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Seared Pork Chops with Fresh Fruit Salsa

A skillet sear and a cool, uncooked peach salsa make a bright pork chop dinner with gentle chile warmth and simple sides.

Seared pork chops are served with bright peach salsa, couscous, and green beans.

Sweet ripe peaches, lime, cilantro, and a little jalapeño bring freshness to savory cumin-dusted pork. The salsa stays raw and juicy, while couscous and skillet-steamed green beans keep the plate balanced and the cooking focused.

Keep the fruit uncooked

Cut the peaches and red onion small enough to sit easily on a fork, then dress them with lime, cilantro, and jalapeño. The lime seasons the fruit as it rests, but the salsa never touches the hot skillet, preserving its cool, juicy contrast to the pork.

Build a browned skillet crust

Drying the chops before seasoning helps them brown instead of steam. Let each side sit undisturbed long enough to release cleanly from the pan, then use an instant-read thermometer because chop thickness can change the timing.

Pork chops sear in a skillet beside a bowl of uncooked peach, lime, and cilantro salsa. — The peaches, lime, cilantro, and jalapeño are mixed into a fresh salsa while the chops sear.

Check the center, then rest

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of a chop. Remove it from the heat at 145 F and rest at least three minutes before serving for safe, juicy pork.

Set the chile level

Removing the jalapeño seeds and inner ribs keeps its flavor while limiting the heat. For a livelier salsa, stir in a small pinch of the minced seeds, taste, and add more gradually rather than making the whole bowl too hot at once.

A browned pork chop topped with fresh peach salsa shows the contrast of savory crust and juicy fruit. — Golden seared pork is ready for a spoonful of cool peach salsa.

Keep the supporting sides simple

Mild couscous catches the pork juices without competing with the fruit, and green beans add a crisp savory bite. Serve the salsa at the table so every diner can choose how much sweetness and chile to pair with each forkful.

Seared Pork Chops with Fresh Fruit Salsa

4 servings

40 minutes total

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops, each about 3/4 inch thick
• 2 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 medium lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp neutral high-heat oil
• 12 oz green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1 1/4 cups water for couscous
• 2 tbsp water for steaming green beans

Method

Make the fresh salsa
Combine the diced peaches and red onion with lime zest and juice, cilantro, jalapeño, and 1/4 tsp salt; keep the bowl uncooked and set it aside so the lime seasons the fruit while you cook.
Look for: The salsa is juicy and fragrant, with the peach pieces still holding their shape.
Set up couscous
Bring the water and 1/4 tsp salt to a boil in a small covered saucepan, stir in the couscous, cover, and remove the pan from the heat for 5 minutes.
Look for: The couscous absorbs the water while covered and is tender after standing.
Season pork and beans
Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with the remaining 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, and cumin; keep the trimmed green beans nearby for cooking after the chops.
Look for: The chop surfaces are dry and evenly coated with the seasoning.
Sear the chops
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, then add the chops in one layer and sear without moving for 3 to 4 minutes, until a browned crust forms.
Look for: The pork releases from the skillet with a deep golden-brown sear.
Turn and finish cooking
Turn the chops and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, checking the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer; remove each chop from the heat at 145 F, adding another minute or two if needed.
Look for: The thickest part reaches 145 F before the chop leaves the skillet.
Rest the pork
Transfer the chops to a clean plate and rest at least 3 minutes, loosely tented; the brief rest keeps the meat juicy and completes the recommended resting time for pork chops.
Look for: The chops rest undisturbed for at least 3 minutes before serving.
Cook the green beans
While the pork rests, add the green beans and 2 tbsp water to the same skillet, cover, and steam over medium heat for 3 minutes; uncover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until bright green and crisp-tender, then toss with the butter and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
Look for: The beans are vivid green and tender with a slight snap, not soft or waterlogged.
Fluff and serve
Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide it with the green beans among plates; serve each chop with a generous spoonful of the cool fruit salsa, keeping the salsa off the hot skillet.
Look for: The bright, uncooked salsa contrasts with the savory seared pork and mild sides.