A one-pan, 30-minute meal the whole family will love, these Spiced Fajita Pork and Creamy Mexican Street Corn Dinner Bowls bring big flavor with minimal effort, utilizing the best fresh meat, produce, and pantry staples, while also being gluten-free! Whether you’re in a hurry on a weeknight or just need a dose of hearty spice, this dish has you covered, and pronto too! Follow the tips below for perfect pork, and how to make your own fajita spice mix without added flour, cornstarch, or preservatives!
For The Love of Easy Meals
Like my weeknight pork carnitas and pulled pork quesadilla tacos, I love reaching for pork to whip up a 30-minute meal.
As someone raised in rural Minnesota, pork has always been a big part of my life. Why?
- There are more than 3000 pig farms in Minnesota alone, resulting in;
- Minnesota ranking 2nd in value and number of market pigs raised, with over 16.6 million marketed in 2018
That’s a lot of pork! But here’s the caveat:
- Minnesota pork is produced without added hormones, therefore all pork available at the store is hormone-free
I love my Minnesota farmers! Learn more about Minnesota Pork HERE.
What’s In This Pork Fajitas Dish?
Simple, delicious ingredients, of course!
- thick-cut pork chops
- fajita seasoning
- fresh corn
- cherry tomatoes
- cilantro
- red onion
- queso fresco
- mayo
- chili powder
- lime juice
- tortilla chips
How To Make Fajita Seasoning
As I mentioned earlier, I like to make my own seasoning mixes in order to avoid fillers like flour, cornstarch, and preservatives. I use basic staple seasonings for spectacular flavor results!
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- cumin
- coriander
- oregano
- salt
- pepper
Just mix them all together and voila! The great thing about making your own spice mix is that you have full control of the ratios, so if you like more spice, add more chili powder. Super simple.
Can I Use Something Other Than Thick-Cut Pork Chops?
Absolutely! If you only have traditional thin-cut chops, by all means, use them. You will want to reduce the cooking time so you don’t overcook your pork, as you want an internal temperature of 145 degrees for the best-tasting pork.
You could also use the pork tenderloin or pork loin, but again, you would have to adjust the cooking time, since the loin and tenderloin are larger and thicker.
I also recommend a hot sear followed by cooking at a lower temp, covered, so the pork doesn’t blacken on the outside before reaching temperature internally.
Either way, you can still finish this dish with a single skillet!
Can I Use Canned Corn Instead of Fresh?
Yes! If you can’t source fresh corn where you are, feel free to grab a can. A slight cooking adjustment will be needed, but it works really well in a pinch.
- instead of cooking onion and fresh corn together:
- cook onion until softened, then add drained canned corn in the last minute just to heat through
From there, you finish the street corn mixture just the same by adding the mayo, cheese, and chili powder.
Spiced Fajita Pork and Creamy Mexican Street Corn Dinner Bowls
Grab your skillet for this 30-minute meal full of bold flavors and get ready to enjoy these Spiced Fajita Pork and Creamy Mexican Street Corn Dinner Bowls! A gluten-free delight, this dish features delicious, fresh ingredients and basic pantry staples, for a dinner you can enjoy even on the most hectic weeknight. Let’s get cooking!
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Spiced Fajita Pork and Creamy Mexican Street Corn Dinner Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 thick-cut pork chops 1.5-2 inches thick, or 8 oz each
- fajita seasoning
- olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 cup queso fresco divided
- 1 large lime
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 large red onion sliced thin
- 6 cups fresh corn
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- tortilla chips for serving
For The Fajita Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Pat pork dry with a paper towel. Mix together fajita seasoning and generously season all sides of each pork chop until thickly coated. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add pork and sear on one side until golden brown, around 5-7 minutes. Flip and cover, continuing to cook until the thickest portion of the chop reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove pork from pan and set aside to rest before slicing.
- While pork cooks, in a medium-sized bowl add the tomatoes, cilantro, half of the queso fresco, and the juice from ½ lime. Toss together then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Wipe down pan from the pork and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Heat to medium-high, then add the red onion and corn and saute, stirring often, until the onion is soft and corn is beginning to brown, around 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in mayo, remaining queso fresco, chili powder, the juice from ½ lime, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper as desired.
- To serve, add a handful of tortilla chips to each bowl, then spoon creamy Mexican street corn on top. Slice the pork and divide between each bowl, then top with the tomato salsa and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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