Breaded Pork Chops Recipe
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When I want something quick and delicious that cooks in under 30 minutes, that’s when I make this breaded pork chops recipe. I coat double-thick bone-in pork chops with seasoned flour, egg wash, and a Parmigiano and herb breadcrumb mixture that is insanely delicious. From there, I pan-fry them in oil until the crust is golden brown and the inside is juicy. It’s a flavorful main dish that is perfect for any busy weeknight dinner.
I grew up with a Sicilian dad who would bread anything that sat still long enough. Steak, fish, chicken, leftover bread heels grated into breadcrumbs on a Sunday morning, none of it was safe. Breading was his solution to everything, and a generation later, it’s still mine. That’s why my chicken parmigiana, my arancini, and my classic spiedini all live on the same shelf in my brain. This pork chop is the weeknight version of that same idea, ready in 30 minutes with one pan.
Breaded Pork Chops
The Italians figured out a long time ago that breading is what you do when you want a humble cut of meat to eat like a special occasion. The standard breading procedure of flour, egg wash, and seasoned breadcrumbs is the technique. It ties cutlets, schnitzels, and chops together across half a dozen cuisines.
One of the biggest issues folks face when making breaded pork chops, or anything breaded for that matter, is that the breading falls off during cooking. The number one reason for this is that the oil is not hot enough. Ensure it’s at the 325° mark, then turn the heat up a bit more as they cook. Those chops are cold, and they will immediately lower the oil’s temperature. This single technique works every time and is the key to your success while making it.
Personally, I like to finish this dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of chopped thyme and parsley. I never add a sauce because, for me, the lemon is all it needs. As you probably know by now, my recipes are very versatile, so go ahead and add or leave out toppings based on your own taste. I hope you give this recipe a try, and if you’re just starting to cook, check out my video below.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this breaded pork chops recipe, I use everyday pantry ingredients plus a good, thick chop. The standard breading procedure pulls the rest of it together. Here is the list with the substitutions that work:
- Pork – Double-thick bone-in chops, lightly pounded to even thickness. Boneless thin-cut chops, pork tenderloin medallions, or sliced pork loin all work, and the cooking time drops with them.
- All-purpose flour – The first stage of the standard breading procedure. Seasoned with salt and pepper before the chop hits it. Gluten-free 1-to-1 flour works if needed.
- Eggs – Large at room temperature or chilled, then whisked to smooth. No need for milk or water for this recipe, as that can dilute the coating.
- Breadcrumbs – Plain breadcrumbs, but ideally my homemade breadcrumbs from leftover bread, are ridiculous to use in this. Panko works if I want a coarser crust. I don’t recommend using Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, since the dry herbs and parmesan are already going in.
- Parmesan cheese – Finely grated parmesan folded into the breadcrumbs. Pecorino Romano sometimes makes its way in if I want a sharper and saltier crust.
- Dry herbs and aromatics – Onion granules, garlic granules, dry oregano, and dry thyme into the breadcrumb mix. Dry rosemary or dry basil swap in for the oregano or thyme if that is what is in my cabinet.
- Cooking oil – Safflower oil for pan-frying. Safflower has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, which is what I want under a delicate crust. Avocado, peanut, or refined sunflower oil all hold up the same way. Olive oil works if I want a richer flavor and I am watching the heat. My goal is always cold-pressed, organic, and on sale.
- Salt and pepper – Into the breadcrumb mix, the flour, and a final crack on the chops when they’re done. Diamond Crystal kosher salt is what I have been using lately.
- Lemon and fresh herbs to finish – Lemon wedges, chopped fresh thyme, and chopped fresh parsley. Not optional. The lemon is the sauce on this one.
How to Make Breaded Pork Chops
Pound the chops: Lay a chop on a cutting board between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Next, work the mallet across the surface gently until the chop is about ¾” to 1” thick. Repeat with the rest and set them on a plate.
Set up the breading station: Season the flour in one bowl or pie tin with salt and pepper, whisk the eggs smooth in a second bowl, and stir the breadcrumbs, onion granules, garlic granules, dry oregano, dry thyme, parmesan, black pepper, and sea salt together in a third.
Heat the oil: Pour the safflower oil into a 12-inch frying pan and bring it up over medium to medium-high heat, aiming for around 325°F. If there is no thermometer, I drop a pinch of flour in; when it bubbles right away, I know the pan is ready.
Dredge the chops: Lay a chop in the flour and coat both sides, then shake off the excess. Move the chop to the egg wash and coat completely. Lift it out, let the excess drip off, then lay it in the breadcrumb mix and coat both sides and the edges. Set the breaded chop on a parchment-lined sheet tray and repeat with the rest.
Pan-fry the chops: Lower the chops into the oil one at a time, presentation-side down first, leaving room around each one. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, and I make sure the internal temperature reads 140 to 145°F at the thickest part next to the bone.
