These baked pork chops are one of my favorite weeknight dinners. A quick sear, then finishing them in a 400°F oven for ten minutes, produces reliably juicy, flavorful chops.
This recipe works with boneless pork chops or bone-in ones, so you can use whatever chops you have on hand.
I serve these pork chops to my family often. They are delicious, affordable, and easy to make. The seasoning - garlic and paprika - adds so much flavor.
Pork, in general, is an easy choice for me because of its robust flavor and relatively low cost. I cook many pork recipes, including roasted pork tenderloin, pork stew, pork medallions, and pork stir-fry.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
Pork chops: They can be boneless or bone-in. I don't have a preference and buy whatever's on sale. The instructions in the recipe card below work for both. The photos below show two types of chops that I've used on different occasions - one boneless and one bone-in. Both turned out well.
Cooking spray: Avocado oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it an ideal oil for this recipe.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different seasonings. Smoked paprika is a good substitute for regular paprika. I enjoy the smoky flavor it adds. You can also add a pinch of dried thyme.
Another variation is to use a different fat for cooking the chops. Instead of avocado oil, I sometimes use ghee (clarified butter). I love the rich, nutty flavor it adds.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub the mixture on both sides of the chops.
Sear the chops in a cast-iron skillet for two minutes per side, without moving them, until they are browned.
Place the skillet in an oven preheated to 400°F and bake the chops to an internal temperature of 145°F. This should take between 8 and 10 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the chops. This is what they look like when they are done - gorgeous!
Transfer the chops to a platter, tent them with foil, and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
Avoid Overcooking the Chops
Make sure you don't overcook the chops. Ten minutes at 400°F, after a quick sear on both sides, should be perfect for a standard, 1-inch thick chop like the one shown in the photo below:
When overcooked, pork chops can become dry and tough. The two-step method of searing them first and then finishing them in the oven works well to keep them juicy.
According to the USDA, whole cuts of pork can be cooked to medium doneness (145°F with a 3-minute rest period), meaning they can be slightly rosy, as shown in the photo below. The meat doesn't have to be completely white when they are done:
Cooking Thin Pork Chops
If your chops are thin, around ½ inch, such as these:
There's no need to finish them in the oven. A quick sear on both sides should do it. Just make sure, with an instant-read thermometer, that they have reached an internal temperature of 145°F and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before serving them.
You Can use Two Skillets
For optimal searing, you want to space the pork chops in the skillet. You don't want them crowded. If your skillet isn't large enough, you can cook the chops in two skillets, as I do here:
You Can Use a Nonstick Skillet
If your nonstick skillet is oven-safe, you can use it in this recipe. I sometimes do, as shown in the photo below. A cast-iron skillet is better at sealing juices in, but a high-quality, oven-safe nonstick skillet produces good results, too.
Recipe FAQs
No. The USDA has lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking pork from 160°F (completely white meat) to 145°F (slightly pink) with a 3-minute rest period.
As you can see in the photo below, the instant-read thermometer I inserted into one of the pork chops shows an internal temperature of 146.8°F:
Bone-in chops are juicier, but I often use boneless, especially when they go on sale, and they are delicious, too. Both work equally well in this recipe.
The rest period accomplishes two goals: the first is allowing the internal temperature of the meat to climb up some more.
The second goal is allowing the juices to settle and redistribute, preventing them from bursting out of the meat as soon as you cut into it. This ensures juicy chops.
The only reason to trim the fat is if you grill the chops. Since we're baking them, there's no need to trim the fat. The fat cap is delicious - it's the best part!
Look at the chops in the photo below. Three of them have a lovely fat cap, while the fourth was sadly over-trimmed by the butcher. When I select pork chops at the butcher's or grocery store, I try to pick ones with a nice, thick fat cap. 
Only if they are thin. For thicker chops (¾ to 1 inch thick), the two-step method of briefly searing them and then baking them in the oven is far more reliable in achieving the correct internal temperature.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite sides to serve with these chops is roasted red onions. The two dishes complement each other beautifully. Apart from that, I like to serve baked pork chops with a wide variety of vegetable recipes, including:
- Brussels sprouts casserole
- Roasted pumpkin
- Roasted cabbage
- Cabbage stir-fry
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Honey-glazed carrots
- Boiled green beans, as shown in the photo below:
Sometimes, as shown in the photo below, I serve them with roasted broccoli, roasting the broccoli in a 400°F oven for 25 minutes:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. I like to keep them in a glass food storage container like this:
The leftovers can become dry when reheated, so you should reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. Start with 30 seconds per chop on each side, and continue until they are heated through.
