These juicy grilled pork chops feature an easy, flavorful spice rub and a fresh and flavorful Mediterranean tomato salad that serves as a salsa for a quick and easy dinner.
In This Post
One of my favorite secrets to easy, flavorful cooking is to take a basic cooking method and dress it up with a fresh and easy recipe topper. Have you tried my Mediterranean grilled balsamic chicken with olive tapenade, or marinated flank steak with Asian chimichurri sauce? They’re prime examples of easy-to-create flavor, just like this fast pork chop recipe you’ll soon be making all summer long. I combined two super delicious, summery recipes—my juicy grilled pork chop recipe and my super simple Mediterranean tomato salad. With a couple of easy tweaks, they fuse beautifully to make this Mediterranean grilled pork chops with tomato salad recipe. Together they create one healthy and delicious summer dinner that can be prepped ahead or made on the fly, for a dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- These grilled pork chops don’t need a marinade or a brine, so they go from package to grill to dinner in under 30 minutes
- This easy recipe makes perfectly smoky, tender, juicy grilled pork chops every time
- The Mediterranean tomato and caper salad doubles as a salsa that can top the pork chops for a bright, zesty, flavorful accompaniment that you’ll want to spoon on everything all summer long
Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops Ingredients List
- Boneless pork chops—I use 6-ounce chops
- Olive oil or canola oil—for brushing the pork chops
- Dry rub pork seasoning—(I prefer making this homemade spice blend)
- Dried oregano—I add this to my homemade spice rub to add a simple Mediterranean flavoring.
for the Mediterranean tomato salad:
- Tomatoes—I use campari tomatoes for these, but you could use cherry tomatoes, or heirlooms (whatever looks good)
- Parsley—for a nice herbaceousness and pop of green
- Red onion—for savory flavor and crunch
- Capers—for a briny pop
- Garlic—lends such a great flavor to this salad
- Olive oil—I recommend a fruity olive oil for this
- Lemon—for adding brightness and acidity to the salad
- Kosher salt—always, for flavor
- Freshly ground black pepper—for even more flavor
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make These Grilled Pork Chops
- Prep the grill. Clean the grill grates for cooking over medium-high heat or about 350°F to 450°F.
- Season the pork chops. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and brush both sides evenly with olive oil. Generously season the pork chops with the dry rub, patting into the meat on both sides. Rest for 5-10 minutes as the grill heats. Sprinkle the pork chop seasoning on lightly oiled pork chops, making sure to coat both sides well.
- Let them rest. Allow the rub to rest and work its way into the chops as the grill pre-heats so the flavor seeps into the pork chops before searing on the grill and sealing in flavor (I like to give them 5-10 minutes).
- Grill the pork chops. Grill the pork chops over direct heat, with the lid closed, cooking until they are well-marked, for 8-12 minutes total, and turning them once. For juicy pork chops, the chops should still be barely pink in the middle and should register 140°F on a meat thermometer.
- Rest, cut, and serve. Rest the chops for 5 minutes for the juices to set into the meat before cutting, and serving.
Make the Mediterranean Tomato Salad
This bright and refreshing Mediterranean tomato salad is the perfect accompaniment to these juicy grilled pork chops. I shared how to make this Mediterranean tomato salad in this recipe post. Here, I’ve halved the recipe ingredients to make a smaller batch to use as a salsa rather than a whole-side salad. Feel free to make the full batch and salad it up for a potluck, BBQ, or as a simple meal prep salad throughout the week. Here’s how to make it:
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Make the vinaigrette. In a large bowl, gently toss the tomatoes, parsley, red onion, capers, and garlic.
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Let the tomatoes marinate. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the tomato mixture and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Let the salad marinate for about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
How Long to Grill Pork Chops
Pork chops cook relatively quickly on the grill. Depending on the thickness of the pork chops, the grill time will be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
What Temperature Pork Should Be Cooked to Eat Safely
For years, cooks have been told to cook pork until well done, resulting in a dried-out piece of meat nobody wants to eat. No more! According to recent changes in the USDA guidelines, it is safe to eat pork cooked medium rare. Cook the pork chops to an internal temperature of 140°F and still barely pink inside, then rest for about 5 minutes for the residual heat will continue to cook and raise the internal temperature.
