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This smoky-sweet single skillet meal is a quick and easy way to get a comfort food dinner with Latin flair on the table any night of the week.
It's time for some real talk.
Life has been hectic lately. In the past few weeks we've had house guests, new school schedules, busy work schedules, never-ending piles of housework...
...and then I came down with the flu and was out of commission for a week. UGH.
When I was finally able to get back to some sort of normalcy, I wanted comfort food and I wanted it NOW. And I didn't want to dirty a bunch of dishes while making it.
Single skillet meals are a total game changer in the kitchen! They're perfect for when you're low on time and/or energy but still want a home-cooked meal without much fuss.
I had toyed with a version of this pork dish a while back when I was trying out the Chili Lime Cherries with Tajin® from Stoneridge Orchards, and I knew it had major potential to be an all-in-one-skillet meal if I added in some more veggies.
It's hard to beat a meal that's made up of a beautifully seared piece of meat that's nice and juicy inside served with roasted veggies and a flavorful pan sauce.
And all from just one pan!
And pork tenderloin is such a versatile ingredient. Some of our very favorite recipes utilize it, like this balsamic marinated pork tenderloin, this pan-roasted pork tenderloin with balsamic tomatoes, these peanut noodles with roasted pork tenderloin + honeyed oranges, and this breaded pork tenderloin with lemon caper sauce.
I had seen Tajin in the Latin aisle at my local supermarket in the past, but hadn't ever experimented with it at home until I tried these cherries.
Tajin is a popular spice blend used in Mexican cooking. It's made of premium chilis, lime juice, and sea salt. The result is a mild kick that can be added to all sorts of dishes.
I love pairing sweet and spicy together, so the fact that these cherries are already perfectly spiced makes them perfect for snacking.
Do you have a favorite type of squash? I used a carnival squash for this recipe. According to this awesome winter squash reference article on epicurious, carnival squash is a mix between an acorn squash and a sweet dumpling squash.
Growing up, I think I only ever had butternut squash. I still remember the first time I tried prepping one at home - what a nightmare! It's such a hassle to peel them - it took forever and I was sure I was going to cut myself!
In fact, it's now one of the few ingredients that I'll pay more for at the store to just buy some that's already peeled and diced. It saves me a lot of time and frustration, so I think it's worth it!
Since I've branched out and tried lots of types of squash now, I find myself gravitating toward ones that you don't have to peel.
That's right - there are some varieties of squash that you can go ahead and eat the skin of!
Bonus points for the extra fiber, ease of prep, and how pretty it looks in the pan when the skin is left on!
You could use any squash that you like here - but if you use something like butternut or spaghetti squash, you won't be able to eat the skin.
Be sure to cut your squash into consistent sized slices so they'll cook evenly. Truth be told, I cut the ones in this dish a little too thick, so I had to cook it a little longer for them to fully cook. Around ½-inch thick slices should be just fine.
You could also use sweet potatoes or even cauliflower in this dish - it really is versatile!
After the pork is cooked, let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing it up and serving. Make sure to drizzle the pan sauce and plumped-up cherries over the meat before serving - you won't be sorry!
What are your favorite one-dish meals? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section below!
