My Easy Baked Pork Chops are so tender and juicy, and the brown sugar spice rub gives them a ton of flavor!
Pork is often overlooked as one of the tastiest and most versatile meats. Some of my favorite recipes in my recipe box are my easy Crock Pot Pork Roast and my mom’s famous Oven Braised French Onion Pork Chops. I also love a good pork tenderloin! But these pork chops? These baked pork chops are where it’s at!
No More Tough, Dry Pork Chops!
I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never really been a fan of boneless pork chops. They always seem like a good idea, but they come out of the oven dry and tough. But you know what I figured out? It wasn’t the pork’s fault! It was mine. I finally figured out that I was cooking the poor pork chops to death, and it was slow and painful.
Top tips and tricks
Here are a few tips I’ve learned about keeping this type of meat super tender and juicy without drying it out:
- Oil and season. Rub the pork chops with a little bit of olive oil before adding the seasoning. This will not only help the seasoning stick to the pork, but it adds a little flavor and keep the pork moist.
- Don’t overcook it. People tend to think that pork takes a long time to cook, but with boneless pork chops this rule just doesn’t apply. A good rule of thumb for making baked pork chops is 7-8 minutes per half inch of meat in a 400 degree oven. Pork roasts and bone-in pork is a different story and will take much longer.
- Let it rest. This is true for any meat that you’re cooking, from chicken to steaks to pork. I cannot stress this enough! When meat cooks, and of the juices inside rush to the center. Resting allows those juices to redistribute throughout the meat resulting in a tender and juicy pork chop.
- Resist the urge to cut. Do not cut these baked pork chops before serving. Keep them in tact and slicing before serving lets all of those juices out and the meat becomes dry very quickly.
- Sear the chops first to lock in that sweet and spice. This will also give the pork a nice golden crust. Or, you could flip on the broiler during the last few minutes to caramelize the top.
How to Make Baked Pork Chops
- I like to use a nice, thick boneless pork chop for this recipe – about 1-inch thick is perfect. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Place the pork chops in a large baking dish and rub with a little bit of olive oil.
- For the brown sugar spice blend, I took notes from my easy baked chicken breast recipe and basically just added some brown sugar. Pork stands up well to a sweet flavor profile (and I just prefer it).
- Bake the pork chops in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, it will come in handy here. You want the pork to register about 145 degrees for medium rare.
- Now, it’s tempting to cut into the baked pork chops to see if they’re done – resist! Cutting right away will let all of those juices out, negating all of your hard work. Cover the chops with foil and let them rest.
Why is my pork tough?
Pork chops are a lean meat and it is so easy to overcook them. You want to cook them to just a tad under because they retain heat and will continue cooking even after you remove them from the oven or skillet.
What internal temperature should pork be cooked to?
Pork is safe to eat once it reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. I recommend cooking it just shy of that if you can since pork chops do continue cooking a tad after you remove them from the heat.
Serving Suggestions
What goes best with pork chops? Pork pairs well with sweet sides like Honey Roasted Carrots and of course pork chops and (Slow Cooker) Applesauce is a classic. We love to serve this pork chops recipe with Easy Baked Potato Wedges, Mashed Potatoes or some simple Garlic Bread and a Garden Salad.
What to do with leftovers
Pork can be finicky when reheating, so I’ll sometimes eat it cold. One great way to re-use leftover pork in to add it to my Egg Fried Rice which is something I do often. Make sure to dice the pork up into small, bite-sized pieces and saute them in a little butter to heat them before adding them to the rice.
Here are some more delicious pork recipes to try:
- Lemon Herb Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker Garlic & Brown Sugar Teriyaki Pork
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders
Easy Baked Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork loin chops about 1-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large, 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and brown sugar.
- Lay pork chops in the prepared baking dish, side by side but not touching. Coat both sides of each chop with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning blend over the tops of the pork chops and rub into the meat with your hands. Repeat on the flip side of the meat.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pork registers 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
- Tent with foil and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated March 2020
Definitely a keeper! I forgot to take a picture. I served it with roasted acorn squash slices. Super delicious!
That’s awesome Lynda! Thanks for stopping by.
I made this a few weeks ago and it was delicious. Great recipe. Tonight I am using the basic instructions but with different seasonings.
This was absolutely delicious and juicy! Plus easy! Not very spicy and not too sweet, but has great flavor /sauce! Thanks!! My husband made sure I wrote the recipe down!!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Pam.
