Spicy Thai Citrus Grilled Pork Chops

Pork chops are one of the more reasonably priced proteins these days. Three ounces of a cooked pork chop contains 23 to 26 grams of protein, or about half the protein we should be consuming daily. If you are looking for a different way to prepare pork chops, my husband ranked my recipe for Spicy Thai Citrus Grilled Pork Chops as a 10.

I have been making this recipe for over a decade now. It contains lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and a minced habanero chile pepper. When I can find fresh lemongrass, I use it. Whole Foods often stocks it; and if you have an Asian market near you, that type of specialty food store might carry it as well. Most supermarkets, however, stock lemongrass paste in their produce departments. It comes in a tube if you have never purchased it before. When fresh lemongrass isn’t available, I find the paste works nicely in this recipe. I have included directions on how to prep fresh lemongrass if you are lucky enough to find it.

I like serving this recipe with Blistered Shishito Peppers and a salad. I have also included my recipe for shishito peppers, which are in season now.

Spicy Thai Citrus Grilled Pork Chops

Serves 2 to 4

For the marinade:

2 tablespoons lemongrass paste

or

2 lemongrass stalks

1 habanero chile, seeded and minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon orange zest

½ cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 to 4 (½-inch) thick bone-in pork chops

To prep lemongrass, trim off the knobby root end and the woody green top. Peel away the tough outer 1 to 2 layers to reach the pale, soft inner core. Using the back of a large knife, smash the lemongrass to release its oil. Using a sharp knife, slice thinly.

In a small bowl, place sliced lemongrass pieces or lemongrass paste, habanero chile, garlic, ginger, orange zest and juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, and rice vinegar and whisk to combine. Divide marinade into 2 equal parts. Transfer half the marinade to a dish large enough to hold pork chops in a single layer.

Prick both sides of pork chops several times with a fork. Pour marinade over pork chops and marinate for 2 hours, turning pork chops over every 30 minutes and again piercing with a fork.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove pork chops from the marinade. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through about 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing marinade over chops as they cook.

Serve reserved marinade on the side to drizzle over pork chops.

Tips on selecting pork: When buying pork, look for cuts with a small amount of fat on the outside and meat that is firm with a pinkish red color. Pork will have better flavor and tenderness if it has a small amount of marbling, small speckles of fat within the meat. Choose packages that are cold and tightly wrapped without tears or punctures. Pork should not be blotchy. Spots indicate that it has begun to spoil. Avoid packages if the meat is pale in color or it contains liquid. Also, avoid meat that has dark-colored bones. Make your pork selection, along with other perishables, last. Bone-in pork roasts and bone-in pork chops will have more flavor than boneless.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Serves 4

1 package (8-ounces) shishito peppers

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Flaky sea salt to taste

Rinse peppers and dry thoroughly with kitchen towels. Place a large cast-iron skillet over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle drops of water into the skillet. The skillet will be hot enough when the droplets sizzle.

Add peppers to the hot skillet, placing them in a single layer. Sear them until they are blistered and browned, about 2 minutes. Peppers will pop as they blister.

Using tongs, turn the peppers over and sear them on the second side, another 2 minutes.

Transfer the blistered peppers to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with flaky sea salt. (I use about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.)

Serve with Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli on the side.

For Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 green onion, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper and whisk to blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips on selecting shishito peppers: Select firm, plump chiles with shiny skin and a fresh smell. Do not buy wrinkled or soft shishitos. Also, if the skin is mushy toward the stem end, or if the skin is soft, or brown, the pepper will be inferior.

Tips on storing shishito peppers: Refrigerate in reusable, paper, or plastic bags for up to 1 week.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates