If you’re short on time and want a perfect dinner for beginners, these skillet garlic butter pork chops are the answer to easy pork dinners. They’re fast, full of flavor, and cook in under 20 minutes. Seriously easy and fool-proof with just a hot pan, good seasoning, and a spoonful of rich, garlicky butter.
Table of Contents
🔑 Key Features
- Juicy and flavorful: A quick sear and a garlic butter finish create pork chops that are tender, golden, and packed with rich flavor.
- Weeknight ready: This recipe comes together in under 25 minutes using one skillet and simple pantry ingredients.
- Customizable: Works with bone-in or boneless chops, and pairs well with nearly any side dish from mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables.
Ingredients You Need
- Bone-in pork chops ( 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick). Thick pork chops are less likely to dry out. The bone helps keep them moist.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Paprika
- Grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil with a high smoke point
- Unsalted butter. You want to generously season the chops with salt before cooking, a salted butter can make the dish too salty
- Minced garlic
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Cook’s Tips
- Don’t skip drying the chops: It helps them brown properly.
- Rest the pork chops: 30 minutes after seasoning, 5 minutes after cooking.
- Use an instant-read thermometer: It is your best friend when cooking pork chops. It is the most reliable indicator of internal temperature.
- Speed cook garlic: Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. 30 seconds to 1 minute is all it takes. Continuously stir the garlic.
Instructions
- Season the Pork Chops: Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt, pepper, and paprika. Let the chops stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Sauté in a Hot Skillet: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the pork chops and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through until they reach 140°F (the temperature will increase to the USDA recommend safe temperature of 145°F after resting).
- Rest: Transfer the pork chops to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: Lower the heat to medium while the pork chops are resting. Add the butter and heat until bubbly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Spoon the garlic butter over the pork chops.
- Serve Garnished With Parsley.
Serving Suggestions
- Roasted potatoes
- Air fryer green beans
- Old-Fashioned cucumber salad
- A simple side salad
- Crusty bread (for mopping up that amazing garlic butter)
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 200°F oven. Or, reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth keep them moist. Do not use a microwave as that can dry out your pork chops.
- Freeze leftover pork chops in an airtight container for 3 to 5 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat as recommended above.
Source USDA
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best skillet to use?
A cast iron skillet is ideal for getting a good sear, but any heavy-bottomed skillet will work. Make sure your skillet is large enough not to crowd the pork chops.
Can you make garlic butter pork chops without fresh herbs?
Yes, you can eliminate the herbs entirely. The butter and garlic give plenty of flavor on their own. But, you can used dried parsley. Dried thyme and rosemary also work well.
What cut of pork chops works best for garlic butter chops?
Bone-in pork chops are ideal for skillet pork chops because they retain more moisture and flavor during cooking. Thick-cut chops (at least 1-inch) give you a juicy center and a golden sear on the outside. Boneless cuts work too but tend to cook faster and can dry out if overcooked. If using boneless, reduce the cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes.
How do you keep pork chops from drying out in a skillet?
Sear them quickly over medium-high heat and finish cooking at a lower temperature. Letting the meat rest after cooking helps redistribute juices. Avoid overcooking. 145°F internal temperature is the sweet spot for tender, moist pork.
Can I double the garlic butter?
Absolutely. No one ever complains about extra garlic butter. I have also doubled the garlic butter to spoon over potatoes and vegetables, and to dip crusty bread.
Recipe Card
Garlic Butter Pork Chops (Easy, Tender, and Juicy)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops 1 inch thick
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil or other neutral oil with a high smoke point
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the pork chops and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they reach 140°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer. (the temperature will increase to the USDA recommend safe temperature of 145°F after resting).
- Transfer the pork chops to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the pork chops are resting, lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and heat until bubbly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Pour the garlic butter over the pork chops.
- Serve garnished with parsley.
Cooks Tips
-
- Use an instant-read thermometer to test the pork chops. It is the most reliable indicator of internal temperature.
- Don’t skip drying the chops: It helps them brown properly.
- Rest. 30 minutes after seasoning, and 5 minutes after cooking. Both steps add flavor and juiciness.
- Be careful sauteeing the garlic: Burnt garlic turns bitter fast. It only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute to get fragrant
Nutrition
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