Tex-Mex Pork with Mango Salsa
with Zesty Lime Rice & Smoky Red Pepper Crema
- Milk
We can never get enough of sweet and savory combos for dinner, which is why we’re head-over-heels for this Tex-Mex flavored dish with a tropical twist. Pork chops get a rub of Southwest spices, then get seared until juicy. The mango actually makes not one, but two appearances: The juice is simmered with spices and lime to form a tantalizing pan sauce, while the fruit is chopped and stirred into a fresh salsa. It’s all served with zesty rice and smoky red pepper crema.
Ingredients
¾ cup
Jasmine Rice
2 unit
Scallions
¼ ounce
Cilantro
1 unit
Lime
4 ounce
Mango
1 unit
Tex-Mex Paste
10 ounce
Pork Chops
1 tablespoon
Southwest Spice Blend
2 tablespoon
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
(Contains: Milk)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Wash and dry produce. • In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• While rice cooks, drain mango over a small bowl, reserving juice; roughly chop. Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro. Trim and thinly slice scallions. • To bowl with mango juice, stir in Tex-Mex paste, juice from half the lime, and 2 TBSP water (3 TBSP for 4 servings).
• In a medium bowl, combine chopped mango, cilantro, scallions, and a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pat pork* dry with paper towels and season all over with half the Southwest Spice Blend (all for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. TIP: If seasoning begins to burn before pork is cooked through, reduce heat to medium. • Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes. Wipe out pan.
• Return pan used for pork to medium-high heat. Add Tex-Mex paste mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes. • Remove from heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted.
• Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest and season with salt and pepper. • Thinly slice pork crosswise. • Divide rice between bowls and top with pork. Drizzle pork with pan sauce, then garnish with mango salsa and smoky red pepper crema. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.
Pork is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: The sweet-and-spicy combo of the Tex-Mex pan sauce, mango salsa, and smoky red pepper crema is a genuine crowd-pleaser 🎉. Some found the seasoning quite bold; use half the Southwest spice blend on the pork if you prefer a milder heat.
- Ease of prep: This comes together quickly and is straightforward to make, though a few noted there are several components going at once.
- Suggestions: Double the mango salsa ingredients for better balance with the spice, and consider adding tomatoes or bell pepper to the salsa for more substance. A few customers added sautéed onion or roasted broccoli as a side to round out the meal, since no vegetable is included.
- Portions: The rice portion is generous, but some felt the mango salsa and crema were too small relative to the amount of rice and pork.
- Protein swaps: Several customers swapped pork for chicken — either pan-seared or air-fried — with excellent results.
Reviews from our home cooks
I can't believe how good this was. I was in it for the mango salsa (which did not disappoint), but the pork took the spotlight. The two came together like soulmates. It was the Southwest Seasoning rub, I'm sure. There was a beautiful char on the meat and then, inside it was perfectly juicy... tender. Those savory spices mixed with the bright sweetness of the mango salsa was a match made in heaven. It didn't need the Red Pepper Crema. Could have used a little more mango salsa- didn't get some in every bite.
This is one of our new favorites for sure! AMAZING! The Tex mex sauce with the mango salsa and the red pepper crema - so delicious! Spicy, flavorful with a hint of sweet and citrus-y from the lime!
This was easily my favorite meal we've had through Hello Fresh. The tex mex sauce was delicious, spicy and paired well with the mango salsa. We did forget the crema when serving, but because I liked the spice of the sauce I didn't miss it
This was really flavorful. Loved the combination of the savory Tex Mex paste with the bright sweetness of the mango for the pan sauce. The salsa was great too! Will definitely order again.
FABULOUS! I normally do not like fruit or nuts in anything BUT I loved the mango salsa. One of my pork pieces was thicker than the other. I added the lime zest to my crema not the rice. No butter added. I would pick this again!
Loved this, although the rice didn't really fit with the rest of the flavors. The mango salsa and pan sauce were delicious with the pork. If the rice had been replaced with a vegetable this meal would have been perfect.
This was pretty good. I definitely think it could use more mango for the salsa. The mangoes sweetness really helps to balance the heat from the spicy Tex-Mex sauce. You find yourself looking for the gems of mango for each bite. I found that the sauce is better drizzled over the dish rather than spooned like a gravy. On our previous try of this dish I had done the latter and boy was it overpowering. Anyhow, this time the dish was much better.
I thought tex mex sauce would be too smoky. When assembled with rice, salsa, and pork, it worked great. Couldn't taste any of the mango though.
The flavors are good. There was not enough mango to make enough salsa. The mango salsa is needed to cool your mouth down from the spicy seasoning in the sauce & on the pork. Some grilled veggies would have gone nicely with this. Really craved more mango salsa.
Great flavor combination. Love the smokiness of the tex mex sauce with the sweetness of the mango. Will make again!!!
