Pork is a staple in Chinese cuisine. My mom usually makes braised pork and uses pork in stir fries, but my dad makes fried pork chops for me once in a while. It’s very special for me, because my dad rarely cooks and he is really good! These Chinese-style pork chops have the perfect texture and taste. The flavors come from an aromatic blend of ginger, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns. Tenderizing is what ensures a thin yet juicy texture that lets the marinade really seep in. You’ll marinate the pork in this savory and fragrant sauce, dust it with my special dry coating, and deep fry it. It results in an extra fluffy and crispy exterior while the inside stays tender and juicy. This dish is simple to prepare any night of the week with your pantry staples.
Magic 1-layer coating
Instead of making a traditional three-layer coating using egg, flour, and breadcrumbs, this recipe uses just one layer to create the perfect crispy crust. I’ll show you in the steps below how to get that crispy coating using a double-frying technique. It might sound complicated, but it’s actually very easy once you try it. It delivers a heavenly crispiness that will last even after refrigerating and reheating.
Thick sweet potato starch
If you have access to an Asian grocery store, try to get your hands on some thick sweet potato starch (粗番薯粉). It’s a Chinese specialty that makes the best crispy coating for fried food. Different from other starches, you can see larger clusters of starch throughout the fine granules. It creates an extra crunchiness and a more textured coating. However, no worries if you cannot find this special ingredient. You can use regular starch to create a similar effect using my double frying technique. In fact, the pork in the pictures shown in this post were made with regular potato starch. I just wanted to show you that it’s totally possible to create this dish using your pantry staples.
Cooking process
Satisfy your appetite and budget with these flavorful, juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside Chinese fried pork chops for dinner. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Cooking notes
Types of pork chop
Thin boneless pork chops (1/2” / 1.2 cm thick) are the best. They’re easy to pound thin and result in a more flavorful result. If thicker pork chops are your only option, you might not be able to pound them into super thin pieces. In this case, you should marinate the pork up to 4 hours, so the marinade will penetrate the meat fully.
What type of pan to use
The best pan for deep frying is a tall pan (or a wok on a gas stove) that is small enough to fit just one piece of pounded pork chop. So you can use a minimal amount of oil. I used my Debuyer 9” Country Chef pan, which is like a mini wok. It fits one pork chop perfectly, Of course, if you have a deep fryer, you’ve already got the perfect setup.
Crispy after reheating
This recipe is also perfect for cooking ahead or meal prepping. You can refrigerate or freeze the pork chops once you cook them. To reheat, place the pork chop in a 450°F (230°C) oven, or frozen chops in a 350°F (176°C) oven until heated through. You’d be surprised how the reheated chops taste are just as crispy and fresh like they’re right out of the fryer.
How to serve Chinese fried pork chops
One of the best things you can pair them with is steamed white rice or and my pickled cucumber recipe, though my Chinese fried pork chops can go with just about anything you desire. If you’re on a budget, this one will fit right in while giving you that takeout-at-home experience. Top it off with chili garlic sauce or any other hot sauce you prefer, or even mayonnaise to suit your tastes. Another way to use these Chinese fried pork chops is in noodle soup like you see in Asian restaurants. You can use my curry noodle soup with popcorn chicken recipe and simply replace the chicken with this fried pork for a texturally blissful and utterly delicious experience. Since you can use them in many different ways, Chinese fried pork chops make a great meal that can easily incorporate the leftovers in other ways throughout your week. That means more deliciousness every night! Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Other Chinese pork recipes
Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork, 红烧肉)Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork, 叉烧肉)Char Siu Chow Mein (叉烧炒面)Twice Cooked Pork (回锅肉)Sweet and Sour Pork (糖醋里脊)
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
