Pan-Seared Pork Medallions with Spiced Mexican Red Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-07 · Updated 2026-05-07

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pork medallions pan-seared and finished with a rich, smoky Mexican-inspired red sauce featuring chili and tomato flavors. This Mexican-inspired street-food recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs pork tenderloin, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Serves 4 Mexican cuisine 280 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 lb, sliced into 1-inch medallions pork tenderloin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried ancho chili powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
3, minced garlic cloves
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp, chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

Step 1: Season 1 lb pork tenderloin medallions with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper on both sides.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork medallions and sear for 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
Step 3: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp dried ancho chili powder. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen flavor.
Step 5: Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 tsp ground cumin, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Step 6: Return the pork medallions to the sauce and cook for 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the meat.
Step 7: Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp lime juice and 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro before serving.