Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
Pork Chops with Apples
Bone-in pork chops are seared until golden, then simmered with sweet apples, onions, thyme, and a quick cider-mustard pan sauce.
Skillet pork chops with apples and onions is a straightforward one-pan dinner with a good balance of savory browned meat, soft fruit, and a tangy pan sauce. Bone-in chops stay juicy when they are seared first, then finished gently with the apples and onions instead of being cooked hard from start to finish.
Choose firm-sweet apples such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji so the slices soften without collapsing into applesauce. Yellow onions bring sweetness, thyme adds an earthy note, and a little Dijon mustard sharpens the cider sauce enough to keep the dish from tasting heavy.
The key is to use a skillet large enough to brown the chops without crowding and to check the internal temperature before serving. Pulling the pork from the heat at 140°F and letting it rest brings it to a juicy finish while the sauce settles around the apples and onions.
Serve these chops with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, roasted squash, or a crisp green salad. The sauce is simple, but it is worth spooning generously over both the pork and whatever side is on the plate.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Pat the pork chops dry, then season both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
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2
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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3
Sear the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned, then transfer them to a plate.
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4
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, apples, and onion to the same skillet.
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5
Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the apples begin to brown at the edges.
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6
Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
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7
Whisk together the apple cider, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and cider vinegar, then pour the mixture into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits.
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8
Return the pork chops and any juices to the skillet, nestling them among the apples and onions.
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9
Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, turning the chops once, until the pork reaches 140°F in the thickest part.
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10
Rest the chops for 5 minutes, then serve with the apples, onions, and pan sauce spooned over the top.
Ingredients
- Bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick:4
- Kosher salt:1 1/4 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
- Olive oil:1 tbsp
- Unsalted butter:2 tbsp
- Firm sweet apples, cored and sliced:2
- Yellow onion, thinly sliced:1
- Garlic cloves, minced:2
- Fresh thyme leaves:1 tsp
- Apple cider:3/4 cup
- Low-sodium chicken broth:1/2 cup
- Dijon mustard:1 tbsp
- Apple cider vinegar:1 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- If your pork chops are thinner than 1 inch, start checking the temperature after 4 minutes in the sauce.
- Use a mix of sweet and tart apples if you want a brighter sauce.
- For a richer finish, swirl 1 teaspoon of cold butter into the sauce after removing the skillet from the heat.
