Mexican Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe

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Published: October 31, 2018Updated: June 26, 2021Author: Camille Beckstrand
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Mexican Pork Chops and Rice all baked together in one pan - dinner can not get any easier! This dish is flavorful and comes together in a matter of minutes, making it a perfect pork chop recipe in our book.
Mexican Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe

One-pan dishes are my favorite – I love throwing everything in one big dish and dinner is done!

We have A LOT of chicken breast recipes on our blog, but I wanted to shake it up today and share one of my favorite pork chop dishes: Mexican Pork Chops and Rice.

How to make Mexican Pork Chops and Rice:

  • Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper and brown pork chops in a skillet on the stove top (this will help to seal in the juices and keep your pork chops moist and flavorful as they bake in the oven).
  • Dump the rest of the ingredients into a 9 x 13″ pan: chicken broth, tomato sauce, green chilies, taco seasoning, rice, and onion. Mix all together.
  • Lay the pork chops on top of the rice mixture, then top chops with peppers.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes then top with shredded cheese and enjoy!

What kind of pork chops are best?

When it comes to choosing the best pork chops for this recipe, I would recommend a boneless pork chop or a bone-in pork chop that is about 1/2″ thick. If your pork chop is thicker than that, you may need to increase the cooking time.

Thin cut pork chops (thinner than 1/2″)  will most likely turn out dry; I would recommend cooking for less time if you do use this type of pork chop.

Using a thick boneless pork chop will cook a little faster than a bone-in chop, so if you do use a boneless chop, you may want to decrease the time a little bit.

When it comes to keeping the pork from drying out while baking here’s a tip: the more marbled and fatty your pork chop is, the more tender it will be after cooking.

how to keep pork chops from drying out

Pork chops tend to have a reputation of being dried out. The secret to slow cooker pork chops is to be sure to not overcook them.

I recommend checking these pork chops after 50 minutes of cooking. You will want to be sure that the pork chops are cooked thoroughly and that the rice is done as well.

The FDA recommends that the internal temperature of a pork chop should be 145 degrees F, but know that the pork chops temperature will continue to rise for a few minutes after removing from oven.

I would highly recommend getting a simple meat thermometer if you don’t have one. It makes cooking any type of meat so easy and you will always know that it is the perfect temperature. I use it for every grilling recipe I make!

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More of our favorite pork chop recipes:

Serves: 6

Mexican Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe

Mexican Pork Chops and Rice all baked together in one pan - dinner can not get any easier! 
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 5 mins
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Print

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless pork chops (½ inch thick)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1¾ cups chicken broth
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
  • 4 ounces diced green chilies 1 can
  • 1.25 ounces taco seasoning 1 packet
  • 1 cup long grain rice uncooked
  • ½ onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and brown pork chops (about 2-3 minutes each side, turning once).
  • Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the chicken broth, tomato sauce, green chilis, taco seasoning, uncooked rice, and onion; mix together until completely incorporated.
  • Place the pork chops on top of the rice mixture and top with the green and red peppers.
  • Cover with foil and cook for about 50-60 minutes or until the rice is tender (you will want to make sure that you don't over cook the pork chops, so check them around 50 minutes).
  • (If the rice needs a little more cooking time, just remove the pork chops for about 10 minutes while the rice cooks longer. Then place pork chops back on top of the rice and add the cheese.)
  • Turn oven off and top with cheese.
  • Let the cheese melt for a couple of minutes.

Notes

  • Pork chops tend to have a reputation of being dried out. The secret to slow cooker pork chops is to be sure to not overcook them.

