Breaded pork chops cooked the old-fashioned way—quickly brown on the stovetop then moved to the oven to bake to your ideal temperature. In only 30 minutes with pantry ingredients, these chops are juicy with a flavorful crispy crust.
Introduction
Nothing beats a well-done pork chop. And this fork-tender crispy breaded pork chop recipe is a classic that everybody loves. Done in less than 30-minutes with these easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions.
This recipe is how we did this 50 years ago. I wanted a refresher and did a little research. This recipe combines 4-5 published recipes, but mostly it is from my memory of getting great flavor with easy cooking.
My Rating
We both loved them. My wife made me promise to do these frequently.
🐖What Pork Chops to Choose
I suggest a ¾ to 1-inch boneless center-cut chop. But any real pork chop will do, which are any of the center three in the diagram.
With a breaded chop, you don't want to hide a chunk of fat under the breading somebody might try to eat, so trim off that fat rim.
The bone can lead to the breading falling off some since the meat contracts during cooking. Then the coating is more likely to come off a bit.
Thickness is important. Thin will cook rapidly and may not even need the oven part of this recipe. Thick pork chops will be the same amount of time on the stovetop but may take up to 20-25 minutes in the oven.
🐖Preparing Breaded Pork Chops to Cook
Boneless pork chops will hold the breading better. So if you have a choice, center-cut boneless chops are the best choice.
The thickness should be ¾ to 1 inch thick. More than that will be hard to get the center cooked and not overcook the breading.
Most chops will have a rim of fat. It should be trimmed off entirely since it will not be visible under the breading.
Should I brine the pork chop? I don't feel the need for a brine. It will slow you down a few hours, but it will add some moisture and tenderness to the final results if you have time.
If you want to brine, use a brine of 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons table salt. Mix well and submerge the pork. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Rinse off the salt when done.
Seasoning breaded pork chops is simple. Only a little black pepper is needed between using Italian breadcrumbs and seasoning salt.
If you took the time to brine, you should not add any salt in the seasoning. So substitute some paprika for the seasoning salt.
You can season any way you wish with fresh herbs or spices like oregano or thyme. Some suggest adding some Parmesan cheese to the topping.
Set up two shallow bowls to bread the pork chops, one with egg wash and one with seasoned breadcrumbs. After drying the chops with paper towels, dip in an egg wash, shake off extra, dip in flour/breadcrumb/seasoning mix, then shank off excess.
❓How to Keep the Breading Attached.
The most important part of a bread coating is to have it stick. So here are the big secrets to getting a coating to stick.
- Pat dry well with a paper towel. Things do not stick well to wet things.
- An underlying coating of something with an egg.
- Coat with something with some flour. When combined with the egg, it sticks well.
- No bone if possible. When the meat contracts with cooking, the bone breaks the coating.
- Cook in a well-oiled non-stick pan.
- BIG SECRET #1: After coating with the flour mixture, set it on a flat surface like a cutting board or plate for about 5 minutes to allow the various layers to combine and adhere better.
- BIG SECRET #2: Flip and move the least possible. Things like tongs will rip the breading. So use a fork and stab the edges.
👨🍳Cooking Breaded Pork Chops
The pan needs to be non-stick and oven safe. A well-seasoned cast-iron frying pan is an excellent choice.
Two chops fit nicely in a 10-inch frying pan, but bigger is okay. For 4 chops, use a 12-inch frying pan.
If you don't have a frying pan that will move from the stovetop to a hot oven, use a non-stick stovetop pan and transfer the chops to a baking sheet or oven-safe pan that you preheated with the oven.
Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, use a fork and gently place the breaded chops into the hot oil. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes until the color is approximately the final color you want.
Do a final flip and transfer to the preheated oven to finish baking your breaded pork chops.
As you move to the oven, do a fast internal temperature check to get an idea of how close you are to being done.
In a 425° oven, it usually takes about 10 minutes to reach the minimum suggested temperature of 145° for a ¾ inch thick breaded boneless pork chop that has been correctly seared.
But there are many variables, thickness and initial temperature of the meat, the oil temperature in the stovetop pan, the pan itself, and the oven. So always cook to the final internal temperature and account for a final rise of a few degrees in the temperature after removal from the oven.
The FDA recommends 145° minimum with a 3-minute rest.
I like to cook chops to 145°-150°. My wife does not like any pink pork, so I tend to go even slightly higher to 155°.
When I was young, the recommendation for cooking pork was 170° to kill Trichinosis. This has not been a problem in the US for decades, but old ideas die hard.
🌡️Levels of Cooked Pork (Doneness)
| Cooked Pork Level | Internal Temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare | Not recommended |
| Medium-Rare | 145°-150° |
| Medium | 150°-155° |
| Medium-Well | 155°-160° |
| Well Done | 160°+ |
🥣How to Make Gravy for Breaded Pork Chops
Everybody loves gravy. It will add a few minutes but is worth the little work if it fits your plans. I didn't build it into this recipe, but you can easily add it.
