This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
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.
Loved this!! We added mushrooms and served over potatoes!!
We did everything to the T and the gravy came out watery. We have to use flour to thicken the gravy.
Pork chops were good though.
Really disappointed in the gravy. Did everything according to the recipe and my ‘gravy’ is pure liquid even when we let it simmer and all that. I can’t use flour because of my celiac disease sooo.. this was kinda a bust 😞
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. I don’t know why it would turn out soupy.. did you use the heavy cream? That should have thickened it up. If that’s not an option, maybe you can use cornstarch to thicken it?
This was tasty but not tender. I need tender, because of dental problems, and thought this would do it. So I cooked it and sliced it into small tiny pieces. Not sure if I will make it again.
Really tasty chops! I did not have heavy cream, so instead I sprinkled about 2 Tbl. Flour into the onions as they finished caramelizing and stirred to thicken a bit before adding just milk. It worked out well to thicken the sauce and probably saved a few calories too.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Is it 4 one-inch pork chops each weighing 1 pound (for a total of 4 pounds) or do the 4 one inch pork chops add up to a total of one pound?
Hi!
That’s a total of 1 pound. So, four 1-inch-thick pork chops should be about 1 pound.
Total of 4 pork chops adding up to one pound, ex. each chop about 4 ounces each. Consider using golden mushroom soup with 1/2 can chicken stock and sautéed sliced onion and sliced mushrooms. Way better!
Loved this recipe! Restaurant quality. I coated my chops with flour before searing them. I skipped the thyme because I didn’t have any and seasoned to taste. This is a keeper. Thank you for this recipe.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I will be trying these today. Can’t wait to see how they’ll turn out. I’m excited. I’ll post again once I complete the task.
I hope you’ll enjoy them! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made these last night, so delicious, didn’t change a thing, will definitely make these again
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I very rarely leave a review but had to comment on this absolutely delicious recipe. I have been looking for a pork Chop recipe like this for awhile now. I made these pork chops for dinner tonight and they were fabulous. Didn’t change a thing. Yummy!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Omg samee! First time making it with my boyfiend, and they turned out sooo good!! I will definitely keep coming back to this recipe!
It’s My first time. I was looking for something different for my smothered pork chops and this recipe is amazing my thirteen grandson that is usually picky about foods he loved it. My entire family enjoyed ✅💕
Thanks for sharing !
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Delicious!!!!! Cooked as is except only had dried thyme. So good!
Thank you so much! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I thought they were very tasty. Even though I didn’t have any thyme for the gravy. I had plenty of flavor without it. I used a heavy creme for the thickner and it could of been thicker. I also used a mushroom broth instead of chicken broth. It gave it the flavor of them without the texture that my husband doesn’t like. Very tasty.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