Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin is grilled to perfection with a beautiful zesty citrus chili glaze
This pork tenderloin will be your new go-to for an easy dinner on the grill. Quick to make and loaded with flavor! Marinate it in the morning and grill it in the evening.
The marinade for this tenderloin is zesty, thanks to the chili powder and our homemade Sweet Chili Sauce, and citrusy because of the lime and orange juice, plus zest. We added a bit of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to give it a sweet-salty kick and beautiful color.
Choosing a pork tenderloin:
Pork tenderloin is one of the easiest dinners to make on the grill. The meat cooks fairly quickly and absorbs the marinade while developing a nice smoky grilled flavor.
Look for a nice plump tenderloin to ensure an even internal cooking temperature. Pork tenderloin will be perfectly cooked at 145°F, which will leave the center a slightly rosy pink. After cooking remove from the grill, cover with foil, and let rest for at least 5-10 minutes. Because tenderloins are lean it’s best to keep a close eye on them so they don’t overcook.
Ingredients for Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin
- Lime and Orange
- Sweet Chili Sauce – it’s easy to make our own
- Hoison Sauce
- Chili Powder
- Honey
- Cumin
- Soy Sauce
- Olive Oil for the marinade and for the grill
How to Grill Pork Tenderloin:
- Make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients, except the pork and one tablespoon of the olive oil, in a bowl
- Rinse the pork and pat dry
- Put the pork and marinade in a shallow dish and cover (or put in a resealable freezer bag). Turn to coat and turn at least once during marinating time.
- Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 – 6 hours
- Do not over marinate because the citrus will break down the pork and it can become a bit mushy when cooked
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat
- Remove the pork from marinade and reserve the remaining marinade
- Brush the grill with remaining olive oil
- Grill the pork about 12 – 14 minutes, turning every few minutes to develop a nice crust on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145° F
- Brush on some of the remaining marinade with each turn and then discard the rest of the marinade
- Remove pork from the grill, and let it rest covered with foil, on a cutting board for 5-minutes
- Slice on the diagonal and serve
What to serve with Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin:
We love to serve this pork with our Sweet Chili Corn on the Cob. Be sure to add a few delicious sides:
- Baking Powder Biscuits with flavored Compound Butter
- Tricolore Salad with Oranges
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
Make your own Sweet Chili Sauce for the best taste:
Zesty Sweet Chili Sauce 
Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce
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Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp lime juice, plus 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce (see link below in notes to make your own)
- 1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil, divided
- 16 oz pork tenderloin
Instructions
- Over a medium bowl, finely zest the lime and then squeeze out 1 Tbsp juice
- Add orange juice, sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, honey, cumin, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Whisk to combine.
- Rinse pork and pat dry. Add pork to marinade in a shallow dish or resealable freezer bag. Turning pork to coat all over. Marinate 2-6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Heat BBQ to medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade. Reserve remaining marinade.
- Lightly oil the grill with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill pork tenderloin for about 12-14 minutes, turning a few times with tongs and basting occasionally with some of the remaining marinade. Discard remaining marinade.
- Remove from the grill and let pork rest about 5 minutes, covered loosely with foil. Slice on a diagonal and serve.
- *If you don't have a grill: Sear the pork in a saute pan on medium-high, in 1 tablespoon olive oil, until seared all over. Finish cooking in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or to an internal temperature of 145°F
Julia
Delicious recipe! The pork was tender and juicy, our whole family love it!! Thank you for sharing with us!
Jamie
I love how flavorful this pork is and I can really taste the lime and chili! It came out delicious and everyone loved it! Thank you so much!
Priya Lakshminarayan
Oh, that looks yum! Love the chili-lime flavor.
Suzy
The best tasting pork tenderlion! It’s so tender and the flavor is out of this world!
Beth
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to make this! My family is going to love this!