Mexican-Spiced Pork Chops

with Guajillo Barley & Cotija Cheese

35 MIN

2 Servings

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From the Test Kitchen

These pork chops get zesty Mexican-style flavor from a blend of spices like ancho chile powder, paprika, and cumin used to coat them before cooking. A vibrant bed of hearty barley—finished with tender tomatoes and sweet peppers sautéed with our guajillo pepper sauce—rounds out the dish on a bold note.
14 green SmartPoints® per serving
14 blue SmartPoints® per serving
10 purple SmartPoints® per serving
To learn more about WW and SmartPoints® visit ww.com
To make this recipe diabetes friendly and meet the ADA nutrition guidelines for sodium, it is recommended that no additional salt be added to this recipe when prepared. See nutrition information for sodium as packaged.

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Dietary Information

See nutrition facts for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium information

Carb Conscious

Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

500 Cals (est.)

View Full Nutrition

fresh

ingredients

2 Boneless, Center-Cut Pork Chops
½ cup Pearled Barley
2 cloves Garlic
2 Scallions
4 oz Grape Tomatoes
4 oz Sweet Peppers
⅓ cup Tomatillo-Poblano Sauce
2 Tbsps Grated Cotija Cheese
1 Tbsp Mexican Spice Blend (Ancho Chile Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Ground Cumin & Dried Mexican Oregano)

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Cook the barley:

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the barley. Cook, uncovered, 28 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

2 Prepare the ingredients:

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove the cores. Halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Halve the tomatoes; place in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.

3 Cook the peppers & finish the vegetables:

In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped garlic and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the guajillo pepper sauce and 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the liquid is slightly thickened. Transfer to the bowl of seasoned tomatoes. Cover to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

4 Cook the pork:

Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes.

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

5 Finish & serve your dish:

While the pork rests, to the bowl of finished vegetables, add the cooked barley and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the rested pork crosswise. Serve the sliced pork over the finished barley. Garnish with the cheese and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!