Finish in the oven if needed: If a chop is the color I want but the inside still reads cool, move it to a parchment-lined sheet tray and finish it in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Rest and serve: Move the cooked chops to a wire rack set over a sheet tray for 2 or 3 minutes. Plate, hit them with a squeeze of fresh lemon, scatter chopped thyme and parsley over the top, and bring them to the table. Check my pairing favorites below.
Chef tip + notes
At this point I have breaded more chops than I can count, and the one thing I have to recommend to you is to season every stage of the breading, not just the meat. Salt and pepper in the flour and in the breadcrumb mix. Skip the flour and the crust tastes bland. Season only the chop and the crust still tastes bland. So, always taste the breadcrumb mix on a fingertip before any chop hits it, and adjust the salt until it is seasoned on its own.
- Pat the chops dry first: Pat the surface of each chop dry with a paper towel before the flour stage. A wet chop pulls too much flour, and the egg slides off the slick spots in the pan.
- Press the crumbs into the chop: After the breadcrumb stage, press the crumbs into both sides with the heel of your hand. Crumbs sitting on the surface fall off in the pan. Crumbs pressed into the egg wash stay glued through the flip.
- Pull the pan off the heat if it browns too fast: The parmesan and dry herbs in the crust brown faster than plain breadcrumbs, so a dark crust at 90 seconds is the cheese caramelizing, not a finished chop. I simply lift the pan off the burner for a minute, drop the heat a notch, and put it back on.
- Bake them instead of pan-frying: Lay the breaded chops about an inch apart on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake on the middle rack at 425°F for 14 to 16 minutes, until the internal temperature is 140 to 145°F next to the bone. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
- Why pork chops dry out, and how to stop it? Pork chop is a lean cut, and a couple of degrees past done is the difference between juicy and tough. Pull at 140°F next to the bone, lean toward the low end, and let carryover finish the inside during the 2 to 3 minute rest. That is what keeps a breaded chop moist instead of chalky.
Serving Suggestions
This breaded pork chops recipe is a weeknight workhorse first, and what goes next to it depends on what our week looks like. On a random Tuesday for instance I plate it with a scoop of creamy mashed potatoes and a side of sauteed broccolini, and dinner is on the table in less than an hour. On a Sunday with more time, I trade the mashed potatoes for a bowl of creamy risotto and the broccolini for garlic green beans.
When my daughter is the one I am cooking for, I go classic and pair the chop with baked apple slices on the side. Pork and apple is the one combination she will eat without a single negotiation. Leftover chops do not stick around long at our house, but the ones that survive get sliced cold the next day onto a salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking and resting. You could bread the chops up to 4 hours ahead, lay them on a parchment-lined sheet tray uncovered in the fridge, and pull them out 20 minutes before the pan goes on.
How to Reheat: Place on a rack on a cookie sheet tray and bake at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until crisp and warmed. If reheating the chop from the freezer, bake it on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 350° for 20-25 minutes
How to Store: I cover and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 2 months. Go straight from the freezer to the oven when reheating.
More Easy Pork Recipes
Video
Breaded Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion granules
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic granules
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry thyme
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4 10-12 ounce bone-in pork chops, gently pounded with mallet
- 1 cup cooking oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the flour to a bowl or pie tin and season to taste with salt and pepper and mix until completely combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl or pie tin whisk the eggs until completely whisked and smooth. Set aside.
- In another separate bowl or pie tin mix together the breadcrumbs, onion granules, garlic granules, oregano, thyme, parmesan cheese, pepper, and 2 teaspoons of sea salt until completely combined.
- Place one pork chop at a time into the pan with the flour and dredge until coated on all sides. Pat off any excess.
- Next, add the pork chops to the pan with the whisked eggs and completely coat.
- Transfer the pork chop to the pan with seasoned breadcrumbs and dredge to completely coat on each side. Pat the breadcrumbs into the pork on all sides.
- Place on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and repeat until all of the pork-chops have been breaded.
- Add the breaded pork chops to a large frying pan of oil on medium to medium-high heat or at 325° F.
- Cook the pork chops for 6-8 minutes per side or until golden brown and are at 140°f to 145°F internally.
- Remove the pork chops and drain on a paper towels or a cookie sheet tray with a rack. Repeat the process until all of the steak has been cooked.
- Garnish with optional lemon wedges and chopped parsley and thyme.
Hi! My favorite pork chop growing up was Kraft oven pork fry. It is so expensive now, that I have trying to find a good breaded pork chop recipe that is similar. Yours is better! One question I have is I grew up always having them baked in the oven. Is frying them the secret trick to make the breading crispy? My only downfall with frying using avocado oil, it was too greasy.
it is indeed
I did this GF. I used a knock off magic bullet to make rough bread crumbs and rice flour for the flour. Used advacado oil in cast iron. Turned out so perfect and delicious. Thick crispy crunchy crust. 10/10
Awesome! Glad you could make it work for you!