Pan Fried Pork Chops
These pan fried pork chops are moist and juicy with the best flavorful browned crust. Learn how to cook pork chops in a skillet for a company-worthy dinner that’s so simple to make.
Easy Pan Fried Pork Chops
Since our Baked Pork Chops recipe is one of our most popular recipes, I figured you all would love another easy pork chop recipe: Pan Fried Pork Chops!
Cooking pork chops in a skillet is fast, easy and gives you the best crispy browned crust on the pork chops. And that browned crust = major flavor.
The pork chops are finished with a simple pan sauce made from butter and fresh thyme. So simple. So, so good.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bone-In Pork Chops: I like using bone-in pork chops for this recipe because the bone keeps the meat especially moist. To make pan fried boneless pork chops, just keep a close watch on them so that they don’t overcook and dry out. Using thick pork chops (at least 1-inch thick) also helps to prevent them from drying out.
- Seasonings: The seasoning mixture on these pork chops adds so much flavor! You’ll need kosher salt, paprika (I used sweet paprika), garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper adds a little kick of heat, but this recipe is not overly spicy.
- Flour: Dredging the seasoned pork chops in flour helps to create the browned crust as they cook in the skillet.
- Olive Oil and Butter: Cooking the pork chops in both olive oil and butter gives you both richness and flavor. The butter also helps to create a pan sauce at the end.
- Fresh Thyme: Thyme and pork are a delicious pair. The fresh thyme really adds something special to this recipe, so I highly suggest adding it.
How to Cook Pan Fried Pork Chops
This pan fried pork chop recipe comes together in a flash! See the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
- First, stir together the seasonings in a small bowl. Place the flour in a wide, shallow dish.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat.
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Rub the seasoning mixture over both sides of the pork chops.
- Then dredge the pork chops in the flour, coating both sides. Add the pork chops to the hot pan.
- Cook 2 minutes per side to get a nice browned crust. Then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 5-10 more minutes per side, until the pork chops are cooked through. Be careful to not overcook them, since this will dry them out.
- When the pork chops are almost done, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the fresh thyme to the skillet. Once the butter melts, remove the pan from the heat. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving. This lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat to keep the pork chops juicy.
- Spoon or brush the butter thyme sauce over the pork chops. Then serve and enjoy!
How to Tell When Pork Chops are Done
According to the USDA, pork chops should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F and then allowed to rest for at least 3 minutes before consuming. The temperature of the pork chops will continue to rise a few degrees during the rest time due to carryover cooking. The best way to tell if pork chops are done is to use an instant read thermometer to test the internal temperature of the pork chops.
The secret to juicy pork chops? Don’t overcook them. Overcooking is a sure way to dry out pork chops, and they can go from perfect to dry in just a minute or two.
Serving Suggestions
These pan fried pork chops are one of our favorite easy dinner ideas. We like to serve them with:
- Potatoes: Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Red Potatoes are delicious side dishes for pork.
- Vegetables: We love adding a green veggie to the plate, such as Steamed Broccoli or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Salad: Arugula Salad and Kale Salad are both good options.
More Pork Chop Recipes
We’ve created many irresistible pork chop recipes over the years. If you love these pan fried pork chops, give one of these easy recipes a try next.
Pan Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 bone-in pork chops*, at least 1-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Place the flour in a wide, shallow dish.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat.
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Rub the seasoning mixture over both sides of the pork chops. Dredge pork chops in the flour, coating both sides, and add them to the hot pan. (Cook in batches or use two pans if they won't all fit in the pan at once.)
- Cook the pork chops for 2 minutes on each side to get a nice golden brown sear. Then reduce the heat to medium, flip and continue cooking for 5-10 more minutes per side, or until the pork chops register 145° F in the center when measured with an instant read thermometer. Be careful to not overcook them as this will dry them out. (If your pork chops are thin they will likely cook in less than 5 minutes per side.)
- When the pork chops are almost cooked through, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the fresh thyme to the pan. Allow the butter to melt and then remove the pan from the heat. Spoon or brush the butter and thyme sauce over the pork chops.
- Let pork chops rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
- Two large bone-in pork chops will provide 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings. You can use 4 pork chops to serve more people. You may need to cook them in two batches if they won’t all fit in the pan.
- To use boneless pork chops, keep a close watch on them so that they don’t overcook and dry out since boneless chops cook faster. Using thick cut pork chops (at least 1-inch thick) also helps to prevent them from drying out.
I enjoy all Kristine’s recipes, but this was exceptional. Flavorful, aromatic and easy prep. Thank you for such a delicious meal. Just like mentioned in recipe, do not overcook meat. This goes into my favorite dishes folder 😊
This was delicious I will make this often.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The coating was so flavorful and the chops were juicy. Will definitely make again!
Delicious recipe. Going into my favorites file!
This was the best pork chops I have made in a long time, thanks to this recipe. I omitted the paprika and cayenne, and used more Thyme. Cast iron pan, and used olive oil and butter. Then basted it with more pan “sauce” and extra Thyme before letting it rest. Delicious!
I’ve made this a few times, both with bone in and boneless chops. Love the flavor combination of the spices and the end result is worth it. Easy, fairly fast, flavorful… what more can you ask for in a recipe. Thank you.
I made this recipe twice with boneless pork chops, it is delicious.
Easy, quick, and most importantly, delicious!
I forgot to add the Thyme and butter at the last step- too eager to taste the great looking chops in the pan, I guess!