Breaded Pork Chops Recipe
When I want a quick and delicious 30 minute dinner, I make this breaded pork chops recipe. I coat thick bone in pork chops with seasoned flour, egg wash, and a Parmesan and herb breadcrumb mixture, then pan fry them in safflower oil until the crust is golden and the inside stays juicy. It is a flavorful main dish that is perfect for any busy weeknight dinner.
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.
Notes
At this point I have breaded more chops than I can count, and the one thing I have to recommend 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 a 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.
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 steak from the freeze, bake on 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 covered for up to 2 months. Go straight from the freezer to the oven when reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 42gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 1479mgPotassium: 660mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 166IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 3mg