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Smothered Pork Chops are juicy, tender, pan-seared pork chops cooked in a rich onion gravy. A super easy dinner recipe, perfect for any night of the week!
If you are looking for more ways to cook pork chops, try this oven-baked pork chops recipe or these air fryer pork chops.
The classic rich flavors of these savory smothered pork chops, a gem from classic Southern cuisine, are guaranteed to have everyone at the table asking for seconds! Every bite will remind you of those hearty, home-cooked meals we all love, similar to the comfort found in our cream of mushroom pork chops or the spicy-sweet delight of hot honey chicken. Whether it’s a nostalgic favorite or a new discovery for you, this pork recipe is sure to become a regular at your table.
Why I Love This Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
- Quick: It’s a hassle-free dinner that feels like gourmet without requiring hours in the kitchen.
- Easy-to-Follow: From searing the chops to making the gravy, the steps are simple and foolproof.
- Perfect for Various Occasions: Be it a casual family dinner or a special gathering, smothered pork chops fit the bill.
What You’ll Need
Each ingredient, from the bone-in chops to the flavorful seasonings and butter, is selected to guarantee juicy pork chops. Fresh onions, garlic, broth, and heavy cream combine to create a lusciously thick and savory gravy, perfectly enhancing the final dish.
- Bone-In Pork Chops: Look for chops that are about an inch thick. These are the easiest to cook without drying them out.
- Seasonings: For a simple recipe like this, I reach for seasoning salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme. You could also add a sprinkle of onion powder and garlic powder.
- Olive Oil and Butter: The olive oil and butter together create tons of flavor without smoking or burning.
- Onion: Thinly slice one large yellow onion.
- Garlic: Minced, fresh garlic gives the brightest taste, but garlic powder is also okay to use.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is my go-to, but you could use regular chicken broth, bone broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth.
- Heavy Cream: This helps to make the gravy thick and creamy without adding flour.
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
The process involves searing the tender pork chops, gently caramelizing onions, creating a rich, flavorful gravy, and then bringing it all together. For more detailed instructions, scroll down the page to the recipe card.
- Sear the Pork Chops. Heat up your oil and butter in a skillet on medium-high heat and sear those chops for about five minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the Onions. In the same skillet, turn down the heat and melt the remaining butter. Add the sliced onions, and let those cook until they are very soft and caramelized.
- Create the Gravy. Stir in your chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then whisk in the heavy cream.
- Finish the Pork Chops in the Gravy. Finally, add the pork chops back into the skillet, smothering them in gravy. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pork chops’ internal temperature reaches 145˚F. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Enjoy! Serve the smothered pork chops with your favorite sides, like mashed potatoes or buttery egg noodles.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Heavy Cream: If cream isn’t available, you can substitute whole milk or half and half, and the gravy will still taste amazing – it just won’t be quite as thick and creamy.
- Different Cuts of Pork: I used bone-in chops because they are juicier but you can also use boneless pork chops. However, you’ll need to reduce the cooking time to about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook as you will end up with dry pork chops.
- Add Mushrooms: Smothered pork chops are amazing with sliced fresh mushrooms thrown in – just add them once the onions have caramelized, let them cook until their liquid evaporates, and continue with the recipe as written.
- Avoid Dry Pork: If your pork chops are dry and tough, it’s most likely due to overcooking them. Use a meat thermometer and cook the pork chops to an internal temperature of 145˚F – and don’t rely on color to tell if the meat is done.
Serving Suggestions
If you need the perfect pairings to complement this easy pork chop recipe, consider some vibrant veggies, parmesan crusted potatoes, fluffy rice, and a classic coleslaw to round off your feast. My favorite side dish to serve with pork is this easy asparagus recipe. It’s a nice change from the usual green beans or broccoli. I also love this oven roasted asparagus!
You could cook up a batch of your favorite style white rice or try this mushroom rice. This recipe for oven roasted brussels sprouts is a classic, but air fryer brussel sprouts are also very tasty.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover pork chops can be stored in an airtight container with the gravy in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the pork chops in their gravy in a covered skillet over low heat. Be sure to heat them only until they are heated through, and then remove them from the stove so they don’t overcook.
More Pork Chop Recipes
- Creamy Dijon Pork Chops
- Honey Garlic Baked Pork Chops
- Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
- Breaded Baked Pork Chops
- Ranch Pork Chops
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Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 1 pound bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or seasoning salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Gravy
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- pinch salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For the Pork Chops
- Season pork chops with the seasoning salt and black pepper.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add pork chops to skillet and sear for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. If the skillet isn't big enough, cook the pork chops in batches. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and keep them covered.
For the Gravy
- Return skillet to heat and add a tablespoon of butter; melt over medium heat. Stir in sliced onions and add a pinch of salt. Cook onions for 10 to 12 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic and fresh thyme; continue to cook for 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth, and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk in heavy cream and simmer for 1 minute.
- Return pork chops and all the pork juices to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 3 more minutes or until the pork chops are completely cooked through, and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat; garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Pork Chops: This recipe calls for bone-in pork chops. If you want to use boneless pork chops, you will have to reduce the cooking time to about 3 minutes per side. To avoid dry, tough pork chops, use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer and remove the pork chops from the skillet once the internal temperature of the pork chops registers at 145˚F.
- Heavy Cream is what makes the gravy rich and creamy. You can use lighter options like half & half or milk, but the gravy won’t be as thick or creamy.
- Store completely cooled pork chops in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This was excellent so yummy!!
These were super yummy! I had 6 chops and increased ingredients accordingly. Hubby raved. I served with scalloped potatoes and peas. I’m low carb so I had a simple salad with champagne vinaigrette. This will be made again!
I am very happy you enjoyed it!! Thank YOU! 🙂
I bought pork chops from Costco
Cut them in half
Use a meat tenderizer to flatten them
Cook a few at a time and place in dish to keep warm
It was so delicious
Thank you, Devon! I am very happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Was more like as sauce than a gravy but still was very good!
Is the garlic and thyme necessary?
Hi!
I’d say so… I think, for food to taste good, things like herbs and aromatics are necessary.
This was so delicious. It is going to make into the regular rotation of dishes. Served over mashed potatoes so the gravy was all over everything and just perfect. Thank you for this. I have a lot of Celiac family members that will enjoy this.
I couldn’t find my rhyme so I subbed tarragon and hoped for the best. It was fantastic! Recipe is definitely a keeper.
It was good. I omitted the garlic as it bothers my husband, he said it was good. Will be making this again for sure.
Omg, this was delicious. I usually grill my pork chops so this was a nice change. Simple, easy and amazing. I used different seasoning but the base was the same.
These are on my must-make list!
Genius to cut out the flour! You really don’t need it with the heavy cream and some extra time. Thank you for the recipe!