Southwestern Pork Chops with Hatch Chile Pico de Gallo

Smoky Southwestern grilled pork chops topped with fresh Hatch chile pico de gallo. Juicy, flavorful, and a perfect summer dinner.

I adore hatch chiles. I pine for them every August. After a quick roasting, I make anything and everything I can with them. Things like this Green Chile Pimento or Hatch Chile Macaroni and Cheese. And my family’s latest favorite are these Southwestern Grilled Pork Chops topped with Hatch Chile Pico De Gallo. 

Not only are these babies packed with flavor, they are really really easy to make. You can get the whole thing on the dinner table in about 30 minutes. And the pico de gallo makes excellent leftovers for chips or tacos. 

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them. 

Southwestern Grilled Pork Chops with Hatch Chile Pico de Gallo: 

• ROASTED HATCH CHILES: Hatch chiles start showing up in grocery stores in August. Hatch Chiles are chilies that are grown in the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico. They are long green peppers that are very similar to the Anaheim pepper but are a bit hotter. While you can eat hatch chiles raw, they are most often roasted (or blistered under a broiler) before they are used in recipes. When roasted they have a smoky earthy flavor. 
• YELLOW ONIONS: You can also use white onions. 
• TOMATOES: You can use vine ripened tomatoes, roma tomatoes, campari or hot house tomatoes for this. Whichever you prefer! Just make sure they are fresh, ripe tomatoes. 
• CILANTRO: Cilantro and pico de gallo go hand in hand. If you are one of those people that doesn’t like cilantro you can leave it out. 
• SALT/PEPPER/CUMIN/CHILI POWDER/GRANULATED GARLIC: To make a rub to season the pork chops. 
• BONE-IN PORK CHOPS: Thick cut bone in pork chops are going to give you the juiciest pork chops. Aim for pork chops that are at least 1 inch thick. If they are thinner than that just make sure to shorten the cooking time. 

Southwestern Pork Chops Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Making this pork chops is so easy making them a perfect weeknight dinner. You can also make the pico de gallo ahead of time making it even easier to make. 

• STEP #1: Combine roasted chilies, onions, tomatoes, cilantro and salt together in a bowl. Mix well and set aside until ready to use. 
• STEP #2: Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, pepper and granulated garlic to make a rub for the pork chops. Rub both sides of the pork chops with the mixture. 
• STEP #3: Grill Pork Chops on both sides until they reach 145 degrees. Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. 
• STEP #4: After the pork chops have rested, spoon hatch chile pico de gallo over the top (or serve on the side) and serve.

Storage and Leftovers: 

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a few days. 

If you love hatch chiles, you’ll want to check out these other Hatch Chile Recipes: 

Hatch Chile Cream Cheese Spread is a creamy dip loaded with smoky hatch green chilies. It is great for game day, BBQs and parties. 

Cheesy Hatch Chile Pull-Apart Bread is stuffed with hatch chile butter and three different kinds of cheese. AKA the perfect game day snack!

Note: Originally published in 2014. Updated in 2025 with new photos, modified recipe and nutrition information.