These Smothered Pork Chops are seared until golden and then simmered in a rich and creamy homemade onion and mushroom gravy. A super easy, super delicious, dinner recipe perfect any night of the week.
Creamy Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
These creamy smothered pork chops are a family favorite at my house.
Made with perfectly seasoned and seared thick-cut pork chops, these beautiful-looking chops are juicy and flavorful. NOT dried-out or rubbery.
Served smothered in a homemade mushroom and onion gravy, it is true that although pork chops are delicious on their own, they’re even better with a comforting mushroom-filled sauce.
If you enjoy easy dinners and delicious comfort food, then you’re going to love this recipe. And so will the whole family.
Tips for Making the Best Smothered Pork Chops
- Shop for bone-in pork chops. Bone-in pork chops are not as lean, and therefore more flavorful. Plus, they’re less likely to dry out (read more about the different types of pork chops below).
- Ask for pork chops that are at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. It’s really easy to over-cook pork chops, so the added thickness helps prevent that from happening.
- Finally, pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a digital meat thermometer.
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper.
- Sear the pork chops until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from your skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the onions and mushrooms until soft and caramelized, then season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter with the onions and mushrooms and mix in the flour. Slowly add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. After approximately 5 minutes, add the heavy cream.
- Return the pork chops to the pan and smother with the homemade onion and mushroom gravy. Continue to cook the pork chops until cooked through, or 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with an instant-read meat thermometer.
Different Cuts of Pork Chops
There are four different cuts of pork chops that you will find at the grocery store. Realistically, you can use any cut in this recipe, but each cut cooks a little differently.
- Shoulder Chop – generally have more fat and connective tissue, darker-colored meat, and some blade bones. They typically have loads of flavor, but with that, you’ll also find more gristle and bone. For the best results, it should be braised before cooking.
- Rib Chop – The rib chop comes with a large eye of lean loin meat and no tenderloin meat. It is a bone-in chop, often with a layer of fat on the outside. It’s mild and tender, but fattier than a loin chop. It is recommended to use a quick-cooking method.
- Loin (Center Cut) Chop – Very lean and very mild pork flavor. Like a T-bone steak, pork loin chops come with loin on one side and tenderloin on the other. Typically, the more tenderloin that is present, the higher the cost. Because loin and tenderloin cook at different rates, cooking properly can sometimes be a challenge.
- Boneless Chop – The cut of pork I grew up eating, boneless pork chops are basically top loin or rib chops with the bones removed. Given the lack of bones, fat, or connective tissue, boneless cuts are typically less flavorful and more likely to dry out.
Which cut you choose to cook comes down to preference and budget, however, I always encourage bone-in pork chops.
Can This Recipe Be Made with Chicken?
Yes. You can make this exact recipe with both chicken breasts or chicken thighs. If you plan to use chicken breasts, shop for thinly sliced chicken breasts cutlets or cut your chicken breasts in half to make two thinner chicken breasts. Chicken, typically, takes longer to cook, so remember to check the internal temperature to make sure it reaches 165 degrees F.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Allow your pork chops to cool slightly before transferring to an airtight container. Keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat any leftovers before serving. I usually just reheat my leftovers in the microwave, adding a little milk or broth to the gravy if needed. You can also reheat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
How to Serve Smothered Pork Chops?
I like to serve this weeknight dish with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, or green beans. Sometimes, I’ll even make some buttery cornbread, too.
Have you tried making this Smothered Pork Chops Recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 4 thick-cut pork chops - bone-in or boneless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion - diced
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms - sliced
- salt and pepper - to season
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth - or homemade chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream - at room temperature
- fresh thyme or parsley - to garnish
Instructions
- Pat dry the pork chops with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Season with salt and pepper on both sides (optional seasoning – garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or cayenne).
- Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. As soon as your pan is nice and hot, add the pork chops and sear for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. If your pork chops are especially thick (more than 1-inch) remove them to a baking dish lined with parchment paper and finish cooking in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven until the internal temperature registers 145°F as measured by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.
- Return the pan to medium heat. Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil plus the onions and mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are soft and slightly caramelized. Season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine and cook until fragrant – about a minute.
- Melt the butter and sprinkle the mushrooms and onions with flour. Mix well to combine.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, whisking continuously to create a thick gravy. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Allow the gravy to simmer until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream.
- Nestle the pork chops back into the gravy mixture and cook for five minutes over low heat, flipping the chops once. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme. Enjoy!
Video
Jessica’s Notes
- Try to purchase bone-in pork chops at least 1 inch thick.
- Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If, after you’ve removed your seared pork chops from your skillet, you notice browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, you may deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or water and scrape them up with a spatula. Don’t toss them out, though. Those little brown bits offer loads of yummy flavor.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I made this for my family and it was amazing. Easy to make. The only thing I changed was more mushrooms. All in all great weeknight dish.
I just finished eating Smothered Pork Chops. The picture looked amazing so I had to cook it. My husband and I enjoyed it! It was easy to make and very tasty. Thank you, Lisa