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These Braised French Onion Pork Chops are tender, flavorful, and made with just a few simple ingredients. The onion soup mix creates a rich, savory sauce that makes this recipe a cozy weeknight favorite.
If you’re a fan of pork chops, try my Baked Pork Chops or One Pot Smothered Pork Chops, then check out all my Pork Recipes for more easy family dinners.
5 Tips That Make or Break This Recipe
- Use the right pan: A heavy, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven ensures even cooking and a flavorful sear.
- Use bone-in chops: They stay juicier and deliver better flavor.
- Don’t skip browning: A quick sear adds depth and flavor before braising.
- Don’t overcook: Pull the chops out of the oven once they are fork-tender—check around 20-30 minutes.
- Keep the sauce from getting too thick: If the gravy thickens too much, whisk in a splash of chicken broth.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make French Onion Pork Chops
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Step 1: Sear the Pork Chops
Heat oil in a heavy, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with pepper (optional), then sear 2-3 minutes per side. The goal is golden edges, not full cooking.
- Note: Don’t skip the sear! It adds a ton of flavor.
Step 2: Add Flavor Base
Sprinkle a packet of dry onion soup mix over the chops, then pour in water. This is where you can add sliced mushrooms to the pan during browning, if you’re using them!
- Pro Tip: Scrape up browned bits — that’s key for a rich sauce.
Step 3: Braise in the Oven
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, or until the pork chops are fork-tender. Remove the pork chops and set them aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Don’t overcook pork chops. They are prone to drying out.
Step 4: Make the Roux
In a small, separate skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in all-purpose flour to form a roux. Cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5: Build the Gravy
Whisk the roux into the skillet with the pork drippings. Stir briskly until the gravy thickens.
- Quick Note: If your gravy thickens too much, thin it with a few tablespoons of chicken broth until it’s smooth and glossy.
Step 6: Return Pork Chops
Add the pork chops back to the skillet, spoon gravy over the top, and garnish with chopped parsley (optional). Serve hot.
Variations
- Classic French Onion: Add caramelized onions and top with Swiss cheese for restaurant-style flavor.
- Mushroom Gravy: Add sliced mushrooms before braising for an earthy, cozy sauce.
- Slow Cooker Method: Brown the chops first, then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Pair with garlic green beans, roasted carrots, or a crisp side salad.
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, Make Ahead
- Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – Freeze pork chops and gravy in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheating – Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or microwave until warmed through.
- Make Ahead – Brown the pork chops and prep the gravy up to a day in advance. Store separately and bake everything together when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless pork chops?
Yes, but reduce oven time slightly as they cook faster and can dry out.
How long should I braise the pork chops for best tenderness?
After searing, the pork chops should braise in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Can I make this without an oven-safe skillet?
Transfer everything to a baking dish after browning the chops on the stovetop.
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. Use a larger skillet or divide between two pans.
More Pork Recipes
Braised French Onion Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound bone-in pork chops
- 1 package dry onion soup mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms optional
- Chopped parsley for garnish – optional
- Chicken broth (if needed to thin out gravy)
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat oil in a large, oven safe, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with pepper, if desired, and brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Sprinkle onion soup mix over the pork chops. Pour in water.
- Transfer to 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove pork chops to a plate reserving the drippings in the pan.
- Meanwhile, in a separate small skillet, melt ¼ cup butter over medium-low heat. Stir in ¼ cup flour to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, until mixture is a light golden color. Pour into the skillet with the pork chop drippings and whisk briskly as the mixture thickens. Add the pork chops back in and serve with gravy.
- Optional: Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet as you brown the pork chops and cook until soft and starting to caramelize.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a heavy, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven for the best sear and even braising.
- Sear first (2-3 minutes per side) for deeper flavor; don’t cook them through yet.
- Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over the chops, then add water or low-sodium broth; scrape up browned bits.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until fork-tender; resting in the gravy helps tenderness.
- If the gravy is too thick, whisk in a little chicken broth until smooth and glossy.
- Classic French Onion Flavor: Add caramelized onions and top with Swiss or provolone to melt.
- Doneness guidance: Braising leans toward well-done but tender; the typical safe range is 145–160°F, depending on your preference.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth.
- Serving: Great over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to catch the gravy.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Hi Kristin. I loved this recipe. Ive made it twice this week. The best pork chop recipe. Thx
That’s so awesome Lynn! Thanks for stopping by.
This recipe was going great until I got to the part where you add “1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup flour.” That’s a stick of butter – did you actually make the gravy with these measurements? It turned my pan of beautiful drippings and onion soup into wallpaper paste. I’m actually kind of ashamed I didn’t talk myself out of it before I passed the point of no return. Waaaaaaay too much roux. I suggest you modify the recipe. Too bad – it seems like it would be yummy.
