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Easy Baked Pork Chops with Brown Sugar

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My Easy Baked Pork Chops are so tender and juicy, and the brown sugar spice rub gives this boneless pork chops recipe a ton of flavor!

Close up of a baked pork chop that is tender and juicy

Easy Baked Pork Chops Recipe

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.

Easy Baked Pork Chops are so tender and juicy, and the brown sugar spice rub gives this boneless pork chops a ton of flavor! | How to bake pork chops for dinner.

baked pork chops 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Feel free to 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.

Platter of tender and juicy baked pork chops

How to Bake Pork Chops

I like to use a nice, thick boneless pork chop for this recipe – about 1-inch thick is perfect.

Start by rinsing the pork and patting it dry. 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 kinda prefer it).

How to bake pork chops to be tender and juicy

Bake the pork chops in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, (aff) it will come in handy here. You want the pork to register about 145 degrees.

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.

Tender and juicy cut of a baked pork chop on a fork

Here are some more delicious pork recipes to try:

Print Recipe
4.78 from 22 votes

Easy Baked Pork Chops

My Easy Baked Pork Chops are so tender and juicy, and the brown sugar spice rub gives this boneless pork chops a ton of flavor!
Prep Time7 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time22 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Kristin

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

If you're not getting that golden color you're looking for, broil the chops during the last several minutes.
Or, you could opt to sear the chops in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet with a little melted butter or olive oil. This will seal in the flavor and give you a nice golden crust. You will probably want to take several minutes off of the cooking time to account for the pre-cook.

Easy Baked Pork Chops with Brown Sugar Spice Rub with title text

 

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  2. Diane says

    June 28, 2019 at 4:26 pm

    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!

    Reply

  4. Deedeedee says

    June 2, 2019 at 12:00 am

    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.

    Reply

    • Kristin says

      May 29, 2019 at 10:42 am

      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.

      Reply

  6. Patti Rizzo says

    May 22, 2019 at 11:10 pm

    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,

    Reply

  7. Gilda P Aragon says

    May 9, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    My family enjoyed these very much & baking them works so much better for me! Thank you.

    Reply

  10. M Jacobsen says

    March 31, 2019 at 10:50 am

    I always overcook pork chops and I managed to not do that with your recipe. I used bone-in chops and they were so juicy and delicious. I also gave them a quick sear before putting in the oven.

    Reply

    • Deedeedee says

      June 2, 2019 at 12:04 am

      I always overcooked them, too, and was making only bonless pork loin as a roast to help somewhat. When I realized all I needed was a food thermometer probe, and knew the temp it was suposed to be, I never had a problem since. That thermometer is my best friend now. I even temp a meatball to 165 if I have to defrost it in the microwave in an emergency.

      Reply

  11. robynn says

    March 27, 2019 at 5:08 am

    I loved this. I broiled for 2 minutes on each side, so I didn’t have another pan to wash, before baking. I boosted the spice mix with more garlic powder and paprika. Awesome! So juicy!

    Reply

  13. Frances Neesmith says

    March 12, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    Thank you so much for the great and easy recipes! I am new to Yellow Bliss Road, but I am hooked! Last week I cooked the baked chicken and tonight the baked pork chops. Both were so delicious and easy! THANK YOU!

    Reply

  14. Christopher M. Smith says

    March 9, 2019 at 2:14 pm

    Do you cover while in the oven? And someone mentioned not having time to make the sauce but I’m not seeing where you mentioned a sauce…

    Reply

  15. Deb Behm says

    March 9, 2019 at 9:18 am

    This porkchop recipe sounds good and easy I have 2 nice bone in chops but didnt know what to do with them

    Reply

  16. Steve says

    February 26, 2019 at 6:17 am

    Definitely recommend searing them 1-minute on each side before putting them in the oven. It would have been a 5-star rating otherwise. Flavours were great but the chops did not brown in the oven so they did not look as appetizing as they really were. Adjust the cooking instructions and you’ll be at 5-stars each time. Great recipe and will try them again with the searing step included. Oh… and don’t hold back on the spice mixture. You really can’t screw it up if you go a little more than recommended.

    Reply

  17. Randy says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:32 am

    This spice mixture is just perfect. We put it on everything now….try it on chicken wings, you WILL NOT be disappointed. Thank you!

    Reply

  19. Tonie Oja says

    February 17, 2019 at 8:11 am

    I made these for a family dinner of 10. They were delicious, thank you. I didn’t have time to make the sauce but still everyone raved. Thank you.

    Reply

  20. Todd Zickel says

    February 15, 2019 at 5:03 pm

    If you’ve ever pan seared a steak and transferred it to the oven, then do it with the pork. The seasoning mix is excellent but I pan seared on both sides and then baked in the oven. You get the crust brown exterior and it seals in the pork juices as it bakes! also give your meat a good sear with the olive oil and seasonings. If you haven’t been, then you and your family have been missing out on tasty grub! Shame on you… 😉

    Reply

  21. tinamarie says

    February 14, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    Do you think I should use the same temperature and cook time if I’m only making two chops instead of four? Really looking forward to trying this as I’ve never found a boneless pork chop that I liked (I always love bone in ones…)

    Reply
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