Breaded Pork Chops are crispy, tender, and juicy! Ready in about 20 minutes, they taste just like the ones my mom used to make… Best pork chops EVER!
Sometimes pork chops have the tendency to be dry and tasteless – not these ones! With a light crispy breading, these pan-fried pork chops are the perfect comfort food for a night at home with your family.
My kids actually beg me to make them all the time! Whenever I make these pork chops, I also make these scalloped potatoes too. They are a match made in heaven!
BREADED PORK CHOPS
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I’ve talked a lot before about my adorable Italian grandma. She taught me so much about cooking, baking, and being a true matriarch and what a real sauce tastes like… I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her. That being said, today I’ve got to give some credit to my mom.
She’s the one who taught me the true art of using breadcrumbs. I’m talking chicken parmesan (and eggplant parm…YUM), fried chicken, chicken fried steak, and breaded pork chops!
It’s not as simple as just throwing some breadcrumbs on. It’s all about your egg wash! I used what my mom taught me to create this perfect pork chop recipe.
When I think of my all-time favorite dinners to cook, pork chops typically wouldn’t make my top 10….maybe not even my top 25… but all that changed when I fine-tuned this recipe for breaded pork chops.
It’s no joke when I tell you that my husband and kids practically jump for joy when I tell them pork is on sale at the grocery store. They know that these fried pork chops will be making their way onto their dinner plates very soon!
Ingredients for Breaded Pork Chops
One of the greatest things about this dish is that it is made with all pantry staples. As long as you can go to the grocery store to grab some pork chops, you should have everything else you need on hand at home!
Another one of my favorite things about this recipe is that the breaded pork chops are the perfect blank slate for whatever type of dinner you want to prepare: if you want a simple meat and potatoes type meal – breaded pork chops and mashed potatoes.
If you’re looking for a more Italian inspired meal – cook up some pasta and mix the pork chops with your favorite sauce! The possibilities are endless! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Thin-cut boneless pork chops
- Italian breadcrumbs
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Eggs
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Butter
How to Cook Breaded Pork Chops
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You’re going to start with your breading – in a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion powder, and garlic powder
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In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then add the lemon juice to your beaten eggs (the lemon juice was part of my mom’s secret egg wash! It makes a huge difference!)
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Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture and coat it completely. Really get each chop coated in the egg – without that eggy layer, the bread crumbs won’t stick!
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Put the coated pork chop in the breadcrumb mixture and cover completely. I like to really pat the breadcrumbs down into the meat to ensure that it’s truly stuck.
Next comes the fun part – it’s time to pan-fry!
How to Fry Pork Chops
This recipe calls for 1 and 1/4 pounds of pork chops. I personally do not have a pan (or burner!) big enough to cook all those at the same time. I typically cook 3 or 4 chops at a time and then transfer them to a warm oven while I pan fry the remainder of the meat. Here’s my frying method:
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Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and butter in a skillet, on medium/high heat.
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Place the pork chops in the heated skillet and cook each side until golden brown and crispy (3-4 minutes each side). You’re going to have to be patient here – you really don’t want to be flipping the pork chops multiple times as they lose some of the breading and become tough the more often you flip them.
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Remove them from the pan and plate them however you please!
How Long to Cook Pork Chops
Like I mentioned before, you’re really going to have to keep your hands (and spatula!) off while frying these pork chops. The more you move the meat around in the pan, the tougher your meat becomes.
Every butcher cuts their pork chops to a different thickness. This recipe calls for “thin cut” but “thin” can mean very different things to different people. So, depending on the cut of your meat, your cook time will vary a bit.
I’ve found that the sweet spot is around 3 to 4 minutes of frying per side. However, the only way to get a true idea of whether your pork is cooked sufficiently (aside from cutting them all open) is to use a meat thermometer.
If you prefer your meat to be medium, the pork chop temperature should be between 150-155 degrees F, if you’re more of a well-done meat kind of person, then you’ll want your thermometer to read 160 degrees F. If you like it in the middle, then find the sweet spot between those two!
Be sure to check out these other great Real Housemoms Recipes!
- Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa
- Easy Eggplant Parmesan
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Honey Barbecue Pork Chops
- Southern Oven Fried Chicken
- More MAIN DISH recipes…
Tools used to make this Breaded Pork Chops recipe
Large Skillet: this pan DEFINITELY gets its use in our household. I’ve had this frying pan for years, I almost want to buy another one now so that if mine ever breaks, I’ll have a backup!
Meat Thermometer: every good chef relies on a meat thermometer to ensure a perfectly cooked internal temperature. I use this in almost every recipe I cook!
*This post originally posted on 10/18/2012.
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs thin-cut boneless pork chops (6 chops)
- ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion powder, and garlic powder until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs and lemon juice together.
- Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture and coat it completely. Then put the wet pork chop in the breadcrumb mixture and cover completely on both sides.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place 4 pork chops in hot oil/butter and cook each side until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. You don't want to overcrowd the pan. Working in batches is best.
- Remove them from the pan and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in the same skillet. Cook rest of the pork chops for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with the other pork chops.
- Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.
Nutrition
Judy says
Fast and easy, and love the addition of the lemon to the eggs!
Ashea says
This was a good recipe, thoroughly enjoyed it. I cooked it as instructed & then places them in the oven at 350° for 15min to bake off the excess oil & the pork chops were so tender. Could’ve used a bit more seasoning un my opinion, but it was great! I will be tweaking it a little next time, but thank you so much for the base!
Cheri Lynn Demma says
In 25 years of marriage, these are hands down the BEST pork chops I’ve ever made! THANK YOU!
Darryl says
Incredible. New favorite way to make pork chops!