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Skillet Pork Chops with apples is a quick and easy dinner to prepare. This one-pot meal is warm and fruity and nothing pairs better with pork than apples. Since everything is made in the skillet, there are very few dishes to clean up afterward, which is a great bonus!

Skillet Pork Chops

Cast iron skillet pork chops are a comfort food without the calories of regular comfort food. This healthy dish is also pretty inexpensive and can feed your entire family without much effort. Searing the pork first and then finishing them in the simmering liquid keeps it deliciously moist and from not drying out. This is definitely a keeper!

This pork chops recipe comes with a built-in side dish (the apples) but if you’d like to make something else to go with them, you can make a green salad, steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, fresh bread, or a pasta salad. Since the dish is rich and sweet, make a side that balances those flavors to create a delicious meal.

Don’t miss these Oven Baked Pork Chops, Oven Baked Ranch Pork Chops, Crockpot Pulled Pork, Brown Sugar & Coke Glazed Ham, and Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Ham.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6-8 boneless pork chops
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, or thyme)
• 2 cups sliced apples (Granny Smith, Gala, or both)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oil in a skillet to medium-high heat.

Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.

Add to the preheated skillet and sear for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add the chicken stock, brown sugar, herbs, apples, and cinnamon.

Simmer for five minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally.

Add the pork chops back to the skillet and drizzle sauce over them.

Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145.

Serve pork chops with apples on the side and a drizzle of sauce on top.

Tips for success for skillet pork chops 

These fried pork chops can be made in a non-stick or stainless steel pan as well as cast iron. They will all cook well. If you’ve been using your cast iron pan for a while, it will give the pork more flavor though.

This dish is best with fresh herbs but if you don’t have any, you can use dried herbs as well. Keep in mind that dried herbs go further, so you need less than fresh herbs.

Pan-seared pork chops are delicious with apples, but if you’d rather not include them, you can caramelize onions in butter instead. You can also add a little minced garlic right before you pour in the chicken stock.

As well as pan-fried pork, you can also cook pork chops in the slow cooker on high for around 3 hours of cooking time. They don’t need to cook for more than 4 hours because center-cut pork is lean meat and not thick enough to need any more time. It will get perfectly tender in 3 hours.

How to store pan-seared pork chops and apples

You can keep the pork and apples in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, remove the lid and place the container in the microwave in 30-second increments until the pork reaches 145 degrees.

FAQS: 

How do you cook pork chops without drying them out?

One of the best ways to cook pork chops so they are moist is to sear both sides on high heat and then gently simmer in liquid until they are just cooked at 145 degrees.

Another way to make sure the chops don’t dry out, remove them from the pan as soon as they reach 145, cover, and let them sit for at least 5 minutes so they can reabsorb the liquid before cutting into them.

How can you tell if pork chops are done?

Pork only needs to get to 145 degrees as opposed to chicken, which needs to get to 165 degrees. Use a digital thermometer to check for doneness. The pork will continue cooking slightly for about 5 minutes even after you take it off the heat.

Should you cook pork chops fast or slow?

It’s important to sear the outsides of the pork fast and then cook the rest of the way in the skillet over medium heat so they don’t dry out.