Check out my stovetop fried pork chop recipe below with instructions specifically for pork gravy. Or see How To Make Gravy at Home and use the slurry method.
📖Pork Chop Recipes
Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops with Gravy
How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
Trim pork chop of the fat rim. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Prepare two trays. First, with one egg whipped with a teaspoon of water. Second, with ¼ cup of Italian Panko Bread Crumbs, ¼ cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoon seasoning salt (Lawry's is my choice), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Dredge a pork chop in the egg mixture. Be sure to cover all surfaces. Remove with a fork and allow to drain for a moment.
Dip the egg-coated chop into the flour mixture. Coat all sides, remove with a fork and shake to remove extra flour.
Set the chop on a plate or chopping board. Repeat for the next chop. We want to coat to set up for a few minutes.
Over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil to an oven-safe, non-stick skillet—cast iron preferred. When hot and the oil is shimmering, move the chops to the pan with a fork.
Brown each side of the chop for 2-3 minutes until almost the final color you want. Use a fork to flip by poking the meat edge and not anything to grab the meat and pull off the coating.
Check the internal temperature, do one last flip of the pork, and place in the preheated oven until the internal temperature you want. About 10 minutes for 145°, but this will vary a lot in time, so you must use a meat thermometer and get the final temperature you want. You can always cook more but can not uncook meat.
Allow to rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting.
📖Recipe
Breaded Pork Chops in 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- 2 boneless pork chops
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup Panko Bread Crumbs - Italian or Plain
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lowry's Seasoning Salt - different seasoning salt may be used
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
- Trim pork chop of the fat rim. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare two trays. First, with one egg whipped with a teaspoon of water. Second, with ¼ cup of Panko Bread Crumbs, ¼ cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoon seasoning salt (Lawry's is my choice), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Dredge a chop in the egg mixture. Be sure to cover all surfaces. Remove with a fork and allow to drain for a moment.
- Dip the egg-coated pork chop into the flour mixture. Coat all sides, remove with a fork and shake to remove extra flour.
- Set the chop on a plate or chopping board. Repeat for the next chop. We want to coat to set up for a few minutes.
- Over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to an oven-safe, non-stick skillet—cast iron preferred. When hot and the oil is shimmering, move the chops to the pan with a fork.
- Brown each side of the chop for 2-3 minutes until almost the final color you want. Use a fork to flip by poking the meat edge and not anything to grab the meat and pull off the coating.
- Check the internal temperature, do one last flip of the pork, and place in the preheated oven until the internal temperature you want. About 10 minutes for 145° but this will vary a lot in time, so you must use a meat thermometer and get the final temperature you want. Remember, you can always cook more but can not uncook meat.
- Allow to rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Well-trimmed boneless pork chops are the best here. A bone-in chop will tend to make it harder for the breading to stick.
- Dry the pork well before proceeding with the coating.
- After the chop is breaded, let it sit for about 5 minutes for the coating to combine and attach firmly to the pork.
- The pan needs to be non-stick and oven safe.
- Be sure the oil is hot before adding the chops.
- Only touch the pork with a fork during the breading and cooking to prevent disturbing the coating.
- Thicker chops will take longer. A thinner chop may be to your desired temperature even before the oven so you MUST use an instant-read thermometer.
- If you are interested in brining or gravy, see the discussion in the post above.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published March 20, 2019. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
MH
Love all your recipes, and the built-in flexibility! CookBOOK needed! Hurry?!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi MH,
Welcome to the blog. Glad you are liking the recipes.
Now about that cookbook. Not happening, that is work. I'm retired from my "real job" and although successful, this is still a hobby.
Enjoy the blog.
Dan
Holly
Love your recipes and the photos really help a reader to visualize the prep. Many thanks.
NANCY L BERG
Dr. Dan,
Do you come from a family that makes Mikesell's Potato Chips?
DW Mikesell lived on Northview Rd. in Dayton, Oakwood, Ohio.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Nancy,
Distant cousins (very very distant). All Mikesell's are related due to a common origin of the spelling from an immigrant family in the 1700's.
Dan
Judy
Great recipe with ingredients we usually have on hand.
Jaime
Another winner. I love trying your recipes. Haven’t had a fail yet. I’m a better cook because of you. Thank you.
Bob
What temperature do you recommend they be baked at after the frying?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Bob,
Welcome to the blog.
The oven temp is 350. It is in the oven for only a short period of time so almost any temp would do since we are cooking to a final temperature end point.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Alicia Bland
I made this for my family tonight and it was delicious. The chops were fork tender and the breading stayed on perfectly. I appreciate the step by step and look forward to making this recipe often!
Alicia Bland
Forgot to add that we paired it with your easy roasted red potatoes-thanks again for taking the time to share with us!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Alicia,
I do love pork chops and breaded is great if it will stick on.
Thanks for the notes and rating. I really need to add some suggested side dishes to some recipes.
Dan