This creamy Lemon & Thyme Smothered Pork Chops recipe always gets rave reviews. It’s flavorful and ready in 35 minutes or less.
Pork chops are a simple, yet impressive, main dish. These chops pair really well with Parmesan Potatoes or Crock Pot Rice.
delicious and elegant!
I know I usually stick with sharing sweets and treats, but today I thought I’d switch things up a bit and share one of our favorite smothered pork chop recipes.
These creamy lemon and thyme pork chops are perfect for cozy weekend dinners or elegant holiday dinners.
They’re crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and smothered in a luscious cream sauce that everyone will love! Serve them up with rice, potatoes or even a bed of pasta. The options are endless!
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
I generally prefer using boneless pork chops, but when it comes to entertaining, I think bone-in is the way to go. You can use either for this recipe.
CHOPS. The first step is making the breading, then pan-frying the pork chops and letting them finish in the oven.
SAUCE. While they’re baking, you can whip up the cream sauce in the same skillet you used earlier. The fewer the dishes the better, right? Plus you get all of those browned bits in your sauce that make it taste even more amazing!
*Note: The sauce only requires a few ingredients and a few minutes to make. It does however, require FRESH lemon and thyme. No substitutes or shortcuts allowed. This is the main source of seasoning for the pork chops (aside from the breading), so using the correct ingredients is key.
SERVE. Once the pork chops are fully cooked, you’ll want to nestle them into the cream sauce and spoon it over top. We like to use small condiment dishes to serve additional cream sauce on the side, and it’s always gone in no time!
Recipe Tips
Keep these tips in mind while making these chops…
- Searing the pork chops in a skillet first helps to keep them moist. It also creates a nice crust on the outside.
- Pork chop temp is 145 degrees. Followed by a 3 minute rest time.
- Adding fresh lemon zest on top really brings a bright element to the dish.
- Add a bit of grated Parmesan for a deeper flavor.
Leftovers
Place any leftover chops, along with the sauce, in an airtight container. STORE it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can REHEAT the chops in a pan in the oven or in a skillet on the stove top. If you’re in a hurry you can also use the microwave.
If you’re looking for a delicious recipe to serve for the holidays or just want to do something different with pork, I’d highly suggest giving this recipe a try. It got two BIG thumbs up from everyone!
For more pork chop recipes, check out:
Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- ¾ tsp pepper, divided
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp parsley *optional
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 4 pork chops bone-in or boneless
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- ⅓ c white wine *or chicken broth
- 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 3/4 c heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a glass dish, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and cayenne. Dredge pork chops in mixture, remove any excess.
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Brown pork chops well on both sides, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from pan and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Place in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees).
- Using the same skillet, set over medium heat. Add the wine, and whisk, scraping up any browned bits. Allow to reduce by half. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and thyme, whisk to combine.
- Add the heavy cream and remaining butter. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until slightly thickened.
- Return the pork chops to the pan, allow to cook for 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over top. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with remaining sauce.
I love lemon and thyme together! Such a great combo!
That looks yummy, and we woke up today to a deluge of rain, so this is perfect dinner for a day like that! Lemon and thyme go so well together!
So, what did you think? Hope you liked them!
I love all of your pork recipes, but i don’t eat pork. Would i be able to substitute it with another meat?
Of course 🙂 Some recipes, I haven’t tried with other meats, but they should still taste good 🙂
This is a faboo recipe, made it today! Just a tip: half the zest, and add a half teaspoon of sugar once you’ve added the cream, it makes it sing! I also topped mine with some grated parm, it was wonderful!
Thanks for the tips 🙂 I am so glad you liked it!! Thank you1
Love this recipe. Great tasting pork chops in a creamy sauce.
I will be making pork chops this way again! I loved the crispy outer edge & the flavor is incredible! They were so tasty!
Wow! These turned out so incredible! Love the flavor of the pork chops and that delicious cream sauce! Cooked absolutely perfectly! Perfect week night meal!
Pork chops and sauce are such a great combo! I’m so happy it turned out so perfectly for you! Thanks for sharing!
That lemon and thyme together is to die for! So flavorful!
I’m so happy you liked it! I love that combo as well!
Delicious sauce and incredibly tender meat! It was a special occasion meal for a weeknight. The BEST meal because it was so easy to make and turned out perfectly.
I’m so happy it turned out so well! Hope you enjoyed your special occasion! 🙂
I’m always on the look out for good pork chop recipes. Can’t wait to try this.
These flavors are so good!!
These are so tender and the flavor is perfection! They look so fancy too. Making them again this month!
I absolutely love lemon paired with other herbs. These pork chops are so bright and flavorful!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!