Servings: 4 1x
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, small diced (~ 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, small diced (~ ½ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (~ 1 tablespoon)
- ½ cup bread crumbs*
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 4 bone-in or boneless pork chops (each about ¾– to 1-inch thick; 1 ½ to 2 lbs total)
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, and garlic. Saute until the vegetables are very tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the sauteed veggies to a medium bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, thyme, ½ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and ¼ cup of the broth; stir until the mixture holds together.
- Cut a slit in the side of each pork chop. To do so, place one hand flat on top of the pork chop. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut a large pocket in the pork chop, being careful not to cut all the way through the chop. If using bone-in pork chops, cut the pocket on the opposite side of the bone.
- Gently but firmly stuff about ¼ cup of the stuffing mixture into the pocket in each pork chop. It’s OK if not all of the stuffing mixture is used.
- Place the same oven-safe skillet back over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, place the stuffed pork chops in the skillet to brown both sides, heating them for 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper over the pork chops as they are browning.
- After the pork chops are browned on both sides, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake the pork chops until they register 140°F on a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thickest pork chops. (NOTE: This could take 5 to 12 minutes of cooking time, depending on the thickness of the pork chops. Start checking for doneness temperature after 5 minutes in the oven.)
- When the pork chops reach 140°F, remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and top with an inverted plate to keep them warm. The internal temperature of the pork chops will continue to increase to 145°F after being removed from the oven.
- Meanwhile, place the skillet with any pan juices and browned bits back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 cup broth and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the broth to a rolling simmer.
- In a small dish, combine the ½ tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water; whisk together until a milky white mixture forms, called a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering broth, then reduce the heat to medium. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to a drizzly sauce, about 30-60 seconds.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Divide the stuffed pork chops among serving plates and drizzle the pan sauce over top.
Notes
* For a gluten-free recipe, use gluten-free bread crumbs, such as Aleias brand.
This is my favorite large oven-safe skillet that goes from stovetop to oven and cleans easily.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pork chop with 3 tablespoons sauce
- Calories: 453
- Fat: 20 g
- (Sat Fat: 5 g)
- Sodium: 799 mg
- Carbohydrate: 17 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 3 g)
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 132 mg