Garlic Parmesan Pan Fried Pork Chops
Feb 19, 2020, Updated Feb 28, 2020
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Juicy, tender, and super flavorful, these Garlic Parmesan Pan Fried Pork Chops are done in just 20 minutes! Smothered in a sweet and savory sauce, you’ll never want pork chops any other way!
There is something about the garlic-parmesan flavor combo in these simple pan fried pork chops that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. There’s also something about having dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! Oh, and did I mention only dirtying one skillet? That’s the trifecta of easy weeknight meals, right there.
Why You’ll Love This Pan Fried Pork Chops Recipe
- That crust! These pan-fried pork chops are crispy and tender thanks to a cheesy and herbaceous crust that adds tons of flavor and texture. Since the crusty parts have always been my favorite part of pork chops, this recipe is a winner!
- That sauce! The rich savory sauce adds the finishing touch to this dish. Made with the pan drippings, chicken broth, honey, and butter, this delicious sauce is pretty hard to beat.
- Super simple. With only a handful of ingredients and one skillet needed to make a complete meal, it doesn’t get much easier than this.
- So juicy. Thanks to room temperature meat and a low and slow cooking method that locks in the moisture, these pan fried pork chops are juicy and moist. No dry bites here!
Ingredients for Smothered Pork Chops
- Pork Chops: You’ll want boneless pork chops that are about 6 ounces and 1-inch thick.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked or sweet paprika, poultry seasoning (or seasoning salt), salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley.
- Chicken Broth: Grab a low sodium brand so you can control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Honey
- Parmesan Cheese
How to Fry Pork Chops
- Prepare. Start by letting your pork chops sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. While they are sitting, combine the grated cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoning salt, and ground pepper in a small mixing bowl. Pat your pork chops dry with paper towels. Then, season them on all four sides with your prepared spice rub.
- Sear: Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. You’re going to need to choose a skillet that has a lid, too. I use this ➡️skillet. Once the oil is hot and the butter melted, add the pork chops and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are browned on the bottom. Flip them and cook for 1 more minute.
- Cook. Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. If you don’t have a lid, you can cover it with aluminum foil, but make sure to cover it well – tucking it in on all sides. Cook for an additional 9 to 12 minutes, or until an Instant Read Meat Thermometer registers at 145˚F. Your cooking time will depend on the thickness and overall size of your pork chops. I recommend you start checking for doneness at around the 8 minute mark.
- Sauce. When done, remove the pork chops from skillet and set them aside. Leave your skillet over medium-high heat and slowly pour in the chicken broth. Start whisking and scraping the bottom of the pan to get all those browned bits. Bring it to a steady simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced by half. Next, whisk in the honey. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Swirl the butter around until completely melted.
- Serve. Add your pork chops back into the skillet and spoon the yummy sauce over each of the pork chops. Garnish them with parsley and serve warm.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Let them sit for 20 minutes. Bringing your pork chops to room temp before cooking helps them to cook more evenly.
- Pat your pork chops dry. The drier the chops are, the better the crust will develop. And, you know, the flavor is in that crust!
- Similar thickness. Make sure your chops are of a similar thickness. This is another trick to ensure they cook evenly. If you’re having a hard time finding some in the pre-packaged section, go talk to the butcher and see if they can get you what you’re looking for.
- Change up the spices. I love the flavor combo of the seasonings in this pan fried pork chops recipe, but feel free to make it your own! Use any seasoning combo that’s bold and flavorful and you’ll be very happy with the result.
Serving Suggestions
Pan-fried pork chops go great with a side of potatoes of any kind – mashed, roasted, or baked. These oven baked potato wedges would be delicious with them too! If you’re not in the mood for potatoes, you could always do a cauliflower mash. Another great option is a rice dish like garlic parmesan rice or Mexican rice. I typically like to have a balanced meal, so I’d also serve a veggie alongside. Any sort of roasted or sauteed vegetable would also be great – especially romano beans in garlic butter sauce or Brussels sprouts!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Now, I don’t usually have any leftovers when I make these smothered pork chops, but, if you do, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You can also freeze them and they’ll stay fresh for 2 to 3 months. Just make sure they’re stored in an airtight container or freezer bag with the air removed.
When reheating your pork chops, you want to make sure they don’t dry out. Nobody wants a dried out chop, ya know? I like to reheat them right in a pan. You could also bake them, covered with foil to maintain the moisture.
More Easy Pork Chop Recipes
Garlic Parmesan Pan Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops, 6oz each, 1 inch thick
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, or any other dried herbs you'd like
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika, smoked or sweet
- ½ tsp poultry seasoning, or seasoning salt
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tbsp butter, divided
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp honey
- chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Let pork chops sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.
- Combine grated cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoning salt, and ground pepper in a small mixing bowl.
- Pat dry pork chops with paper towels and season with prepared spice rub on all sides.
- Heat olive oil and ½ tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet that also comes with a lid.
- Once oil is hot and butter just melted, add pork chops to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned on the bottom.
- Flip over the pork chops; cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet. If you don’t have a lid, you can cover it with aluminum foil, but make sure to cover it well, tucking it in on all sides.
- Cook for 9 to 12 minutes, or until an Instant Read Thermometer registers at 145˚F. Cooking time depends on the thickness and overall size of the pork chops. Start checking for doneness at around the 8 minute mark.
- When done, remove pork from skillet and set aside.
- Set the same skillet over medium-high heat and slowly pour in the chicken broth; start whisking and scraping the bottom of the pan to get all those browned bits.
- Bring to a steady simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce is reduced by half.
- Whisk in honey.
- Remove skillet from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter; swirl it around until completely melted.
- Add pork chops back into the skillet and spoon sauce over each pork chops.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How long for center cut bone in chops?
Definitely add more time for bone-in chops. I’d say about 4 to 5 more minutes, but if you can, it’s best to use an internal read meat thermometer to check for doneness. Pork is done when internal temperature registers at 145˚F.
I’m trying this tonight – so excited! I know it’s gonna be yummy!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
The most delicious pork chop I have ever tasted! We want to drink the sauce! LOVE LOVE LOVE this!
That’s great to hear!! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