It depends on how much liquid you have, but yes it could be too much. Feel free to modify and make less.
A roux is made up with equal parts butter and flour then broth or drippings are added to make gravy. This is the French way that has worked for generations but you could always do it another way, have no idea what that would be unless you use cornstarch and water but we don’t care for snotty gravy.
Instead of the roux I used water and corn starch and added a little at a time that way it doesn’t turn out too thick.
Great idea Amanda, love that you made it your own!
Looks good. Probably try it but will use a Creuset dutch oven that I usually use for braising. Doing it covered will probably avoid the thick gravy issue described in other comments….
Thanks David! Great idea, let me know how the gravy turns out.
Do you cover the chops when you put them in the oven?
No, you will leave the pan uncovered.
Hello Kristin.
I have a question: What is the butter and flour used for? When I made this, I made a roux like directed and then added the drippings to it. But my roux was lumpy and I wasn’t sure how to serve it. It tasted like raw butter and flour. It wasn’t very appetizing. I ended up smothering it on top of the pork chops, but that didn’t look right, either. Plus it didn’t taste good. I scraped most of it off. But then my husband got the ingenious idea to put the butter and flour on top of the pork chops and then broil them for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the flour and butter on top turned a deep brown color. The result tasted like breaded pork chops, but the roux was still squishy in places and wasn’t sticking to the pork chops very well….
So what did I do wrong? Please help!
Thank you!
It sounds like the butter and flour needed longer to cook. The butter melts and the flour is added to that, and they are whisked together so they shouldn’t be lumpy. Then it cooks for several minutes.
I’m anxious to try this. Would there be any harm in using some broth instead of water?
The only thing with using broth is the added salt. I would recommend using a low sodium or salt free broth.
I think this would be a fantastic cube steak recipe.
Yes I think it would, too!
I accidentally bought onion DIP mix instead of onion soup mix. I realized this AFTER I put the seared chops in the oven. Realizing my mistake, I pulled them out and was about to rinse them off and run to the market to get the right thing. But after talking it through with my husband, I chilled out and let it be. I’m glad I did, because it ended up being awesome. I added about a full cup more of water to thin out the gravy. I think there might be some corn starch in the onion dip mix, so the roux plus the onion dip mix made for a thick gravy, but I added water until it got to the consistency I liked and added a bit of garlic powder and a tad bit of salt. This is truly a winner, even with the accidental wrong main ingredient lol. Next time around I will buy onion SOUP mix 🙂
Onion soup mix and dip mix are pretty much the same thing, so you did good! Glad you stuck it out and that you were able to thin out the gravy to your liking.
Kristin can I sub canned french onion soup for the dry onion soup mix and water?
Hi Melissa, I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried that myself. But I think I would still add some water since the soup in a can is usually condensed.
Having the same issue with the gravy being very thick. Are you supposed to cover the skillet while baking? The water that I had added to the onion soup on the pork chops had almost baked away. Had to add about a cup and a half of wTer after the roux was made and added to the skilletfor the gravy. Overall very tasty though.
You can add more liquid to the pan if it’s comes out dry.
I wonder if you can sub out chicken breast? Would they become more tender with longer braising time?
You could swap for chicken but I wouldn’t give it any more time. Maybe increase the temp to 400 degrees. This recipe hasn’t been tested with chicken, so if you try I’d love to know what you think.
My husband says that these were the best pork chops that he EVER tasted! I diced onion and garlic and a little jalapeno peppers and put in pan immediately after braising the chops. Removed the veggie mix and placed the chops back in pan and put veggie mix on top of chops and then put homemade dry gravy mix on top! These were finger licking good!
So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
I love that you were able to make it work for you!
Thank you for stopping by!
Can i use wine for seasoning?.
Sure, you could replace some of the water with wine.
I made this tonight exactly like the recipe and the roux is way too thick! Very disappointed.
I think you mean the gravy? And I’m sorry it came out to thick for you. You could always add some broth (beef, chicken) to thin it out if it’s not to your liking.
Made this tonight and the rioux was way too thick. Added more water but it was like paste, not sure what I did wrong. So disappointed.
I have some boneless pork loin chops and was wondering if this would be a nice recipe for them. Also, could I try thickening the gravy with cornstarch and a bit of water or broth to be gluten free?
Yes to both questions! I’ve made the gravy both ways.
I made this tonight, and it was wonderful! My husband absolutely LOVED it. The gravy was a little bit too thick, but I just added a little bit of chicken broth and it was perfect!
If I double this recipe should I double the roux also?
Yes, if you’re doubling the recipe, you will need to double the entire list of ingredients.
And mushrooms and parsley too, right? I don’t see those listed in the list of ingredients. Looks great though.
Hi Teresa, those were included in the instructions as optional, but I’ve update the ingredients list to include them. Enjoy!