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Chuleta pork cutlets are shown on platter garnished with cilantro leaves.

Chuleta Frita (Marinated Fried Pork Chop)

Pan fried pork chops or chuletas fritas in Spanish are a favorite pork dinner or lunch option in the home cooking traditions of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, other island nations of the Carribean and across Central America. Here we serve them Cuban style with fried onions.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 771kcal
Author: Milena Perrine

Ingredients

  • 8 pork rib chops thin cut (about 1 inch)
  • ½ cup cooking oil or as needed*
  • 2 yellow onions optional, if you choose to fry them

Marinade

  • 2 teaspoon sazon seasoning adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon adobo seasoning optional**
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper adjust to taste
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

  • Mix the marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl that is large enough to hold all the pork chops.
    Bowl with marinade ingredients for chuleta frita
  • One by one thoroughly coat each chuleta in marinade.
    Pork chops coated in marinade for chuletas fritas
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours to overnight. Longer than that can make the meat mushy.
    Chuletas in marinade covered with plastic wrap.
  • Before frying bring the chuletas to room temperature. Fill a frying pan with enough oil to cover a chop about half way through (or adjust as per Notes below). Heat over medium-high heat to about 350 F.
  • Working in batches of 2 fry chops for 5 minutes on one side, then flip over and fry the other side until the internal temperature reaches 145 F. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
  • Once the chuletas are done, use remaining oil in the pan to fry the onions (if making).
  • When they are tender and are just beginning to caramelize they have absorbed the flavors from the pan are ready.
  • Serve the chuletas topped with fried onions (if using) and a side of black beans, white rice, salad etc.

Video

Notes

If this is your first time making chuletas please read the post above. It contains a lot of useful information that cannot fit in this card.
*You can use as little oil as about 4 tablespoon and sear the chuletas or fill the frying pan with as much oil as to cover the chuletas about half way through to pan fry them. You can also add more oil and deep fry them - if so be prepared for them to cook much faster, you may not need to flip them over at all.
Cooking oil options include: corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, lard.
**We prefer to leave out the adobo. Feel free to omit or increase it to taste.
Sazon packets contain about 1 ½ teaspoon seasoning. We like to use just a bit more than that.
To make your own sazon seasoning mix together the ingredients below and store in an airtight container.
  • 2 tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2-½ tbsp annatto
  • 2 tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • 1-½ tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp black pepper
To make your own adobo seasoning mix together the ingredients below and store in an airtight container.
  • 5 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp ground oregano
  • ½ tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tbs kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 45g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 823mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
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