Fried Pork Chops

An image of a breaded fried pork chop with spaghetti and small tomatoes in the background and a lemon wedge on the side. The meal is served on a gray plate set on a white table.

Fried pork chops are a quick way to get a satisfying dinner even on a weeknight. In this recipe, thin boneless pork loin chops are seasoned, breaded and quickly fried until golden on the inside and juicy on the outside.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword fried pork, pork chops

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 406kcal

Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

1–1½ pound Thin-cut Boneless Pork Chops about 6 pieces ½ inch thick (thin, boneless pork loin chops)
1½ teaspoon Salt plus extra for sprinkling right after frying (we use kosher salt)
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
½ cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
1-2 Eggs beaten
Oil - enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet by ¼ - ½ inch use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
Chopped Fresh Herbs parsley or thyme for garnish, optional
Lemon or Lime Wedges for serving optional

Instructions

Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir the seasoning to combine.
Sprinkle the pork on both sides with about half of the seasoning mix.
Use a large baking sheet, a couple of plates, or two large pieces of parchment paper (which makes clean-up a snap), add the flour to one side and the breadcrumbs to the other.
Season the breadcrumbs with the remaining seasoning mix. Stir it in with a fork.
Crack an egg or two into a medium bowl, scramble well using a fork or small whisk.
Work with one piece at a time. Lightly coat both sides with the flour. Shake off the excess.
Next, dip the pork chop in the egg mixture; make sure it is evenly moist. Let the excess drip off.
Place the chop in the breadcrumbs, apply an even coating, gently press down to get it to stick. Gently shake off the excess.
Place the breaded pork on a clean, dry plate or pan and repeat with the remaining pieces.
If you need to stack the breaded pork chops, use a piece of parchment paper in between them so the coating doesn’t stick to itself or flake off.
Preheat the oven to warm or its lowest setting.
Cover the bottom of a large, deep skillet with about a ¼ - ½ inch of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high.
When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add about half the pork chops to the skillet (depending on the size) do not overcrowd the pan, fry in batches.
Fry them for approximately 1½ - 2 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. Use tongs to turn the pork so the breading does not flake off.
Remove the pork from the skillet and place them on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack; this will prevent the breading from getting soggy. Place them in the oven and fry the remaining pieces.

Notes

When you remove each batch from the oil, take the internal temperature and make sure it’s at least 145°F.

Between batches, remove the skillet from the heat so that the temperature of the oil doesn’t keep rising while you deal with the chops.

After the first batch, it may be necessary to lower the heat just a little bit. Check the bottom of the pork chop, if it’s browning too quickly, lower the heat. Not too much, just a notch or two.

Nutrition