Chicharrón en Salsa Roja is a classic Mexican comfort food that’s packed with bold flavors and simple ingredients.
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I’m all about keeping it easy, and this has to be one of the easiest Mexican recipes ever.
It’s made of crispy pork rinds simmer in a smoky homemade red salsa. It comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights or a satisfying weekend meal.
- Heat a hot griddle over medium-high heat.
- Place the tomatoes on the griddle and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 1 jalapeño and cook for another minute.
- Add the onion and continue turning frequently until the skins are blackened and charred.
- Add the garlic clove last and lightly char it, turning frequently to prevent burning.
- Transf ereverything to a blender.
- Add salt and a pinch of ground cumin.
- Blend until smooth. (You can skip these steps and use store-bought red salsa if preferred.)
Swap out the tomato sauce for Mexican green sauce to make Chicharron en Salsa Verde.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Pour the salsa into the skillet. Finely dice the remaining jalapeño and add it to the salsa.
- For a saucier dish, stir in 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon. Or 1 cup chicken broth. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicharrones and stir well to coat them in the salsa. Cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the pork rinds soften and absorb the sauce.
- If using extra dry pork cracklings, add broth and cook up to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
This is one of my favorite fillings for Mexican gorditas.
Table of Contents
🫙 Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the chicharrones will continue to soften as they sit in the sauce.
To reheat, warm the mixture in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, adding a splash of water or broth if needed. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Chicharrón is fried pork skin, often called pork cracklings or pork rinds. In this recipe, the crispy pork rinds are simmered in salsa until they become soft and flavorful.
Absolutely. Store-bought salsa is a great shortcut when you’re short on time. Add a cup of broth or water to help create a saucier consistency. This is the red salsa I like to buy.
The heat level is mild to medium depending on the jalapeños. For a spicier dish, leave in the seeds or add extra peppers or a couple of rehydrated chile de arbol to the blender.
🍴 Serve With
This Chicharrón en Salsa Roja recipe is a quick and satisfying meal that delivers authentic Mexican flavors with very little effort. The smoky homemade salsa pairs perfectly with the tender pork rinds for a comforting dish that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Chicharrón en Salsa Roja (Pork Cracklings in Mexican Red Salsa)
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 jalapeño divided
- ¼ onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs pork rinds chicharrones (or pork cracklings)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat up a hot griddle.
- Add the tomatoes. After 1 minute, add 1 jalapeño.
- After 1 minute, add the onion.
- Keep turning until the skins are black.
- Lastly, add the garlic clove. Char lightly.
- Once the skin on the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno are black, remove from the griddle.
- Place the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and 1 cup water into the blender.
- Also add the salt and cumin to the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- (You can skip all the steps above if using store bought red salsa).
- In a large skillet, heat up olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the tomato sauce slowly, or it will splatter.
- Finely dice the other jalapeño and add to the skillet.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Then add the pork cracklings and chicken broth.
- Give everything a good stir.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the pork crackling is soft.
- Top with chopped cilantro.
- Serve with corn tortillas and extra salsa.
- Enjoy!
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I absolutely loved this recipe. It was just what I was looking for. Will make this over and over again!
So glad you liked it! This recipe is perfect for busy days.
This is what I really needed! One of my favorite dishes! Thank you!
Hope you try this recipe is really yummy!