These oven-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.
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.
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.
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Notes
Bone-in pork chops are juicier. But I often use boneless ones, 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.