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Juicy Oven-Baked Pork Chops with Garlic and Herbs
This Juicy Oven Baked Pork Chops with Garlic, Lemon, and Herbs recipe takes only 30 minutes, seared on the stovetop and finished in the oven.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Resting Time
5 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 346 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 4 boneless center cut pork chops about 1" thick
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or other high-heat oil like canola
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon zested and cut into wedges
For optional pan sauce:
- 1/2 cup dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, or pinot grigio
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and place an oven rack in the center. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season evenly on all sides with the kosher salt (1 teaspoon) and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon).
- Heat an oven-safe skillet on high or medium-high heat, depending on your burners, until very hot. This will take only 30 seconds or so with stainless steel, but up to 5 minutes with cast iron. (to test, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand a couple inches over the skillet's surface for more than a few seconds.)
- Add the oil (2 tablespoons) and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan (or use a spatula to evenly distribute it). Add the pork chops to the skillet and allow to sear, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. While they are searing, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fresh oregano and thyme (or less than 1/2 teaspoon if using dried), once minced clove of garlic, and half the lemon zest on the top side of the pork chops.
- Turn off the heat on the burner and flip the pork chops. (Tip: they should release easily from the bottom of the skillet- if they don't, they may need more time searing.) With the seared side facing up, sprinkle the remainder of the fresh herbs, minced garlic, and lemon zest on top of the pork chops. Place the lemon wedges in the spaces around the pork chops. Slide skillet onto center oven rack and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until internal temperature is 145 degrees F (cooking time will vary depending on thickness and oven temperature).
- Remove pork chops to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes (tent with foil if resting for longer than that to keep them warm).
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Optional pan sauce
- When you remove the pork chops and lemons, use tongs to squeeze as much lemon juice out of the slices as you can into the skillet. While the pork chops are resting, return the skillet to the stovetop on medium-high heat. Important: use a handle cover or potholders when touching the handle- it's easy to forget it's been in the oven all this time!
- Add the white wine (1/2 cup) and use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to deglaze and scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour in the chicken stock (1/2 cup) and simmer until about half the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened (about 2 minutes).
- Turn off heat and add the butter (1 tablespoon) to the skillet. Stir until it's melted into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the pork chops (and any other accoutrements, such as mashed potatoes) to serve.
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Notes
- If you don't have an oven safe skillet, sear the pork chops in whatever skillet you have and transfer to a baking dish to finish in the oven. Alternatively, you could turn the heat to medium or medium-low after you've seared the top side, cover the skillet, and allow them to finish cooking on the stovetop.
- Ingredient substitutions: all oregano or all thyme may be used, Herbs de Provence or another savory herb mix may be substituted for dried oregano and thyme, bone-in pork chops may be substituted for boneless but they will likely need more baking time, more chicken stock may be substituted for the white wine in the pan sauce, butter may be omitted or ghee used for a dairy-free substitute in the pan sauce.
- I don't recommend using thin-cut pork chops for this recipe, because they cook so fast. If you do want to use them, I recommend finishing them right in the skillet, covered, over medium heat, rather than baking them.
- Serving suggestion: I love serving these with mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower with the pan sauce drizzled over everything.
Nutrition Information
Calories
346kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
6g
(2%)
Protein
30g
(60%)
Fat
20g
(31%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Cholesterol
98mg
(33%)
Sodium
717mg
(30%)
Potassium
616mg
(18%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
192IU
(4%)
Vitamin C
18mg
(20%)
Calcium
49mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 346
% Daily Value*
Calories | 346kcal | 17% |
Carbohydrates | 6g | 2% |
Protein | 30g | 60% |
Fat | 20g | 31% |
Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
Cholesterol | 98mg | 33% |
Sodium | 717mg | 30% |
Potassium | 616mg | 13% |
Fiber | 2g | 8% |
Sugar | 2g | 4% |
Vitamin A | 192IU | 4% |
Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
Calcium | 49mg | 5% |
Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.