Crushed pork rinds make a crispy, keto-approved coating when frying thin, boneless pork chops. It's an easy 20-minute recipe that everyone in the family will love!
Pork chops are filling, flavorful, and affordable. Simple baked pork chops are excellent, and that's my default recipe. But when I'm willing to make a little more effort in the kitchen, I treat my family to these flavorful keto fried pork chops. They are coated in pork rind "breadcrumbs" and fried in olive oil until golden and crispy.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Pork rinds: I use plain pork rinds.
- Pork chops: Thin-cut (½-inch thick) and boneless.
- Mustard: I use Dijon mustard. It's creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard. I think it also tastes better.
- Garlic powder: Optional, but adds another layer of flavor. Sometimes, I add a generous pinch of smoked paprika.
- Olive oil spray: You can use avocado oil spray if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Crush the pork rinds by hand or in a food processor. You can also buy them already crushed ("Pork panko"). Coat the pork chops in Dijon mustard and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge them in the crushed pork rinds.
Cook the pork chops in olive oil until golden brown and cooked through, for about 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat.
Serve immediately. Look how lovely and crispy they are!
Recipe Tip
Unlike pork steaks, which are well-marbled, pork chops are lean. They do have a tasty fat strip on their edge, but other than that, their meat is so lean that you should take care not to overcook them, or they could become dry and tough. The same is true for pork tenderloin and pork medallions.
In the past, the USDA and CDC recommended cooking fresh pork well-done. Happily, the current recommendation is to cook it to medium (145°F with a rest time of three minutes).
I find that frying these chops over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side is perfect. But you'll need to adjust my instructions based on what's happening in your own kitchen.
Recipe FAQs
I use pork rind "breadcrumbs." They make a tasty keto coating. Since pork rinds are tastier than breadcrumbs, I find that these pork chops taste better than breaded ones!
Yes and no. Yes, because it's delicious. No, because it's not as crispy, and it becomes soggy quickly. I would say that it's one of those keto substitutions that are not quite as good as the original version, but are still very, very good.
You probably cooked them for too long. Pork chops are very lean (except for that delightful fatty strip on their edge), and like most lean meats, one should take care not to overcook them, as they can quickly dry out and become chewy and stringy.
I actually don't recommend keeping leftovers. As they rest, accumulated juices can make the crust soggy, especially on the bottom. When I do end up with leftovers, I keep them for a day or two in a sealed container in the fridge. I place them on layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture and replace the paper towels daily.
When it's time to reheat them, I do so in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated to 165°F. They're not as good as freshly cooked, but they are still very tasty.
Serving Suggestions
When I pan-fry a main course, I like to serve it with a simple side that won't distract me from the task of pan-frying. Typically, this means a simple steamed veggie or a salad. Here are the side dishes I most often serve with these pork chops:
- Homemade coleslaw
- Cucumber salad with vinegar
- Spinach salad
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Broccoli salad
- Steamed asparagus
- Steamed carrots
- Arugula salad (shown in the photos on this page).
Recipe Card
Keto Fried Pork Chops
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ounces plain pork rinds
- 8 boneless pork chops - thin-cut, ½-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Place the pork rinds in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Use a meat pounder or a rolling pin to crush them into tiny crumbs, similar to Panko. You can also crush the pork rinds in a food processor or use store-bought pork panko. Set the crushed pork rinds aside.
- Use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the pork chops with mustard. Sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Sprinkle the pork chops with half the pork panko on one side, press to adhere, then turn them to the other side (place them on a new, clean plate) and repeat with the remaining pork panko.
- Generously spray a nonstick double burner griddle with olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Add the pork chops.
- Cook the chops until golden brown on the bottom, for about 5 minutes (see notes below). Flip them to the other side and gently press on them with a clean spatula to flatten them against the pan.
- Cook the chops on the second side until golden brown and cooked through, for about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pork chops are lean and should not be overcooked, or they'll become dry and tough. I find that cooking them over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side is perfect. But you'll need to adjust my instructions based on what's going on in your own kitchen. For example, electric stoves tend to get hotter than gas ones, so you might need to lower the heat to medium-low if the pan gets overheated.
- The recommended internal temperature for fresh pork (except for ground pork) is 145°F with a rest time of three minutes. That's medium, not well done.
- In the video and photos shown here, I made half the recipe and used a 12-inch nonstick skillet to cook four pork chops.
- The pork rind breading is delicious, but it's not as crispy as breadcrumbs, and it becomes soggy quickly. It's one of those keto substitutions that are not quite as good as the original version but are still very, very good.
- I don't recommend keeping leftovers. As they rest, accumulated juices can make the pork rind crust soggy, especially on the bottom. When I do end up with leftovers, I keep them for a day or two in a sealed container in the fridge. I place them on layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture and replace the paper towels daily. When it's time to reheat them, I do so in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated to 165°F.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