Nutrition

Calories: 445 kcal · Carbohydrates: 34 g · Protein: 35 g · Fat: 18 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 100 mg · Sodium: 1061 mg · Potassium: 855 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 1550 IU · Vitamin C: 54 mg · Calcium: 114 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

  • Large Skillet
  • 9x13-inch Baking Pan
  • Non-stick Cooking Spray
  • Aluminum Foil

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

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  1. Janet R says:
    October 6, 2013
    This dish sounds delicious! I wonder if it should be covered with foil while baking...
    Reply
    • Camille says:
      October 6, 2013
      Janet- thank you so much for reminding me! Yes, cover with foil. :) I changed it in the directions.
      Reply
  2. [email protected] Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says:
    October 6, 2013
    Oh this is right up my alley! I am pinning this to make for dinner soon!
    Reply
  3. Lynn says:
    October 6, 2013
    Sounds delicious! I bet this woul be good with a base layer of refried beans too!
    Reply
  4. Sarah says:
    October 6, 2013
    Looks delish! What is the white stuff under the cheese..? Looks like sour cream but the recipe doesn't call for it. Or is it just part if the cheese ? Hehe
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      October 7, 2013
      It is just the colby jack cheese. It's white and orange. :)
      Reply
  5. Carrie says:
    October 7, 2013
    Is there a crockpot version ? This looks delicious!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      October 10, 2013
      We don't have a crock pot version of this recipe....yet. :)
      Reply
    • Jennie says:
      October 10, 2013
      I would also like to know if there's a crock pot version! Looks like I could pretty much do the recipe the same and just adjust the cooking time in the crock pot? Any recommendations for how long?
      Reply
      • Cyd says:
        October 11, 2013
        Just until the pork is cooked through and the rice is fully cooked. Could take a few hours.
        Reply
      • AShley says:
        October 14, 2013
        I made this in the crockpot tonight. I followed the directions except put it in the crockpot. Yeah kinda a fail. I should have just thrown it in the oven.
        Reply
  6. Jenna says:
    October 8, 2013
    Made this last night for the family, it was AMAZING! Thanks!
    Reply
  7. Katie says:
    October 8, 2013
    This looks so good! If you use brown rice, do you think it would need a longer cooking time? Thanks!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      October 11, 2013
      Maybe slightly longer, just keep an eye on your pork.
      Reply
  8. Kathy says:
    October 12, 2013
    I made this the other night with some leftover shredded pork and organic brown rice. Excellent! It did take about twice as long as the recipe states to cook the rice, and I did not use a taco seasoning packet to avoid any yucky stuff and just used my own spices. Will make again :). Thanks!
    Reply
  9. connie says:
    October 28, 2013
    I made this last night for dinner and my family lived it!! I think I am gonna try with chicken next. Thanks!!
    Reply
  10. Beth says:
    November 6, 2013
    I made this for dinner tonight. The pork was delicious but the rice never did completely cook. I wonder what I did wrong?
    Reply
    • Kristen Hoekstra says:
      March 7, 2019
      Same! It was very undercooked and the water didn't get absorbed. We were so disappointed because it would have been so good! The pork was perfectly cooked. I wonder why the rice didn't cook?
      Reply
  11. Diann says:
    January 17, 2014
    What is the white creamy sauce that is on top??
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 17, 2014
      Colby Jack Cheese. It's orange and white.
      Reply
  12. Trish Melton says:
    January 21, 2014
    We are trying to eat healthier, so I have saved 60 recipes to make. This one is definitely a winner. The rice is a little spicy but my family liked it a lot.
    Reply
  13. Miranda says:
    January 27, 2014
    I made this today and it was great. I had to substite mild salsa for the tomato sauce because I didn't have any. Thank you so much for the recipe.
    Reply
  14. Heather says:
    February 5, 2014
    Made this last night and it was FANTASTIC! My family loved it!!!
    Reply
  15. Heather Arnold says:
    February 15, 2014
    I made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit. Everyone eat it and liked it. I also made your quick ambrosia salad it was also great. I made my grocery list this week from only Six Sisters recipes. So far so good. I did add and subtract some things, I left off peppers from pork chops and added sliced avocado and tomatoes. I also added strawberries and pecan to the fruit salad. I will be making it again. I'm thinking the fruit salad for a quick breakfast before my son goes to school in the mornings. Six Sisters is my new addiction.
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 18, 2014
