Seasoned pork chops are seared golden brown before being nestled in a rich and thick gravy of caramelized onions and mushrooms. These smothered pork chops are the ultimate comfort food and we’ve got an easy recipe you’ll absolutely love.
What are smothered pork chops?
There are many ways to enjoy pork chops. Grilled pork chops are a regular in the summertime, and our air fryer pork chops are on the menu year-round. But smothered pork chops might be my favorite way to enjoy them overall.
We take thick, bone-in pork chops and give them a quick coating in a seasoned flour mixture, then pan fry them golden brown. The chops are set aside and we use the same pan to sauté onions and mushrooms, turning them into a rich gravy. The pork chops then simmer in the gravy to finish cooking, absorbing all that amazing flavor and giving us a dish that’s classic American comfort!
Ingredients
I like to start by using bone-in pork chops that are about 1 inch thick.
The pork chops will be coated in all-purpose flour that’s been seasoned with kosher salt, ground black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
Our gravy will be made with onions, mushrooms, chicken broth, heavy cream and seasoned with dried thyme.
Preparation
Start with pork chops that are gently brought to room temperature. To do this, I remove them from the refrigerator and let them rest on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes. Allowing pork chops to reach room temperature before cooking helps them cook more evenly and get a better sear. It also helps in making them juicier and more tender.
The flour mixture will first be made by placing the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk it well to get everything nice and mixed up. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the mixture and set aside for later. We’ll need it for the gravy step.
Slice up your onion. I like to make half-moon slices that are on the thicker side.
Slice up your mushrooms. Simple white button mushrooms are perfect for this recipe. With the stem side down, slice right through from top to bottom, making them as thick as you’d like.
Cooking
Use a large skillet (a cast iron skillet is great) and heat the oil over medium heat. While it’s heating, pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and dredge each one through the flour mixture, getting them coated on all sides. Shake off any excess so just a nice, thin layer of coating remains.
Add the coated pork chops to the skillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until nice and golden brown. We won’t be cooking them all the way through, just getting that nice, beautiful sear. Set them aside on a plate when done.
I particularly love this next step. There’s so much happening with the aromas that the senses really start to perk up!
Add the mushrooms to the skillet and stir them around to get coated in the juices and oil in the skillet. We’ll cook them in the skillet for about 5 minutes and then add the onions. Stir some more and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes or until both the mushrooms and onions have a beautiful carmelized color and are soft and tender.
Next we’ll add the remaining flour to the skillet and stir it into the mushrooms and onions and cook for about 1 minute.
Now we stir in the broth and scrape up any stuck on bits from the skillet. There’s tons of flavor in those bits, which is called fond.
Finally, stir in the cream, mixing it well with everything and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Nestle the pork chops into the gravy and cover the skillet. We’ll check the internal temperature of the pork chops after about 5 minutes. We want the internal temperature to be 145°F. For best results, pull the chops when the internal temp is just a few degrees shy of 145°F, closer to 140°F. This way, the carryover cooking will bring the pork chops to the perfect temperature to keep them juicy and tender.
Serving
Your smothered pork chops are now ready to serve! I like to serve them atop mashed potatoes and then smother each chop with that awesome mushroom onion gravy.
Storage and reheating
Storage and reheating are pretty basic for this dish. You can store the smothered pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in microwave in, loosely covered for 2 minutes, then in 1-minute incriments until heated through.
Recipe
Best Damn Smothered Pork Chops
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Seasoned pork chops are cooked to golden perfection and smothered with a creamy mushroom and onion sauce. The ultimate comfort food made easy.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbs onion powder
- 2 tbs garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Bring pork chops to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow bowl, combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip pork chops into flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons of flour mixture for later use.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. When hot, add pork chops and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add mushrooms to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook an additional 8-10 minutes until tender. Add reserved flour and cook until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, cream and thyme and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Nestle pork chops into the sauce. Cover and simmer until sauce thickens and pork chops reach an internal temperature of 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, around 5-10 minutes. Top with parsley when done.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Amy says
OMG! This was sooo good! Can’t wait to make this for company!
CAC says
Excellent! So easy to make and all ingredients were in the cabinet!
Directions were perfect. The steps easy to and the taste a real winner. This is going in my file to make again, soon. Nice to have the gravy made with the meat. A one pot meal! Added frozen peas to the mixture for the last few minutes of cooking, just to add a little green veggie. Served with mashed potatoes and broccoli!
Thanks again for another great recipe! Love the Recipe Teacher!
PS.. I used boneless pork chops, just did not cook as long!
RecipeTeacher says
Thank you so much!! Yeah we love this recipe. A true hearty meal made with relative ease.
CAC says
Can I use boneless pork chops. Any hints??
RecipeTeacher says
Yea you can. The thicker the better. Keep an eye on that internal temp so as to not overcook.
Kelley McCullough says
The best online for smothered pork chops that I found thank you so much! Reminded me of my sister’s recipe which I loved and was so simple.
Deborah Koeller says
Absolutely the best damn pork chops ever!!! And I do not like pork chops.
RecipeTeacher says
Yes indeed. It flavors up the chops and the gravy so they’re all nice and tasty. 🙂