boxed mix required.

Spanish pork chops and rice garnished with chopped parsley in a light colored skillet.

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My mother used to make Rice-A-Roni Spanish rice and cook pork chops in the rice. It tasted good, but the pork chops often came out dry. I wanted to recreate that comfort-food combination without the box mix and keep the pork chops tender and juicy.

This one-pan version is easy and reliable. A key to success is monitoring the pork chops with a digital instant-read thermometer so you pull them at the right temperature for perfect doneness.

Serve this creamy Spanish rice with ultra-tender pork chops as a simple weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.

How to Make Spanish Pork Chops and Rice

  • Season pork chops on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chops for 2 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and tent loosely with foil.
Boneless pork chops seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper on a dark plate.
Browned pork chops in a skillet.
  • Add diced onion and green bell pepper to the skillet and sauté about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, uncooked rice, paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper and cook 1 minute. Add undrained diced tomatoes and chicken stock, scrape the browned bits from the pan, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
White rice, onions, green peppers, and seasonings tossed in a skillet for Spanish pork chops and rice recipe.
Spanish rice ingredients simmering in a skillet.
  • After the initial simmer, stir the rice, cover again, and simmer 10 more minutes. Nestle the browned pork chops slightly into the rice along with any juices from the platter. Cover and continue simmering, checking the chops’ internal temperature every 5 minutes until they reach 143ºF. Remove from heat, uncover, and let rest about 5 minutes so the internal temperature rises to 145ºF while resting.
Cooked Spanish rice in a skillet.
Spanish pork chops and rice garnished with chopped parsley in a light colored skillet.

Pro Tip

If one or two chops reach temperature before the others, remove them to a platter and tent with foil until the remaining chops and the rice finish cooking.

Tips

  • Choose the right pork chops: Use chops 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Bone-in chops may require slightly more time.
  • Avoid thin chops: Thin cuts can overcook during the browning step and dry out.
  • Brown briefly: Sear pork chops only 2 minutes per side so they don’t become overcooked before finishing in the rice.
  • Pull at 143ºF: Removing the chops at 143ºF allows carryover heat to bring them to a safe, juicy 145ºF while resting.
  • Use fire-roasted tomatoes (optional): They add extra flavor, but plain undrained diced tomatoes work fine. Do not drain the tomatoes.
  • Storage: Cool leftovers completely, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing not recommended: Freezing changes the rice texture, so it’s best to avoid freezing leftovers.

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Spanish pork chops and rice garnished with chopped parsley in a light colored skillet.

Spanish Pork Chops and Rice Recipe

This Spanish Pork Chops and Rice recipe is a flavorful one-pan dinner combining tender pork chops with Spanish-inspired rice.
5 from 3 votes

Print

Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 489kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

  • 4 1-inch thick Boneless pork chops
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Onion diced
  • 1/2 cup Green bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup Long-grain white rice uncooked
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 14.5oz Can fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
  • 2 cups Low-sodium chicken stock

Instructions

  • Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper (about 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper total).
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chops 2 minutes per side. Remove and tent with foil.
  • Add 1/2 cup diced onion and 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained) and 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Stir the rice, cover, and simmer another 10 minutes. Stir again, nestle the pork chops and any juices into the rice, cover, and continue to simmer. Check the pork chops’ internal temperature every 5 minutes until they reach 143ºF. Remove from heat, uncover, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving so the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.
  • If some chops finish before others, remove them and tent with foil until all are done and the rice is tender.

Notes

Choose pork chops that are 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Bone-in chops may need more time.

Brown the pork chops quickly—only 2 minutes per side—so they don’t overcook before finishing in the rice.

Pull the pork chops at 143ºF; carryover heat will bring them to 145ºF during resting.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 34 g
|
Protein: 37 g
|
Fat: 23 g