      Thanks Heather! You made our day!! Cyd (mom of the Six Sisters)
      Reply
  16. Tammy says:
    April 5, 2016
    I have never tried one of your recipes that I didn't love and my entire family which consists of many people. Making the fiesta pork chop and rice bake tonight if it tastes as good as it looks worse so thank you so much for the recipe
    Reply
  17. Sherri says:
    June 8, 2016
    I made this dish exactly as written and mine is really watery. It doesn't look like your picture that looks like all the rice absorbed the liquid. Any suggestions ?
    Reply
  18. Lynne says:
    July 16, 2016
    I'd love to try this, but we aren't using our ovens in Phoenix during the summer heat. Would this work in an electric skillet?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      July 16, 2016
      It should work, just be sure that the pork chops and rice are cooked through.
      Reply
    • Joycekk says:
      July 30, 2020
      We really enjoyed this recipe! Everything about it was great! The pork was tender and rice was fully cooked. I had leftover pasta sauce so I used that instead of tomato sauce.
      Reply
  19. Suej says:
    February 18, 2017
    This is my go to recipe for pork chops. I have made this for my hubby and I several times. And it has never failed me. Thank you for sharing. P.S. love the leftover rice for lunch the next day.
    Reply
  20. Leslie H Bauer says:
    November 8, 2018
    Our rice is still crunchy after an hour of baking... Took the pork chops out and put the rice back in....
    Reply
  21. Natalie says:
    November 8, 2018
    Could this be made in the Instant Pot??
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      November 16, 2018
      Here is our post about converting recipes for the instant pot. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/how-to-convert-recipes-into-instant-pot-recipes/
      Reply
  22. Kathy Huizenga says:
    June 1, 2019
    Is instant rice supposed to be used in this recipe? How come nobody replies to questions about the rice being under cooked
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      June 8, 2019
      We did not have a problem with the rice being undercooked. It says cook for 50-60 minutes or until rice is tender. You could cook it a little longer for the rice. You could remove the pork chops if the rice needed more time. Then place them back on and add the cheese.
      Reply
  23. Dawn Mentzer says:
    June 18, 2019
    This sound delish . But we are going low carb. Can we use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice?
    Reply
  24. Lisa says:
    November 5, 2019
    I had the same problem as others. Great taste but cooking times all wrong. Removed 3/4 inch pork chops at 50 min and they were already overdone (175degrees). Had to cook rice for another 25Min to complete cooking/absorb liquid. Will definitely try another recipe but this one needs some work!
    Reply
  25. Byenia says:
    March 6, 2020
    This recipe turned out pretty good, though I did use a can of Rotel and some jarred salsa in place of the cans of green chiles and tomato sauce, plus brown rice instead of white rice and a homemade blend in place of store-bought taco seasoning. Needed to cook a little over twice as long (for both the rice and for the pork chops to be cooked fully throughout, though mine did start out partially frozen). Flavor was terrific and it's definitely a recipe I'd use again (with the changes made included). Served it with a corn & black bean salsa.
    Reply
  26. Allison says:
    August 5, 2020
    These were so delicious. The kids said it smelled and tasted like their favorite Mexican food place! My dad was coming over (and he's diabetic) so I used brown minute rice (1 3/4 c of instant rice and the same 1 3/4 c broth) and did everything else the same and it came out great! Thanks for a great recipe!
    Reply
  27. Sharon says:
    November 7, 2020
    I made this tonight for tea.It was delicious x x
    Reply
  28. Becky Buchholz says:
    January 19, 2021
    This recipe was super tasty. Do you have a trick for using brown rice instead of white? Thought I had it but my brown rice was still kinda crunchy? I did test a spoonful but i must have gotten a good spoonful.
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      January 26, 2021
      Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice and requires more water.
      Reply
  29. d4v1d says:
    February 20, 2021
    Nice recipe - I used crush tomatoes, which I feel is a major improvement over a processed sauce. Water instead of stock is fine, if you have adequate seasoning on the pork (and hint: mix salsa or pico de gallo in with the tomatoes).. I have made this family favorite a couple times...and will keep doing so.
    Reply
  30. [email protected] says:
    March 11, 2021
    I just made these in my electric skillet they cooked up so tender. I will definitely try them again. Delish! Thanks, Note: I used bone in chops, also precooked brown rice, an eletric skillet the only exceptions!
    Reply
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