Juicy weeknight recipes to pan-fry, bake, grill, smother, and sauce
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__02__brined-pork-chops-gremolata-horiz-a-1500-127f770176894864913c48f69d0ae017.jpg "Brined Pork Chops with Gremolata")
We all know chicken is the most popular choice when it comes to weeknight proteins, for many great reasons. Chicken will please pretty much everyone at the table, it serves as a blank canvas for so many preparations and flavors, and it comes in a variety of cuts to suit time constraints and preferences. But did you know that pork chops can do the exact same things? It's true! Pork chops are an underrated choice for your weeknight dinner, but thanks to these recipes, you can give them some time to shine.
Whether you choose thicker bone-in pork chops, boneless center-cut ones, or thin cutlets, you have so many options, from pan-seared to baked and grilled, and breaded to sauced and brined. Don't forget to save your favorites!
Mom's Perfect Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Mom's Perfect Pork Chops
"My mother likes to use a cast iron pan to cook pork chops. A cast iron pan may be slower to heat initially, but it holds its heat well. Once the chops get a good sear on both sides, mom turns off the heat and lets the pork chops continue to cook gently in the residual heat."—Elise Bauer, Founder
Sesame-Crusted Pork Cutlets with Crispy Shallots
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Sesame-Crusted Pork Cutlets with Crispy Shallots
"If you can find thin cutlets in the market, snap them up. They cook so quickly that you can easily make this whole meal in about a half an hour."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
Easy Smothered Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera
Get Recipe: Easy Smothered Pork Chops
"For this recipe, a bone-in pork chop is preferred over boneless because bones are surrounded by a small amount of fat which helps retain moisture in the meat. The bone also acts as a heat conductor to maintain an even temperature when cooking the chops."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer
Brined Pork Chops With Gremolata
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Brined Pork Chops With Gremolata
"My friend Kathi Riley recently shared with me a favorite pork brine, which she learned cooking with Chef Judy Rodgers at San Francisco's Zuni Cafe, and before then at Chez Panisse. The secret to this brine is its 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. Yes, twice as much sugar as salt. It works! This brine produced the best pork chop I've ever eaten."—Elise
Andrea Nguyen's Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: The Unexpected Tip for Making the Best Pork Chops
"As you will see in Andrea's recipe, thin pork chops are easy and quick to make. Because they're so thin, the pork absorbs the marinate fast, and they cook in just five to seven minutes."—Alyse Whitney, Simply Recipes Contributor
Vermont Maple Syrup Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup Pork Chops
"This is a great, simple dish of pork chops, seared and then finished in the oven with a maple syrup-vinegar-Worcestershire sauce gravy, which gives the pork a bit of a sweet and sour flavor."—Elise
Glazed Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower
Get Recipe: Glazed Pork Chops
"The secret to moist pork chops is not overcooking them. Cook pork chops to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Dry brining also helps enhance both the moisture and flavor of the meat."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
Easy Grilled Pork Chops
Marta A Rivera Diaz / Simply Recipes
Get Recipe: Easy Grilled Pork Chops
"The brine I recommend for these pork chops is quite simple to prepare, and it works wonders. It guarantees the meat remains juicy until you sink your teeth into it."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer
Pork Chops With Braised Cabbage
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Pork Chops With Braised Cabbage
"We used large, bone-in pork chops for this recipe, but any style pork chop—thick or thin, bone-in or boneless—will work."—Elise
Grilled Pork Chops With Cherry Salsa
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops With Cherry Salsa
"If your cherries are juicy, the salsa will be juicy too. If you want the salsa less juicy, put the finished salsa into a fine-meshed strainer and strain off some of the excess juice."—Elise
Grilled Pork Chops with Adobo Paste
Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes
Get Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Adobo Paste
"Adobo is a savory paste prepared with a mixture of Mexican dried chilies, spices, garlic, and vinegar—the ingredients and quantities can vary depending on the cook. The paste is not considered spicy, but this depends on the type of chiles used. All the ingredients from the adobo are blended into a thick paste that can be used to rub over meat before cooking."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer
Pork Stir Fry With Green Onion
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Pork Stir Fry With Green Onion
"Marinate thin strips of pork (chops) first in a mixture of soy sauce, a little sugar, and cornstarch. The cornstarch marinade is a useful trick to help keep the pork from drying out when it gets cooked on that high heat. The sugar is just enough to create some caramelization for added flavor."—Elise
Pork Chops With Ginger Pear Sauce
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Pork Chops With Ginger Pear Sauce
"Pro-tip on the pork chops: Score the fat on the edges of the pork chops. This will keep the chops from buckling up while they cook."—Elise
Pork Chops With Pomegranate Glaze
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Pork Chops With Pomegranate Glaze
"Thick, bone-in pork chops have a lot of flavor and won't dry out as much during cooking as boneless chops. Once they are seared and cooked, transfer them to a plate and keep them warm with a loose covering of foil while you make the sauce."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
Pork Schnitzel
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Get Recipe: Pork Schnitzel
"Schnitzel, for the uninitiated, is German for cutlet which is usually made with veal and thinly pounded, breaded and fried. As for this schnitzel recipe, it is made with thinly pounded pork cutlets. Those of you looking for a quick, mid-week dinner may be happy with this one."—Elise
Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
"The original recipe calls for black currant jelly. I find red currant jelly works fine, or any red berry jelly for that matter. You just want a nice fruit jelly to balance the vinegar and mustard for the sauce, which is essentially a sweet-sour sauce."—Elise
Skillet Pork Chops with Cabbage
Simply Recipes / Sheryl Julian
Get Recipe: Skillet Pork Chops with Cabbage
"It’s hard to get really excited by cabbage—it seems so ordinary! But when I was in southern Germany recently, I enjoyed some truly outstanding cabbage with pork. This recipe is inspired by that dish so I can enjoy those flavors right at home."—Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer
Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce
Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce
"If using bone-in chops, score the fat that surrounds the chops (make vertical cuts through the fat, without cutting into the meat), so that the chops don't warp in shape as they cook."—Elise
Pork Chops with Cherry Pan Sauce
Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson
Get Recipe: Pork Chops with Cherry Pan Sauce
"My favorite pork chops to cook with are bone-in, center-cut chops. Center-cut chops are how I usually see them labeled in the grocery store, but sometimes they are labeled ribs or loin chops."—Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer
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