These juicy, simply seasoned pork chops are ready to enjoy in just 20 minutes. With just a few ingredients, you can have a homemade main dish ready in a snap!
I don’t know about you, but I am always “in” for a recipe that’s healthy, tasty, and easy to make. Even though we’re empty nesters, Matt and I have a lot of projects in various states of completion here at Sunny Side Up! Therefore, whether we’re putting down a floor or painting a chicken coop, dinner is usually not something I want to spend an hour or two putting together. But, when you’re a health nut like me, packaged meals are not going to cut it.
What’s On These Simply Seasoned Pork Chops
This is one of those recipes you can easily make on repeat by heart because the seasoning is so easy to whip up. It consists of only five spices:
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
Better yet, you can totally adjust the seasoning to fit your own taste buds. Do you prefer just a bit of spice? Cut the amount of black pepper and smoked paprika in half. In fact, if that’s usually how you roll with spice, I recommend halving those two ingredients and then adding more from there. No smoked paprika? Plain paprika is another alternative.
How Do You Avoid Dry Pork Chops?
I struggled with dry pork chops for years and I came up with a few sure-fire tips to keep them juicy and flavorful! With thick chops, coating them in an egg and breadcrumb mixture is a good method. Read about that method in my Crunchy Baked Pork Chops recipe post. With thinner chops, try the tips below:
- Do not overcook them. This is true for bone-in styles as well as the boneless pork chops I used in this recipe. They only bake for 18 minutes and are removed from the oven immediately.
- Resist the urge to trim the fat off of the pork chops. The fat helps lock in flavor and moisture. You can cut the fat off right before serving them, if you prefer.
- Coat them with a light basting of olive oil. Again, the extra bit of fat locks in both flavor and moisture. Plus, it keeps the pork chops from curling as they cook.
- Preheat your oven completely before putting the pork chops in it.
Ingredients
- 4-6 boneless pork chops
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprkia
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with a thin layer of coconut oil or nonstick spray.
- Mix the seasonings together thoroughly in a small bowl.
- Place the pork chops in the baking dish and pour the olive oil over them, spreading it out evenly with a basting brush.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning onto the pork chops and evenly coat them with the same basting brush. Carefully flip them over and sprinkle the remaining seasoning onto the pork chops, repeating the basting process.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes and remove them immediately from the oven. Let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Simply Seasoned Pork Chops
These simply seasoned pork chops are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. No more dry and tasteless pork chops!
Ingredients
- 4-6 boneless pork chops
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprkia
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with a thin layer of coconut oil or nonstick spray.
- Mix the seasonings together thoroughly in a small bowl.
- Place the pork chops in the baking dish and pour the olive oil over them, spreading it out evenly with a basting brush.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning onto the pork chops and evenly coat them with the same basting brush. Carefully flip them over and sprinkle the remaining seasoning onto the pork chops, repeating the basting process.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes and remove them immediately from the oven. Let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
This recipe is meant for thin, boneless pork chops. Thick, bone-in chops will require a longer cooking time. Refer to the crunchy baked pork chops recipe mentioned in this post.
Personalize the seasoning to your own taste. Don't like spicy food? Back off a bit on the paprika and pepper.
No smoked paprika on hand? Substitute with regular paprika.
I love serving these pork chops with fresh peas and potato slices we cook up in our air fryer with just a bit of olive oil and salt. The entire dinner, start to finish, only takes half an hour to make, including the preparation and chopping. It’s a weekday win!
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