Pan Fried Pork Chop Recipe

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This Pan Fried Pork Chop recipe is super tender, flavorful and served with a rich and creamy onion gravy. Learn all the tips and tricks for making perfectly tender, juicy fried pork chops!

This recipe was originally published in January 2017. It has been updated for content and photos. For a good laugh, scroll down below the recipe card and take a look at the old photos!

Ok, seriously, who doesn't need a little fried pork in their life? This Fried Pork Chop Recipe is just what the doctor ordered.

Ok, maybe not. Not sure a doctor would ever order you eat fried pork chops...but who cares, really? You don't have to eat them EVERY day (although you will want to).

Brined, coated with panko bread crumbs and fried, these pan fried pork chops come out perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Yes they are perfection.

And to make it even better, they get served with an onion gravy. A rich and creamy onion gravy. This stuff is freakin' good guys. SO GOOD. Serve them with these tangy Instant Pot Beets to offset that richness!

How To Tenderize Pork Chops Before Cooking Them

First off, using bone-in pork chops is a must for this recipe. It does help them stay tender and I think they are more flavorful than boneless.

Keeping them at room temperature at least 30 minutes before cooking, and seasoning them before cooking also help to keep them tender during the cooking process.

Brining the pork chops for an hour or so before cooking them both helps them to stay tender and juicy, and well as giving them a boost of flavor. See the brine ingredients:

Being careful not to overcook the pork chops is highly important in ensuring they stay tender. They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Use an instant read thermometer like this Thermapen from Thermoworks.

How To Get Breading to Stick to Pork Chops

Coating the pork chops in egg before dipping them in the bread crumbs helps the bread crumbs to stick to the pork chop.

Serving Options

Here are a few sides that will go perfect with these pork chops:

• Start your meal with an awesome salad like this Cashew Confetti Salad or this Hawaiian Mac Salad;
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Garlic Mashed Potatoes;
• Sauteed Broccolini or these Sauteed Green Beans with bacon for your veggies;
• Cheesy Cauliflower Bake or Creamed Corn for a slightly richer vegetable side;
• No dinner is complete without dessert - try these Millionaire Bars or this Old Fashioned Apple Crisp.

Step By Step Instructions

Combine the brine ingredients in a large bowl or ziplock bag and add the pork chops. Let them brine for 2 hours. Drain and rinse them.

Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. **This will help them cook more evenly.

Mix the panko breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon of salt. Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture...

...then in the breadcrumbs until coated evenly on all sides.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Cook pork chops for 8 minutes on the first side. **Turn heat down to avoid burning the breadcrumbs if necessary.

Flip pork chops and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. The temperature will rise to 145 degrees and the pork chops rest.

**If the internal temperature exceeds 145 degrees, you run the risk of dry pork.

Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes for juices to redistribute. Serve with the onion gravy (instructions below).

How To Make Onion Gravy

Melt the bacon grease in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent.

Add the flour and stir until you start to get a very light brown roux. **Learn all the tips and tricks for making a roux.

SLOWLY add the milk, salt and pepper whisking constantly as you pour it in.

Cook, stirring continuously, until the gravy reaches desired thickness (usually 3-5 minutes). If the gravy is too thick, more milk can be added as necessary. Add additional salt to taste.

Expert Tips

1. This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc., depending on how many pork chops you need. The gravy will serve about 4-6 pork chops, depending on how much you use.
2. Buy pork chops that are about 1" thick. Thinner pork chops will take less time to cook, and vice versa;
3. Fry the pork chops in a cast iron skillet for the best results. The cast iron skillet hold heat better and allows the pork chops to cook more evenly. This cast iron skillet from Lodge is an awesome product! (affiliate link)

Why Are My Pork Chops Tough?

The number one reason for tough pork chops is over cooking. Make sure you use an instant read thermometer (like this Thermapen) and take the pork chops of the heat once the internal temperature reads 140 degrees. The internal temperature should continue to rise to the safe temperature of 145 degrees.

Also, if you put the pork chops in the pan straight out of the fridge, that could cause them to be tough and they cook more unevenly when they are cold. Make sure to bring them to room temperature first.

If you skipped the brining to save time, that may cause your pork chops to be tougher than they would have been if you brined them. Just sayin.

More Incredible Pork Recipes

We are pork loving fiends over here. I love all the pork recipes. But here are a few of the favorites:

• Instant Pot Pork Ramen;
• Twice Cooked Pork;
• Chinese BBQ Pork;
• Japanese Pork Belly;
• Slow Cooker Carnitas;
• Browse all the Pork Recipes!

Readers Favorite Southern Recipes

You guys spoke! Here are some of the top stick to your ribs reader favorite Southern recipes:

• Instant Pot Creamed Corn;
• Seafood Gumbo;
• Pecan Pie Bars;
• Fried Pork Cutlets;
• Blackened Catfish.

Did you make this recipe? Leave me a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Check out this oldie!