Baked Pork Chops

Spicy, Low-Calorie, Gluten-Free Recipe

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Backed Pork Chops is one of the healthiest recipes I know with pork. Spicy, moist with egg whites, evaporated milk, and a lively blend of herbs, it has a fabulous taste without adding extra fat to your weight.

Content on this recipe…

• Did you Know?
• About Baked Pork Chops
• How long to bake pork chops?
• Is this healthy?
• What can I serve with pork chops?
• What kind of pork chops should I use?
• Notes and Tips

About Baked Pork Chops

These baked pork chops are simply the best! Easy to make, super juicy, and flavorful, this recipe is among the juiciest, yet low-fat pork dishes. Rub them with a few spices, pop them into the oven for 18 minutes and dinner will be ready! After you make these baked pork chops once, you’ll make them again and again, trust me. The recipe is really simple and is a great one to keep in your back pocket for when you need a quick and flavorful dinner, or just can’t figure out what to make tonight. I serve these with a big salad and some veggies roasted in the oven, placed there at the same time with the pork chops.

How long to bake pork chops?

The biggest ‘trick’ to prepare oven-baked pork chops is to not overcook them. Since pork chops are lean meat, they will dry out if you leave them in the oven for too long. But don’t worry, here’s an easy way to know exactly how long you should cook your chops. In a 400 degree oven, boneless pork chops need to cook for 7 minutes per 1/2 inch of thickness. If you are using bone-in pork chops, add an extra minute for each 1/2 inch. If you’re new to making roasted pork chops, the best way to tell if they are fully cooked is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. I use my meat thermometer to make sure I don’t overcook the meat.

Is this healthy?

Yes! Pork chops are lean meat and are low in calories and fat and high in protein. This is a healthy pork chop recipe as it is made without any sugar. Pork recipes will often call for sugar, but it is really not necessary. There is no reason to take a healthy cut of meat and add a bunch of sugar to it. These chops are sugar-free and delicious. They are also low-carb, low-fat, and gluten-free.

What can I serve with pork chops?

Thanks to the fact that pork chops are lean and affordable, we cook them quite a bit. Here’s a list of my favorite sides to serve:

1. Mashed potatoes or for a low-carb option, try mashed cauliflower.
2. Since the oven is on, try roasted broccoli, or roasted cauliflower, or these honey-roasted carrots.
3. For a side salad, try our creamy cucumber salad, this easy chickpea salad, or our simple quinoa salad.

What kind of pork chops should I use?

When it comes to cooking pork chops, the thicker the better. Pork is easy to overcook and when that happens, the results are less than ideal. To prevent overcooking, choose pork chops that are at least 1-inch thick.

If you can buy bone-in chops, do it! The bone helps reduce the chance of overcooking and personally, I think the end result tastes better compared to boneless pork chops.

Notes and Tips

• Try to choose a baking dish that is just the right size for the pork chops. You don’t want to be too much space between chops, because the juices will evaporate.
• Bake your pork chops for 7 minutes per 1/2 inch of thickness. Add an extra minute for each 1/2 inch if you’re using bone-in pork chops.
• Remove the pork from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you are ready to cook it. This will help the pork to cook more evenly.
• Pork also freezes well. If you purchase a large package of pork chops and want to freeze them, be sure to re-wrap the pork into convenient portions in either heavy-duty freezer zip-top bags or freezer paper. Label and date the package so you know when it was packed.