Smothered Pork Chops are what’s for dinner tonight! This easy to make entree is flavor-packed and oh so satisfying. Pork chops are cooked to golden brown tender perfection on your stovetop before being smothered with the most mouthwatering creamy sauce.
Southern Smothered Pork Chops
There’s really nothing more comforting than a serving of Smothered Pork Chops with mashed potatoes! This easy to make Southern staple is a perfect weeknight dinner for just about every family. It’s filling, flavorful, and picky-eater approved.
The pork chops are dredged before being pan-fried to create that signature golden brown exterior while still being plenty tender and juicy. As tasty as the meat is all by itself, the real star of the show here is the creamy sauce! It’s so rich with flavor and the consistency is what dreams are made of. That’s why I always serve this entree with mashed potatoes, so none of that sauce goes to waste.
Why You’ll Love this Smothered Pork Chops Recipe:
- FILLING: Pork chops are protein-packed and super filling. No one’s leaving the dinner table still hungry when this is for dinner!
- SO CREAMY: The flavorful, thick sauce that smothers the pork chops is so very creamy.
- EASY: This weeknight dinner is quick and easy, which is how every family dinner should be on those crazy busy evenings!
Whether you make this comforting dinner in the dead of winter or on a chilly fall evening, you’ll love every warm, creamy, tender bite!
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Dredge the pork chops.
- Cook the pork chops until golden brown in your skillet. Set aside.
- Sauté the onions and garlic.
- Whisk in the flour and broth.
- Stir in the cream, worcestershire, and parsley.
- Add the pork chops back to the pan and let them cook through.
Smothered pork chops is a Southern recipe consisting of fried or baked pork chops coated in thick gravy.
There are 4 cuts of pork chops available: rib chop, loin chop, boneless chop, and shoulder chop. I recommend boneless chop for this recipe, but if you’d like a bone-in chop, I recommend rib chop, as it is the most tender. Loin chop and shoulder chop are more difficult to work with and often have more gristle.
Yes! I recommend using rib chops. Bone-in pork chops may take a few minutes longer to cook than boneless.
Soaking pork chops in milk helps to tenderize the meat and prevent overcooking. Because this recipe cooks the chops relatively slowly and with the sauce as an insulator, you do not need to soak the chops before cooking them. If you would like to, you certainly can soak your chops; just be sure to pat them dry before using them.
You sure can! Place the pork chops in the bottom of a crockpot and top with the seasonings. Omit the flour. Add the onions, garlic, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce and cook over low heat for 6-8 hours, or until the pork reaches 145°F internally. Stir in the cream and serve.
Yes, but I don’t find this method easier because you still need to pan-sear the chops and veggies before adding everything to the oven. If you do want to bake smothered pork chops in the oven, sear the pork chops in a Dutch oven, then remove them and sauté the onions and garlic. Preheat oven to 375°F and add the broth to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, then add the pork chops, cover with sauce, cover the Dutch oven with the lid, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
The most common reason pork chops go tough is that they are overcooked. Pork chops are incredibly lean and cook much faster than expected. Be sure to use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, and remove them from the heat as soon as they reach 145°F.
These pork chops can be served with any number of starches, such as rice or mashed potatoes. Cornbread, biscuits, or dinner rolls would be great gravy-soakers. For veggies, keep it simple with roasted broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
Southern style pork chops with extra creamy sauce is the ultimate comfort food that no one can resist!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover smothered pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze smothered pork chops in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Substitutions
- This recipe can be made with bone-in pork chops. You may need to cook the pork longer to ensure it is cooked through. I recommend using rib chops.
- Low-sodium chicken broth can be used in place of the beef broth.
- You can use any neutral oil in place of the olive oil.
- You can use half-and-half, whole milk, or coconut milk in place of the heavy cream, but the gravy will not be as creamy.
- Feel free to add the mushrooms of your choice to this recipe. Simply cook them with the onions.
Tips for the Best Smothered Pork Chops
- I recommend using ¾-inch to 1-inch thick-cut pork chops with some fat on them for the most tender results.
- I recommend cooking smothered pork chops in a seasoned cast-iron skillet for the most even heating, but you can also use a nonstick skillet.
- Generously season both sides of the pork chops before cooking.
- Use room temperature heavy cream for the creamiest gravy.
- If your gravy becomes too thick, thin it out by adding more beef broth.
- Once simmering in the gravy, check the internal temperature of the pork chops with an instant-read thermometer. Remove them from the heat as soon as they reach 145°F internally.
More One Pan Dinner Recipes We Love
Next time you need a hearty, classic, and easy dinner on the table that’s just as comforting as it is delicious, make some Smothered Pork Chops! This family favorite dinner is a staple in my weeknight recipe routine and it’s sure to become one in yours as well.
More Quick Pork Recipes to Try:
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Stuffed Pork Loin
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Air Fryer Cranberry Glazed Ham
- Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Sweet and Sour Pork
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces boneless pork chops
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the pork chops dry.8 ounces boneless pork chops
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Dredge the pork chops in the flour and shake off any excess. Reserve ¼ cup of the remaining flour.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or sauté pan set over medium heat. Add in the pork chops and cook on both sides until deeply golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add in the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1 onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Whisk in the reserved ¼ cup flour, cooking for 30-60 seconds. Slowly whisk in the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- Stir in the cream, worcestershire sauce, and parsley. Return the pork to the pan, spoon the sauce over the pork, cover and cook until the pork is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.½ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- This recipe can be made with bone-in pork chops. You may need to cook the pork longer to ensure it is cooked through. I recommend using rib chops.
- Low-sodium chicken broth can be used in place of the beef broth.
- You can use any neutral oil in place of the olive oil.
- You can use half-and-half, whole milk, or coconut milk in place of the heavy cream, but the gravy will not be as creamy.
- Feel free to add the mushrooms of your choice to this recipe. Simply cook them with the onions.
- I recommend using ¾-inch to 1-inch thick-cut pork chops with some fat on them for the most tender results.
- I recommend cooking smothered pork chops in a seasoned cast-iron skillet for the most even heating, but you can also use a nonstick skillet.
- Generously season both sides of the pork chops before cooking.
- Use room temperature heavy cream for the creamiest gravy.
- If your gravy becomes too thick, thin it out by adding more beef broth.
- Once simmering in the gravy, check the internal temperature of the pork chops with an instant-read thermometer. Remove them from the heat as soon as they reach 145°F internally.
Nutrition Information
I finally got around to making this, and we thought it was delicious! My pork chops were much larger than called for, so as suggested, I just sauteed them longer, maybe 15 minutes in total. In all honesty, the sauce was so good, I could have had that on its own ;-). Anyway, will definitely be making this again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Helen!
Hi Becky! These look really delicious and easy to make, but I just want to be sure about the quantity of meat. You say “8 ounces boneless pork chops,” and you have four chops in the picture, so is that 8 ounces total, or four pork chops weighing 8 ounces each? I have a pack of three boneless pork chops that weighs 1.66 pounds so am trying to figure if they’d work out or if they’re too big. Thanks in advance!
8 ounces total! So my four pork chops weighed about 2 ounces each!
Thanks, Becky! I guess I’ll have to look for smaller pork chops before I make it.
You can use bigger pork chops! You’ll just need to increase the cook time.