Pork Chops with Apples and Onions Skillet
Made with simple ingredients, this recipe for pork chops with apples and onions delivers flavorful, tender pork chops with a sweet and savory pan sauce that will make you swoon! Perfect for any night of the week.
Looking for more delicious skillet recipes? Don’t miss my recipes for Chicken and Green Beans Skillet, Turkey Taco Skillet, Honey Lemon Chicken Skillet.
It doesn’t get much easier or flavorful than this pork chop recipe! Pork chops, apples, and onions cook together in one skillet to create a dish that has wow factor! Between the insanely juicy pork chops, the sweet apple slices, tangy onion, and sweet and savory sauce, this simple pork chop recipe is a winner!
This easy one-pan recipe has similar flavor profile as my recipe for crockpot pork roast with apples, but instead of cooking low and slow all day, this recipe trades in a pork roast for inexpensive pork chops to get dinner on the table in about an hour.
How to Make Apple Pork Chops
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Season Pork Chops
Pork chops, much like chicken breasts, are a lean protein with a blank slate in terms of flavor. In order to develop flavor in the pork chops, they benefit from being heavily seasoned. While the pork chops cook in a sweet and savory sauce that lend to this dish’s flavor, I also recommend heavily salting the pork chops and letting them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. The salt will permeate the pork, working like a dry brine, and help to tenderize and add layers of flavor to the dish. Letting the pork chops sit at room temperature for 30 minutes will help them cook evenly.
Don’t have 30 minutes prior to making dinner? Don’t skip this recipe! Even letting the pork chops sit out for 10 minutes prior to pan-frying them will help ensure even cooking.
Sear Pork Chops
Searing the pork chops on each side will give them a nice crust and help to seal in their juices. Work in batches if needed, to ensure each pork chop has space to truly brown. Once the pork is seared, remove it from the skillet. It isn’t finished cooking at this point, but will finish cooking in the sauce.
Caramelize Onions and Apples
To develop a rich, sweet, and and savory sauce, we want to sauté the onions and apples in a bit of butter. Start with the onions, as they will take a bit longer to cook than the apples and
Make the Pan Sauce
Instead of using chicken stock, my recipe uses apple cider as the base of the pan sauce. The apple cider naturally sweetens the pork chops and pairs beautifully with the onions and apples. Finishing it with Dijon, thyme, onion, and garlic will help to give this skillet recipe savory, earthy notes and balance out the sweetness.
Finish Cooking the Pork Chops
At this point you want to add the seared pork back to the skillet and simmer until they reach an an internal temperature 138-142 degrees F on a meat thermometer. This will ensure you have perfectly cooked, tender pork chops that aren’t dried-out!
Rest the Pork Chops
Letting the dish rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving will ensure the pork reaches 145 degrees F (the recommended temperature for pork per the USDA) and the juices have time to redistribute. Another key to juicy pork chops!
Serving Suggestions
This Apple and Pork Skillet is delicious served with endless entrees. Some of my favorite pairings are mashed sweet potatoes, Hasselback sweet potatoes, roasted butternut squash salad, roasted carrots, and garlic mashed red potatoes.
Storage/Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the pork and apples to cool slightly, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place the pork chops and pan sauce into a heat-safe dish and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in 30-second intervals until just warmed through.
Recipe Modifications
- Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with additional extra virgin olive-oil or your favorite non-dairy butter.
- No Apple Cider? Feel free to use apple juice in place of apple cider with no other modifications needed. You can also opt to use chicken broth, but will want to add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or maple syrup to replicate the sweet flavor the apple cider lends to this dish.
- Use Bone-In Pork Chops: Using bone-in pork chops will require a longer time to simmer, but the flavor will be spectacular! Select thick-cut bone-in pork chops and follow the recipe as directed. Keep in mind that you may need more than 1 cup of apple cider for the pan sauce, as the cooking liquid will evaporate as the pork simmers.
- What Apples are Best? I recommend a sweet, firm apple for this pork and apple skillet. Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala apples are all great options. If you love tart dishes, swap the sweet apple for a granny smith apple.
- Swap Dried Thyme for Fresh Thyme: In place of the dried thyme leaves, use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves which is about 4-6 sprigs of thyme.
More Pork Chop Recipes
Pork Chops with Apples
Made with simple ingredients, this recipe for pork chops with apples and onions delivers tender, flavorful pork chops with a sweet and savory pan sauce that will make you swoon!
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Servings: 4
Calories: 335kcal
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Instructions
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Remove pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to making the recipe. Lightly sprinkle each pork chop with kosher salt on each side. After 30 minutes, use a paper towel to pat dry the pork chops.
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Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, place the seasoned pork chops in the pan in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Sear for 3-4 minutes, flip the pork chops and continue to sear for 2-3 minutes, or until each side is golden brown. Remove the pork chops and place them on a plate to rest.
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Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the sliced onions to the skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes or until onions start to soften, stirring often. Add the apples and continue to cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
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Add 1 cup of apple cider, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium.
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Return the pork chops to the pan, along with any juices that may have collected on the plate. Nestle the chops down in the mixture, making sure some onions and apples are on top of the chops.
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Simmer the chops in the apple and onion mixture for about 4-6 minutes, turning the pork chops after 3 minutes, or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 138-142 degrees F.
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Remove the pork from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 749mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 161IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
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