Fried Pork Chops

Simple Pan Fried Pork Chops in lemon butter sauce are crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender and delicious on the inside!

Although it’s fairly simple to make, these fried pork chops are quite the impressive dinner entrée! Serve with arugula salad, baked zucchini, and french bread, and you’ll really please your dinner guests!

Fried Pork Chops over arugula topped with lemon slices served on a white plate.

a new way to cook Pork Chops

When it comes to meat, chicken is my go-to dinner. Having said that, pork chops are becoming another go-to meat for us. In fact, it’s my mom’s favorite.

I’ve grown to love it over the years, but especially fell in love with today’s southern Fried Pork Chops because they were so easy and delicious. They are a new favorite! Serve topped with sliced lemon and fresh herbs, or a side of green beans and potatoes, maybe even top with some gravy!

These pork loins are crunchy on the outside, super tender and juicy on the inside, so flavorful, and made in a pan. You’ve got to try it for yourself (along with our Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops and our Smothered Pork Chops)!

How to Fry Pork Chops

In the past we’ve made Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Baked Pork Chops, but hadn’t tried breading and frying them. Here is what you’ll need to do to fry the pork loins.

PREP. Season boneless pork chops with salt and pepper.

Add flour to a shallow dish. Add eggs and water to another shallow dish. Add bread crumbs and cheese to a third shallow dish.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over med-high heat until shimmering.

DREDGE. Prepare each pork chop while oil is heating up. Dredge chops in flour mixture, then egg mixture then bread crumb/cheese mixture.

FRY. Add pork chops to oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Remove from pan and place on paper-towel lined plate or on a rack. Fry remaining pork chops the same way.

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE. Clean out skillet and add ½ cup chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add lemon slices and let liquid reduce by half. Turn heat to low and add the remaining broth along with butter.

SERVE. Add chops back to the pan and coat in the sauce cooking an additional 5 minutes or until fully cooked through. Serve warm. ENJOY!

Breaded pork chops frying in a cast iron skillet.

How to “Clean out the Skillet”

In Step 6 you are instructed to “clean out the skillet”. You do not need a perfectly clean skillet, but you will need to remove the oil from frying.

  • Pour the oil into a glass or metal bowl to cool.
  • Use a paper towel to wipe the remaining oil out of the skillet. Any browned bits left behind will just add flavor to the lemon butter sauce.
  • You can also use a separate pan to bake the sauce. 

Breading tips

Sometimes when frying meat the breading doesn’t stick as well as it should. Here are a few tips to help you keep the crumbs on:

  • Pat the pork chop dry before dredging in flour. (Note- Use cornstarch to toss the pork in instead of flour.)
  • Shake off excess flour before dipping it in the egg mixture.
  • Be sure to cover the entire chop with panko.
  • Gently press the final coating against the chop.
  • Flipping too much can cause the breading to loosen or come off.
Fried pork chops with lemon cooking in a frying pan.

recipe tips + STORING

Cast iron skillet. If you have one, use a cast iron skillet for this dish. It’s ideal for frying because it holds and distributes heat so well. It also provides a naturally nonstick surface. Easy clean up is always appreciated!

Moist & tender. Choosing the right cut will help keep these fried pork chops tender. Prime center cut loin chops are ideal for a high heat sear and a medium to medium well doneness. The outside crust will be nice and crispy while the inside remains tender and juicy. 

Don’t overcook. Choosing a thin cut will allow for the outside to get crispy and the inside to cook to a light pink to white.  A thicker cut will take longer to cook and the crust will burn before the center is done.

Using a  meat thermometer will help you get the best cook:

  • Medium Rare pink center 145-150°F
  • Medium ribbon of pink in the center 150-155°F
  • Medium Well a light pink hue155-160°F
  • Well light white 160°F

Air Fryer. Preheat the airfryer to 380°F. Coat the pork chops as directed in the recipe. Spray both sides with cooking spray and place 2-3 in the airfryer basket. (Make sure they do not touch.) Fry for 6 minutes. Flip and fry for another 4-6 more minutes. *See your airfryer manual for more specific fry times.

Spice. Add some spice to the dish by mixing black pepper or cayenne pepper to the flour mixture. (add to taste)

How to store?

STORE leftover pork chops in an airtight container or wrap in foil and place in the fridge. Properly stored, they can last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Reheating. The best way to reheat already fried pork chops is in the oven. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush with olive oil (or spray) and reheat at 350°F for 8 minutes or so on each side.

Pan fried pork chops with lemon slices served on a white plate.

For more great pork recipes, check out:

Fried Pork Chops Recipe

5 from 13 votes
Simple pan Fried Pork Chops in lemon butter sauce are crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender and delicious on the inside!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 474 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 4 thinly sliced center cut pork loin chops
  • Salt and pepper, to liking
  • ½ to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 to 2 large eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp water
  • 1 cup unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1-2 tbsp oil for frying

Lemon Butter Sauce

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 lemon sliced
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temp

Instructions
 

  • Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
  • Add flour to a shallow dish. Add eggs and water to another shallow dish. Add bread crumbs and cheese to a third shallow dish.
  • Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat until shimmering.
  • Prepare each pork chop while oil is heating up. Dredge chops in flour, then egg mixture then bread crumb/cheese mixture.
  • Add pork chops to oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Remove from pan and place on paper-towel lined plate.
  • Clean out skillet and add ½ cup chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add lemon slices and let liquid reduce by half. Turn heat to low and add the remaining broth along with butter.
  • Add chops back to the pan and coat in the sauce cooking an additional 5 minutes or until fully cooked through. Serve warm. ENJOY!

Video

Adapted from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. I love pork chops! I haven’t tried a recipe like this one, though! We’re having friends over for dinner this Saturday and I hadn’t decided on a menu, but now I have! This is going to be great with some mashed potatoes!

  2. 5 stars
    This was delicious & very easy to make. I love pork chops, my sister hates pork chops. All she can remember was the way our mother made them( it wasn’t good). Can’t wait to send her the link to this. Thanks for a great recipe.

    1. I’d love to know what she thinks 🙂 They weren’t always my favorite, but finding good recipes help 🙂 Now, I really like them! Thank you!!

  3. 5 stars
    I just made. I followed your recipe to the dot. It came out Amazing!!! We have them for dinner right now. The pork chops are exactly as descrbed, crispy on outside and juicy and succulent on the inside. Perfect dinner, with roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots and fresh tomatoes. Delicious. Thank you!

  4. 5 stars
    Wow, Great recipe. Lovely and fabulous. I will make once and Send you some images which I will make… Otherwise If missed anything then I will tell you to teach me again…. And I will read once again…

  5. 5 stars
    These pork chops were incredible!! the panko makes them so crispy & that lemon sauce was so good. It was the perfect amount of lemon. I also loved how they don’t take long to make, which makes my family happy!

  6. 5 stars
    Absolutely AWESOME pork chops!! Everyone in my family loves them, they’ve become a staple in our home. thank you so much for the recipe!

    1. If you want to make baked boneless pork chops without sautéing, here is how we do it…
      Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees C). Place pork chops in a baking pan. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter over each pork chop along with any spices. Bake 25-30 minutes in preheated oven, or until the internal temperature of the chops has reached 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

  7. 5 stars
    Another great recipe from lilluna! I followed the directions precisely with the only exception being that I bought medium-thickness boneless pork chops…so I added another minute in the pan per side. They came out soooooo tender and crispy on the outside. I used avocado oil b/c that’s what I had on-hand and b/c it has a high smoke point, preventing too much stink in the house. Perfecto!