This recipe looks good and the directions simple. Will try it for dinner. I always over cook my pork and thanks for the advise of temperature and timing. I am sure this will help with the dryness I seem to always end up with.
This is a wonderful recipe. I have to increase the amount of rub (usually by just adding Emeril’s Essence which gives it a bit of a kick) and cooking time a bit because I am using really fat boneless chops from Costco, but otherwise I following the recipe. I have made it three times already and it has become a family favorite. Thank you!
You’re so welcome Ani Kindall! thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your positive feedback!
It is a hit with the hubster! I was a bit concerned about the sugar because he doesn’t like “sweet” in his food, but he said it was very flavorful and he really liked it!! SCORE!!!
I followed the recipe exactly and it was a juicy success! =D haha! Thank you for sharing.
Nice! You’re so welcome Victory! thank you so much for stopping by!
Made these for dinner last night and they were amazing! I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant on the amount of sugar. However I did put all of it in, and the brown sugar balances out the heat off the chili powder perfectly. Nowhere near as sweet as I’d feared. Will definitely make again!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Karen.
Usually don’t buy center cut pork chops, but wanted to change things up and searched for recipes. found yours, and used it to make dinner tonight(werved with sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots). Absolutely fantastic and so easy. Wonderful. TY
Thank you Lynn for sharing your positive experience!
Enjoyed making the pork chops – easy and delicious!
Making them right now! Super excited to taste! Will update with the result!
Tried this and it was amazing….
Another super easy, super tasty recipe. Only change I made was smoked paprika instead of chilli powder
Followed everything else to the letter. Timing was perfect. Loved the juice/sauce that gets created in the pan. I put that in a small ramekin and used for dipping.
My new favorite easy recipe site. Thank you!
Yes I also add the smoke paprika instead of the chili powder taste so much better Thanks
These were absolutely delicious!! Broil at the end made a nice crunch to the brown sugar. Saving this for meal rotation for real!!!
Such an easy recipe. The cooking time was spot on. I had 1/2 inch pork chops so I did not sear them because I was afraid of over cooking them. I think I will try this with paprika next time. My husband really liked the taste of the Chili powder. I on the other hand, am not a huge fan although this recipe didn’t scream Chili Powder. I was a little leary of the brown sugar,but it was fine. but I would certainly make this again.
Followed directions exact, turned out perfect!! We loved them!!
That’s awesome Amy!
I definitely like a little more spice on them, and for certain a pan sear. I usually get a massive 8-pound boneless pork loin at Sam’s Club and slice it into super-thick chops and put each one in a zipper bag with a different spices and flavor profiles and rub it in with a little EVOO or soysauce. Then I leave them in the fridge to brine with the salt I added, then transfer the bags to the freezer after a day or so. They defrost in about 10 minutes by placing the bag in a bowl of very warm water. I take as many as needed then, and I roll them around in some flour and shake them off good and sear them with a tiny bit of EVOO in a pan that is fully oven safe. After searing both sides, I just put the whole pan centered in the oven to finish them off to about 140, then cover them with foil on the rest to get them up the 145 needed. I just never have success with the broiler function LOL. Even today, I was reheating chicken parts with skin on them to crisp, and some of the resulting fat juices were splashing inside the stove and tried to spark a fire. Happens all them time with me trying to broil 80/20 burgers and had to stop that method. I like the addition of the paprika if for no other reason for the great color it gives the chops, and when you add the sugar, well a nice browning is the result. I occasionally put a dollop of molasses with garlic, etc., in a rub on them before the flour, which gives them a great sweet flavor and great color as well. If I look at this picture of these chops one more time, I’m going to be defrosting one at 3:00 a.m.
Thanks for the recipe! How much longer would you recommend cooking bone-in chops?
I don’t typically cook with bone in chops (a personal preference) but it will probably take an additional 15 minutes at least, depending on the size and thickness. Have a meat thermometer handy to watch the temperature.
Thanks Kristin for the wonderful recipe. I made it exactly per your instructions, with one exception. I had no onion powder, but found I had an onion boullion cube, which I crumbled into the rub, and it imparted a very nice onion flavor to it it. I didn’t sear the chops in a pan, but, as you suggested, turned the broiler on for the last four minutes. They caramelized nicely! The brown sugar was the perfect addition to the rub! It gave a slightly sweet tang that I love. No sauces needed for this treasure. Thanks for the reminder to rest the chops before serving,
That’s awesome Patti! So glad you enjoyed it!