Breaded Pork Chops
These crispy breaded pork chops are coated in a crunchy cracker crust and served with homemade kale pesto for an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Pork
- ¼ cup milk you can use skim milk, 1%, or 2%
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup oyster crackers
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 6 center-cut boneless pork chops pounded to a 3/4-inch thickness
For the Pesto
- 2 cups packed baby kale leaves
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup halved walnuts
- 4 slices low-sodium bacon cooked to a crisp and crumbled
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Get ready to bake. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make a breading station. Combine milk and egg in a bowl; whisk until well incorporated. In your food processor bowl, combine crackers, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper; pulse until crumbly. Transfer the crumb mixture to a shallow dish.
- Bread the chops. Coat the pork chops in the crumb mixture, then dip in the egg mixture and into the crumbs again. Press down on the breading with your fingers to adhere. Arrange the pork chops in the baking dish.
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, flip over the pork chops, and continue to cook for 12 to 15 minutes more or until cooked through. Pork is done when the internal temperature registers at 145°F.
- Make the pesto. Meanwhile, combine all the pesto ingredients in your food processor and process until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. If you prefer, add more olive oil for a thinner consistency.
- Serve. Remove the pork chops from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork chops to dinner plates, top with the kale pesto, and serve.
Notes
- Get even thickness. Pound any thicker pork chops to the same thickness. When it comes to thickness, I find that 3/4-inch is perfect for this recipe.
- Cut off the fat. Remove the fat around the pork chops' edges.
- Allow resting time. Post-cooking, let the pork chops rest for around 5 minutes to redistribute the juices, giving you a juicier, more flavorful bite.
- Different cheese. Any hard cheese is suitable for the breading. Parmesan pairs beautifully with the pesto.
- Swap the crackers. Replace oyster crackers with any other type, like Saltines or Ritz. Alternatively, breadcrumbs could also be used.
- Refrigerate leftovers. Seal pesto tightly in a clean glass jar and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep pork wrapped or covered tightly in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. Wrap the pork tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw thoroughly in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat in the oven. Place on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until just warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2615IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 2mg
