This might be a new favorite. It was just SO easy and delicious.
You can make this recipe with a pork tenderloin if desired but the pork loin filet that I bought was almost $2 less per pound than the tenderloins. Tenderloins are leaner and smaller which means you’ll get more surface area in contact with the marinade and more flavor. But, the pork loin was excellent all the same. Cooking it on a grill (if you have one available) will add extra smokey yuminess. I don’t have one at the moment, so non-grill directions are listed below!
FYI- chili powder isn’t all that spicy so don’t be too afraid. If you look at the ingredients, it’s actually a mix of spices so it’s not nearly as hot as, say, cayenne pepper.
Oh, also, you can let this marinate over night or while you’re at work for extra flavor. The marinade comes together in just a few minutes so you can easily throw it together and then pick the recipe back up later.
Chili Lime Pork Loin
Chili Lime Pork Loin
Servings 6Ingredients
- 2 lb. pork loin filet ($8.18)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.15)
- 1 medium lime ($0.25)
- 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic ($0.12)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil with the soy sauce, chili powder, lime juice, and garlic. To get the most juice out of your lime, microwave it for about 20 seconds before cutting it open.
- Place the pork loin in a large zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Squish the mixture around to make sure the loin is completely coated and then refrigerate for one hour or more.
- When ready to cook, take the pork loin out of the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large skillet with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the skillet is very hot and the oil looks wavy on the surface, add the pork loin (do not discard the marinade yet!). Sear both sides of the pork loin until brown and crispy (about 3-5 minutes each side).
- After searing both sides of the pork loin, place it on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Baste the loin with the remaining marinade and place it in the oven. Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
This is the pork loin that I bought. There is a difference between a pork loin and a tenderloin. Two different cuts of meat. The loin is larger and less expensive. That is whatt I used. You can use either with this recipe!
Whisk together 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil with the soy sauce, chili powder, garlic, and lime juice. You can get more juice out of your lime by microwaving it for about 20-30 seconds before cutting it open.
Place the pork and the marinade in a large zip top bag and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and heat a large skillet with the remaining 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
When the skillet is very hot and the oil looks wavy, add the pork loin. It will splatter, so be very careful. Sear on both sides until brown and crispy. Don’t throw away the used bag of marinade yet.
It will take about 3-5 minutes on each side over very high heat to sear the pork. This step is very important because it adds flavor and visual appeal. Don’t skip it.
Place the seared pork loin on a baking sheet or roasting pan (or a make-shift roasting pan made out of cooling racks and a baking sheet). Baste the loin with the leftover marinade from the bag. Get as much on there as possible.
Place the pork in the preheated 400 degree oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. After 20 minutes mine was at 150 so I popped it back in for another ten minutes and that did the trick. A thermometer like mine only costs about $5-$10 and is extremely helpful.
And then it’s done! Let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing so that the juices can redistribute within the meat. Slice it up and serve warm!
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I made this and it was yummy! Just one suggestion: I before juicing the lime, I always zest it first. It’s already included in the price and it would be a waste not to use it. Not to mention it’s delicious!
Hello, curious… no salt at all? Or did I miss it on the post?
We just made this last night with a 6# pork loin……it was delicious!! Thanks for the great recipe! =)
~ Mara @ Super Savings
p.s. I think your site is great….I love how you have the prices broken down! I’ll share it on my Super Savings Facebook page if that’s ok with you!
This was delish!! We had way too much, so I made some more of the marinade up and stored the cooked tenderloin in with some marinade and it reheated so moist and juicy for dinner the next night. Great recipe!
You havnt let me down with a recipe yet! i NEVER make pork. but i tryied this and it was a absolute hit.
I made this last night. I bought a 2 pack of pork tenderloin for a total weight of 2.5 lbs. I doubled the recipe for the marinade because I usually think there’s never enough. This was soo tasty and tender. If I didn’t have my meat thermometer to tell me it was cooked I would have thought it was raw. You could cut it with a fork and my 2 & 4 year old loved it. I’m excited to make it again and to try the marinade on other meats.
I made this last weekend & it was wonderful! The pork tenderloin we bought had 2 small ones in the package. Worked perfectly for 2 nights worth of dinner. Will make again.
I made this & served it with Cuban black beans & lime-scented rice – delish! Only thing I would add is, make sure you line your roasting pan with foil – not mentioned in the directions, but it is pictured. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to the pix, and spent a couple of days trying to get the burned-on marinade off of my roasting pan (finally resorted to a flat-tip screw driver). I did add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to the marinade, and I used chipotle chili powder for the smokiness, it was just perfect.
This looked so good, I went and bought the ingredients to make it tomorrow. The tenderloins at my market were $3.99/lb., and the fillets were $5.99/lb., so I’ll be using tenderloins. Thanks for all your great recipes, and especially the cost breakdown. You’re a peach!
I used this marinade with boneless chops on the grill – it was delicious! Thanks for another easy and versatile recipe!
Made this tonight- very good but took about twice as long to bake. Must have been thicker than yours. I made a Cuban chimichurri to accompany it (parsley, cilantro, garlic, wine vinegar, lime juice and soy sauce all pureed together) that was the perfect accompaniment.
Leftovers? What leftovers? ;) Just kidding. I have simply been warming mine up in the microwave and enjoying with some flavored rice. You could also slice it up and serve it on top of a salad, or chop it and stuff it into a burrito! It’s very versatile!
Ideas for leftovers?
I made this, and it was good, but the marinade is missing a sweet component. We compensated by eating it with bbq sauce and ketchup. Putting a little honey into the marinade, or even bbq sauce or ketchup would help cut through the sourness/bitterness of the chili and the lime. Otherwise, a great idea and super easy to make. Thank you.
This looks delicious! Haven’t had pork fillet in a while, but definitely will after seeing this. I’ve usually made mine with a teriyaki marinade or a sweet chili and lime one, but I need to try this one too! I’ve recently also tried your Jambalaya recipe, which was a big success! :)