- For thin-cut, bone-in pork chops about ¼ inch thick, cook over direct medium-high to high heat for a total of 3-5 minutes, with the lid closed, turning once.
- For 1-inch thick boneless pork chops, cook for 8-12 minutes over direct heat turning every 3-4 minutes or until well grill-marked with the lid closed. Add another 5 minutes of resting time for the juices to set in the meat.
Note: If cooked properly, the pork chops will release a bit of juice as they rest, a sign they’re still nice and juicy on the inside.
FAQ
- How do you keep pork chops from drying out on the grill? To prevent your pork chops from drying out on the grill, cook them to an internal temperature of 140°F and still barely pink inside. Then rest them for about 5 minutes for the residual heat will continue to cook and raise the internal temperature.
- Should I oil pork chops before grilling? Yes! You need to oil them so your spice rub will adhere.
Recipe Variations
- Add kalamata or green olives, avocado, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes
- Try a dash of red wine vinegar instead of the lemon juice.
- Salty hunks of feta cheese would be a super delicious addition to this tomato salad
Storage
The grilled pork chops can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and the tomato salad will keep for about 2-3 days.
Craving more? Don’t miss my list of 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes, and check out my Mediterranean recipe archives here.
What is the Secret to Grilling Pork Chops?
You don’t need much to make juicy pork chops, just good quality chops, oil, and your pork chop seasoning of choice (again, I prefer making this homemade spice blend).
- Choose the right pork chop for grilling. While lean chops are good, too lean—like sirloin chops—are not great for grilling. Instead, choose center-cut rib chops and center-cut loin chops with a bit more fat for flavor and tenderness.
- Fat or thin, both chops win. Thin pork chops are great for grilling because they cook quickly with less time to dry out. Thicker pork chops can be just as tender and just as juicy as thin. Again, it comes down to the cut you choose. For a quick-cooking boneless pork chop, choose pork chops with a thin fat cap that is about 1 inch thick.
- Oil your chops, not the grill. Boneless pork chops don’t have much fat and can stick to the grill if not oiled. We use canola, grape seed, or olive oil.
- Simply season grilled pork chops. Just like any protein, seasoning is the key. Choose your favorite store-bought pork seasoning or make your own, like my dry rub for ribs that are loaded with flavor.
- Make sure your grill grates are HOT. Hot grill grates ensure food doesn’t stick, and with lean pork chops, the sticking factor can be higher. The pork chop grill temp should be between 350° to 450°F.
What to Serve with These Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Outrageous Herbaceous Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Creamy Yogurt Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Greek Salad With Avocado
- Greek Pasta Salad With Cucumbers And Artichoke Hearts
- How To Make A Healthy Tzatziki Sauce And Dip
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce boneless pork chops
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1-2 tablespoons dry rub pork seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
For the Tomato Salad
- 1 pound medium size tomatoes , cut in half, and then quartered (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup fresh Italian flat leaf parsley leaves , roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup sliced red onion
- ¼ cup capers
- 1 clove garlic , pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the grill and clean grill grates for cooking over medium-high heat or about 350°F to 450°F.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and brush both sides evenly with olive oil. Generously season the pork chops with the dry rub and sprinkle the oregano evenly on each chop, patting into the meat on both sides. Rest for 5-10 minutes as the grill heats.
- Meanwhile, prepare the tomato salad so the flavors can meld while the pork chops cook. Get the tomato salad recipe instructions here.
- Grill the pork chops over direct heat, with the lid closed, until the pork chops are well-marked, for 8-12 minutes total, turning once. For juicy pork chops, the chops should still be barely pink in the middle and 140°F. Rest the chops for 5 minutes for the juices to set into the meat before cutting.
- Serve the pork chops topped with the tomato salad and add chunks of feta cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Pork Chop Recipes to Make Now
- Grilled Pork Chops With Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches
- Stuffed Pork Chops With Roasted Grapes
- Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel
- Garlic And Herb Rub Pork Tenderloin
- Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Crunchy Slaw
- Pork Souvlaki With Lemon Rice
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What a great dinner! Quick, easy and incredibly delicious!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Heidi. Your instructions are very easy to follow. I’m going to give this recipe a try, along with your homemade pork dry rub recipe tonight, woo hoo! :D
nice pork chop recipe, thank you, salad too