These classic Smothered Pork Chops are lightly breaded pork loin chops pan-fried and drenched in creamy, flavorful, easy-to-make pan gravy. They are the ultimate in Southern comfort and one of our favorite meals.
My family loves this comfort food dish no matter what I serve them with. But for the ultimate meal, serve with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, Southern green beans, and homemade biscuits.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is the ultimate Southern comfort meal with rich, hearty flavors everyone loves. Serve it with the sauce ladled over mashed potatoes, rice, cauliflower mash, egg noodles with fresh corn, green beans, or even Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions.
- Even beginner cooks can handle this easy recipe. There are no special ingredients or special techniques.
- Pork is still one of the least expensive cuts of meat, and it often goes on sale. Can you say bonus?
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Pork Chops: For the most flavor, purchase bone-in pork chops. For a more tender result, buy 3/4-1-inch thick pork chops with some fat on them. For this recipe, the rib chop is better than a loin chop.
- Oil: vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Onion: sweet onion is best like Vidalia or yellow onion
- Chicken broth: low-sodium is best
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream or whipping cream for the most luscious creamy gravy. You can substitute half and half or whole milk, but increase it to 1 cup, and cut the chicken broth to 3/4 cup.
How to make Smothered Pork Chops
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl wide enough to bread the pork chops. Dredge the chops in the flour mixture. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Sear the pork chops until golden brown on both sides. Then, plate them, covering them loosely with an aluminum foil tent.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until tender and browned, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen those delicious brown bits. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cooking for a minute, stirring constantly.
Then sprinkle with the flour, stirring and cooking for a few minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and add the pork chops to the skillet. Simmer for a few minutes, turning the pork chops several times to coat them with the gravy. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh parsley and serve promptly.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- For mushroom gravy, add another tablespoon of butter and about 8 ounces of sliced white button or cremini mushrooms at the same time as the onions. Cook until they are golden brown.
- These cook wonderfully in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
- Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this recipe with pan-fried potatoes, oven-roasted asparagus, and blackberry cobbler. Other delicious choices include green beans and potatoes, easy creamed spinach, and peach crisp.
More Pork Recipes
Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
Pork Chops
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4 bone in thick cut pork chops about 3/4 – 1 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 medium yellow onion cut in half and sliced thinly in half circles
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a wide shallow bowl. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and dredge them into the flour mixture. Gently shake off any excess flour.
- Heat the vegetable in a large skillet over medium heat. Now cook the pork chops until golden brown on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Plate them and cover them loosely with an aluminum foil tent.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until tender and golden brown while scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle with flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the heavy cream.
- Add the pork chops back to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. turning the pork chops several times to coat them with the gravy. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve promptly.
Notes
- For mushroom gravy, add another tablespoon of butter and about 8 ounces of sliced white button or cremini mushrooms at the same time as the onions. Cook until they are golden brown.
- These cook wonderfully in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
- Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Stephanie
Seriously so delicious! I love finding pork recipes because it goes on sale so often. This one is a keeper!
Jessica Burgess
I found pork chops on sale and wasn’t sure how to make them so I tried this and it was DELISH! Thank you so much!
Michelle
We always made these when I was a kid and these came out perfect! Such a great dinner
Pam Greer
Pure southern comfort food!! This is a go to recipe at our house, always requested!
Jen
My husband wouldn’t stop raving about these! They were absolutely delicious and going into our regular dinner rotation.
Gina
These are one tasty way to enjoy a pork chop dinner!
Alison
This is true Southern comfort food!!
Teresa
I love this recipe! I sometimes use whole milk instead of broth for the gravy. So delicious
Beth Pierce
Thanks Teresa! So glad that you liked it and thanks for the tip.
rika
Yum. It looks so delicious!I think I have everything I need, can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight.
Sara
Such a great go-to recipe for busy weeknights! Made this for dinner last night and it turned out great! So easy and delicious; easily, a new favorite!
Mahy
The images work so great to show how tender these pork chops are. Definitely the way I like to prepare mine – yum!
Michelle Boule
This was one of my favorite foods as a kid and I just made it and turns out it’s still one of my favorite recipes!
Claudia Lamascolo
wow those are mouth watering, I don’t think I have ever seen pork chops look this delicious a must make !
Allyson Zea
Oh my goodness, this sauce is the perfect topping for pork chops! YUM!
Julie
These pork chops look fabulous! They are cooked perfectly and that gravy is simply divine.
Erin
These Smothered Pork Chops are on my must-make list!
Miss B
I modified the sauce because I wanted more of a cream sauce for the pork chops. I used 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream instead. I left everything else the same. Delish.