One of my favorite meals is a reheated pork chop served with a simple side salad of lettuce and tomatoes (plus pickled okra), as shown in the photo below:
More Pork Recipes
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Recipe Card
Oven Baked Pork Chops (Boneless or Bone-In)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon paprika - or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 pork chops - ½ to 1 inch thick, 6-8 ounces each
- Avocado oil spray
Instructions
- If your chops are around 1 inch thick, preheat the oven to 400°F. If they are thin (½ inch), they can simply be seared.
- In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Rub the mixture on both sides of the chops.
- When your oven has reached 400℉, sear the chops: Heat a large, oven-safe, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as a cast-iron skillet) over high heat for about 3 minutes. Spray it with cooking spray. Add the pork chops. Sear the chops for 2 minutes per side, without moving them, until well browned. If the skillet becomes too hot, lower the heat to medium-high.
- You can also sear the fat strip briefly - for about 30 seconds - although that's not mandatory.
- If your chops are ½-inch thick, they should be ready now (check with a thermometer - their internal temperature should reach 145°F). Transfer them to a platter, loosely cover them with foil, and allow them to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
- If your pork chops are ¾ to 1 inch thick, place them in the oven and bake to a slightly rosy internal temperature of 145°F. This should take between 8 and 10 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the chops.
- Transfer the chops to a platter, tent them with foil, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Bone-in chops are juicier, but I often use boneless pork chops, especially when they go on sale, and they are delicious, too. This recipe works equally well with both.
- Make sure you don't overcook the chops. Ten minutes at 400°F, after a quick sear on both sides, should be perfect for a standard, 1-inch thick chop. When overcooked, pork chops can become dry and tough. The two-step method of searing them first and then finishing them in the oven works well to keep them nice and juicy. According to the USDA, whole cuts of pork can be cooked to medium doneness (145°F with a 3-minute rest period), meaning they can be slightly rosy.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They quickly dry out when reheated, so reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. Start with 30 seconds per chop on each side, and continue until they are heated through.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Doug Deaton
Really delicious and easy!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Doug! Thanks for the comment.
Mal Smith
Thanks for this recipe. The last time I baked pork chops, using a different recipe, they were so dry. This time, juicy. Even people I shared the recipe with and showed them the picture were saying how juicy they looked, and they’re long distant from me. Anyway, I’m hungry and only came back for the instructions to reheat them, but I am glad to also express my appreciation.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad this recipe was a success, Mal.
Christine Driskill
Theses turned out so good! My pork chops were a little bigger than normal so I had to triple the recipe so I could have enough to cover all 4 but I shouldn’t have tripled the salt! They still came out good though. Lesson learned for next time!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christine! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
MaryGrace James
The rub was really good. I applied the rub about 1 hour before cooking. I misread the directions and seared my 3/4" chops for 3 minutes on each side. They were delicious! No oven needed. Also tented with foil and let them rest for 5 minutes. I will definitely make my pork chops this way again.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, MaryGrace! Thank you for taking the time to review it.
Maureen
I seriously hesitated to fix pork chops because they’ve turned out so dry in the past. These are not! They are tender and juicy and are definitely on my make-for-company list!
PS: made them with your grilled portobello mushrooms recipe, both on the stovetop and finished in the oven - delicious!
Thanks so much.
Vered DeLeeuw
So glad you liked them, Maureen!
Daniel
What is the cholesterol per serving?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Daniel,
I apologize - I don't know. I suggest you use a website like calorieking.com to find out how much cholesterol a cooked pork chop weighing 6 or 8 ounces contains.
Shari
Hoping this will save our dinner tonight. Our chops have been so dry, and after surviving cancer (almost 2 years), I just couldn’t chew or swallow them. We started buying thicker (1/2” -3/4”) chops but I think we were baking them a bit too long. Thanks for your recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Shari,
I was thrilled to learn that pork can be cooked medium instead of well done. It makes a big difference. I hope this recipe will be a success. I wish you all the best and continued good health!