Juicy Baked Pork Chops

Baked pork chops are one of my favorite weeknight dinners. A quick sear, then finishing them in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes, produces reliably juicy, flavorful chops.

I serve these tasty chops to my family almost every week. They are delicious, affordable, and so easy to make.

The ingredients you’ll need

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty main dish:

1. Seasonings: salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder
2. Bone-in pork chops
3. Cooking spray

How to make baked pork chops

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. Start by mixing the seasonings and rubbing all over the chops.
2. Sear them for 2 minutes per side.
3. If your chops are thick, bake them in a 400°F oven until cooked through (145°F), about 10 minutes.
4. Let them rest before serving.

Don’t overcook them!

When making baked pork chops in the oven, make sure you don’t overcook them. Ten minutes at 400F, after a quick sear on both sides, should be perfect for a standard, 1-inch thick pork chop.

It’s okay to cook pork to medium

Happily, pork is much safer and cleaner today than it used to be. As a result, the USDA has lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking pork, from 160 degrees (dry, tough, completely white meat) to 145 degrees (juicy, and slightly pink in the center) with a 3-minute rest period.

When overcooked, pork chops can become dry and tough. The two-step method outlined below, of searing them first, then finishing for 10 minutes in the oven, works well to keep thick, 1-inch chops nice and juicy.

Bone-in tastes better

It’s best to choose bone-in pork chops for maximum juiciness. Boneless chops dry out faster. But if all I can get is boneless chops, I use the same method and they turn out just fine.

If your chops are thin, you could probably skip the oven

If your pork chops are thinner, around 1/2 inch, like the ones pictured here, there’s actually 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 are cooked through.

But is pork healthy?

There seems to be controversy on whether the meat of pork – even modern, lean and parasite free pork – is healthy. However, some research suggests that fresh lean pork can have positive health benefits.

I tend to agree with Ellie Krieger, who thinks that pork does have a place in a healthy diet.

What to serve with baked pork chops?

One of my favorite sides to serve with them is red onion confit. The two dishes complement each other beautifully.

Apart from that, I tend to serve this dish with a wide array of vegetable recipes, including:

• Brussels sprouts gratin
• Butternut squash souffle
• Baked pumpkin

What about leftovers?

You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They easily dry out when reheated, so reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

Start with 30 seconds per chop per side, and continue until they are heated through. Here’s a handy guide to proper storage and reheating of cooked food.

Another tasty pork recipe

I make these delicious baked pork chops almost every week. They are flavorful, affordable and filling! Another hit in our household are these pork rind crusted pork chops. Yum!

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4.96 from 199 votes

Baked Pork Chops

Baked pork chops are one of my favorite weeknight dinners. A quick sear, then baking them in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes, produces reliably juicy, flavorful chops.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Rest time5 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 251

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 bone-in pork chops (1/2 or 1 inch thick, 6-8 oz each)
• Cooking spray (I use avocado oil spray)

INSTRUCTIONS

• If your chops are around 1 inch thick, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture on both sides of the pork chops.
• When oven has reached 400 degrees, sear the chops: Heat a large, oven-safe, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat, about 3 minutes. Spray with cooking spray. Add the pork chops. Sear 2 minutes per side, without moving the chops, until well-browned, even charred in spots.
• If your chops are 1/2-inch thick, they should be ready now (check with a thermometer – internal temperature should reach 145 degrees F). Transfer to a platter, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.
• If your pork chops are 3/4 to 1 inch thick, place them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, to a slightly rosy internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
• Transfer the baked pork chops to a platter, tent with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

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NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 251 Calories from Fat 150

% Daily Value*

Fat 16.7g26%

Sodium 345mg15%

Protein 23.8g48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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