Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops, (Chuletas Fritas), are juicy, tender, and just so delicious! Enjoy these with practically any side dish of your choice. Quickly fried and on the table in under 30 minutes!
Growing up, chuletas fritas were a staple in our home, and for good reason, they’re quick, delicious, and go with just about anything! My mom would fry these juicy pork chops in no time and serve them with Puerto Rican rice and beans, yellow rice with corn, arroz con gandules (pigeon peas and rice) or a big scoop of ensalada de coditos (macaroni salad) and ensalada de papa (potato salad). No fancy ingredients, just simple, comforting food that was delicious, filling and satisfaying!
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What’s the Best Cut for Fried Pork Chops?
Usually, Puerto Rican fried pork chops are made with bone-in chops, and that’s the way I’ve always loved them. The bone adds so much flavor and helps keep the meat tender and juicy. Plus, I love nibbling on the bone once I’m done with the meat! So yes, in my opinion, bone in chops are the way to go! The best cuts are center-cut and rib chops, they’re tender, flavorful, and fry up beautifully. Of course, if you prefer boneless chops, those work too, just be careful not to overcook them, as they fry up faster and can dry out. Keep an eye on them, and you’ll still get a delicious, juicy pork chop!
Reasons We Love this Recipe
- Delicious – These are absolutely delicious! I especially love pork chops that have a little fatty edge, these are extra delicious when fried!
- Quick and Easy – These are perfect for a quick flavorful weeknight meal. In less than 30 minutes, you can have these on the table.
- Versatile – You can serve these with practically any side dish. Rice, pasta, veggies or even a simple salad for a lighter meal.
Ingredients
These simple, everyday ingredients come together to make the most delicious Puerto Rican fried pork chops!
- Pork Chops: The heart of the recipe! Bone-in chops are my favorite.
- Adobo: If you know, you know! This Puerto Rican pantry staple brings all the seasoning you need, salty, garlicky, and packed with flavor.
- Paprika: Combines so well with the other flavors and adds a beautiful color to the pork chops.
- Garlic: Garlic is a must for chuletas fritas!
- Oregano: A classic used in a lot of Puerto Rican cooking.
- Vegetable Oil: Perfect for frying up the chops to a golden, crispy perfection.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pork Chops – If you’re not a fan of bone-in pork chops, you can absolutely use boneless chops. Just be extra watchful when cooking them as they do cook faster.
- Adobo – If you do not have adobo, you can make your mix with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. It won’t be exactly the same, but will work in a pinch!
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is always best, but you can certainly use garlic powder as well.
- Frying Oil – Vegetable oil or canola oil are both excellent choices for frying.
Instructions
Step 1: Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and oregano together until a chucky paste forms.
Step 2: Stir in 2 tablespoons of oil and stir together to form a marinade.
Tip: If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can use a small food processor to blend the ingredients, or simply mince the garlic finely with a knife and mix it with the oregano and oil.
Step 3: Rub each pork chop with about a teaspoon of the garlic and oregano marinade, making sure to coat both sides evenly.
Step 4: Lightly sprinkle adobo over the pork chops, followed by the paprika.
Tip: Be careful not to overdo it with the adobo, too much can make the pork chops salty. A light sprinkle is all you need!
Step 5: Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add 2-3 pork chops at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can lower the oil temperature and make the pork chops greasy instead of crispy.
Step 6: Fry the pork chops for about 7 minutes on one side, then flip them over and cook for another 7-10 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Step 7: Once done, transfer the pork chops to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Step 8: Serve immediately while they’re hot and crispy. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don’t Overcrowd the Frying Pan: Fry the pork chops in batches if needed. Overcrowding lowers the oil temperature making the pork chops greasy instead of perfectly tender and juicy.
- Heat: Keep the oil at a steady medium heat. If the heat is too high, the outside of the pork chops will burn before the inside is cooked. If the heat is too low, the pork chops will absorb too much oil and turn greasy.
- Marinade Ahead – If you like, marinade the night before for extra flavor, plus it saves you an extra step the next day when you’re ready to fry them.
Recipe FAQs
Boneless pork chops work great too! Just be sure to keep a close eye on them, they cook faster than bone-in chops and tend to dry out if left too long in the oil.
I recommend vegetable or canola oil, they both have a high smoke point, so they’re ideal for getting those pork chops perfectly crispy and tender.
The best way to tell is by using a meat thermometer, pork chops are perfectly cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, cook them for about 7-10 minutes per side, adjusting the time based on the thickness of the chops. If you notice any redness near the bone after cooking, just pop them back into the hot pan and fry for a few more minutes on each side to finish them off.
Yes, you can! Air fry at 400-425°F for 8 minutes and then flip over, cook for another 8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
The pork chops can turn out greasy if the oil isn’t hot enough or if the pan is too overcrowded. To avoid this, fry the pork chops in batches and make sure the oil is properly heated before adding the chops.
Store the pork chops in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Heat through in the microwave for a few minutes or in a preheated oven at 375°F for 12 minutes or until heated through.
Other Pork Dishes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs bone in pork chops (about 6 pork chops) rinsed
- 1 ½ teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 5 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
Instructions
Marinade
- Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and oregano together until a chucky paste forms.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of oil and stir together to form a marinade.Tip: If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can use a small food processor to blend the ingredients, or simply mince the garlic finely with a knife and mix it with the oregano and oil.
Seasoning the Pork Chops
- Rub each pork chop with about a teaspoon of the garlic and oregano marinade, making sure to coat both sides evenly.
- Lightly sprinkle adobo over the pork chops, followed by the paprika.Tip: Be careful not to overdo it with the adobo, too much can make the pork chops salty. A light sprinkle is all you need!
Frying
- Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add 2-3 pork chops at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Tip: Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can lower the oil temperature and make the pork chops greasy instead of crispy.
- Fry the pork chops for about 7 minutes on one side, then flip them over and cook for another 7-10 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Once done, transfer the pork chops to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately while they’re hot and delicious! Enjoy!
Rhonda says
These are so tasty for something so easy & quick to make. Goes awesome with arroz on gandules!
Catherine Arena says
Hi Rhonda! Glad to hear you really enjoyed this recipe. It is my go to pork chop recipe every week! And I must agree a 1000%, these go excellent with Arroz con Gandules, it’s a combo we make all the time! Thanks for taking the time to let us know how much you enjoyed these! 🙂
Johanna says
Thank you for this recipe! My husband and 4 yr old love it, and my 3 yr old doesn’t even like pork chops lol. Now he requests it on a weekly basis. One very happy momma over here.
Cathy says
Awww Johanna thank you! It warms my heat to hear this! I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you so much for such a sweet compliment and taking the time to comment! Appreciate you!