Looking for more single skillet recipes? Check out some of our favorites:
- Skillet Lasagna with Lamb, Ricotta + Mint
- Spanish Chicken + Sausage Skillet
- Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Tomatoes
- Iron Skillet Chicken + Carrots with Toasted Lager Mustard Sauce
- Sausage and Peppers
- Our Favorite Steak Fajitas
- Single-Skillet Bacon-Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Roasted Tomatoes
- Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fairy Tale Eggplant & Tomatoes
📖 Recipe
Latin-Spiced Pork + Squash Skillet with Chili Lime Cherries
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Latin
Description
This smoky-sweet single skillet meal is a quick and easy way to get a comfort food dinner with Latin flair on the table any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
- 1 piece pork tenderloin, cut into thirds (about 1 pound total)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 small acorn or delicata squash (about 1 pound), halved, seeded, and sliced ½-inch thick
- ½ cup Stoneridge Orchards Chili Lime cherries
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Pat pork dry and season with half of the salt and pepper, the cumin, smoked paprika and coriander. Rub the seasoning all over. Once oil is hot, place pork in the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely browned all over. Add garlic, shallots, squash, cherries, chicken stock, and vinegar to pan. Season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Place skillet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F and squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
- To serve, slice pork into medallions. Serve with veggies alongside, drizzling with the pan juices and plumped cherries. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 279
- Sugar: 15.4 g
- Sodium: 379.4 mg
- Fat: 9.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.9 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 25.2 g
- Cholesterol: 73.7 mg
Amélie van der Aa
I LOVE single skillet meals! I'll definitely try this one!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Aren't they such a great way to make a meal without a giant mess? Hope you enjoy this one!
HomeMadeZagat
I love how those cherries sounding. Definitely going to look out for them. Your dish looks amazing.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Thanks so much! They really do add a fun pop of flavor to this dish.
Christine
I'm always looking for new ways to prepare squash (and definitely new varieties of squash). This looks like a fun way to branch out! And the chili lime cherries sound delicious.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Isn't it cool how many varieties there are?! I feel like I see a new one every time I'm at the store. And yes - the cherries are SO tasty!
Marisa Franca Stewart
We love our Tajin and our kitchen is never without it!! We really like the lime garlicky taste. And I agree, one-pan/pot meals are ideal for a buy household. I do like the touch of cherries to the pork.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
What are your favorite ways to use Tajin? I've never bought it as a spice on its own but I'm totally intrigued now! And yes, pork and fruit is a perfect match!
Marisa Franca Stewart
We use it on any meat we want. We especially like it with chicken.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
I'll have to try that, Marisa!
Lynette
Chili LIME cherries? I have never heard of anything like that - and I think they sound awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Carrie Ditton
I love a one dish dinner and the flavor combination sounds wonderful, especially the cherries.
Lois. O
I never knew you could eat the skin of some squash! I never even thought of looking it up, I just assumed that the skin was inedible. Thanks for sharing.
Carol Borchardt
This is such an interesting flavor combination! I would never have thought to pair pork with squash but yeah, why not! Great idea!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Thanks, Carol! It's a fun change of pace from the typical squash recipes I've had in the past.
Tina Lindquist
I love cooking pork, my husband always likes it and he's my taste tester. I have used Tajin before and really like it too. This looks Great!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
I need to do more experimenting with Tajin - seems like there are a lot of fun uses for it!
Prasanna Hede
Those cherries are interesting! I do not eat pork but this recipe looks so amazing!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
I think this would work with other proteins, too!
FoodieGirlChicago
Such an interesting flavor combo in this dish! This one is going on my list of recipes to try.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
It really is a fun mix of flavors. I always enjoy recipes that are flavorful without being overly complicated.
Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen
This recipe looks like something my husband would really enjoy. I'm intrigued by those cherries! They sound super tasty.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
My husband has been ALL about this dish! The cherries are a lot of fun - sweet and tart with a little kick of heat. YUM!
Cheryl Vivian | neurotic baker
This looks so delicious. I'm always looking for new ways to cook pork.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Me too! I think back to when I had pork as a kid and how unexciting it was - but no more!
Osiris
Love me some food blogs! Yum!!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
They're SO good - sweet and tart with a little kick of heat. Really fun ingredient (or just to snack on!)
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Right? It totally blew my mind when I realized that, too. I've been loving it lately, and my 5-year-old is *obsessed* with eating the skin (he sometimes ONLY wants to eat the skin... what a weirdo) 😉
GrammieO
Sounds delicious to me.....and I like the one pot idea even better.....thanks for a great recipe.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen
Thank you! It's been on heavy rotation in my house lately - hope you enjoy it if you give it a try 🙂