Juicy Baked Pork Chops (easy recipe that always turns out tender)
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These oven baked pork chops are the most popular baked pork chop recipe on the internet for good reason: they’re easy to make, tender, super juicy, and flavorful. A few simple ingredients and pantry-staple spices are all you need to make this incredible dinner.
I’ve been told I’m an expert at making pork chops and have more than 16 pork chop recipes for you. Try these smothered pork chops and pan-fried pork chops next. Or go for my popular baked pork tenderloin!
Let’s give it up for easy and delicious pork chop recipes! This is one of my family’s favorite dinner recipes, and we go back to it repeatedly. The flavorful pork chops always turn out tender and juicy. After you make these baked pork chops, you’ll make them again and again. The recipe is speedy and easy to prepare and is a great one to keep in your back pocket for when you need dinner stat or can’t figure out what to make tonight. You can use boneless or bone-in pork chops – it’s your choice!
In this recipe, I keep it simple and don’t sear the chops on the stove. Instead, they go straight into the oven. From my experience, this makes the chops more tender and saves an extra step of work. And with the gorgeous color of the spices, you won’t miss the sear. Serve these with a big salad and some potatoes roasted in the oven at the same time as the pork chops. It makes for the best dinner.
Why you’ll love these baked pork chops
- 100% juicy pork chops. ← truth!
- With these chops, in just over 20 minutes you can be sitting down to a delicious dinner.
- The easy spice rub, made with spices you probably have in your pantry right now, makes the chops taste amazing.
- Pork chops are a budget-friendly protein option. Knowing how to cook them so they don’t dry out will make your dinners less expensive and more delicious.
- The kitchen-staple ingredients mean you shouldn’t have to run to the grocery store to make our recipe.
- Easily made with bone-in or boneless pork chops. Choose whichever you like best!
How long do pork chops take to bake at 400 degrees?
The biggest trick to making oven-baked pork chops is not overcooking them. Since pork chops are lean, they will dry out if left 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.
Boneless pork chops should cook for 7 minutes per ½-inch of thickness in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. If you use bone-in pork chops, cook them for 8 minutes per ½ inch.
- Boneless pork chops 1 ½ inches thick should be baked for 21 minutes.
- Bone-in pork chops 1 ½ inches thick should be baked for 24 minutes.
If you’re new to roasting pork chops, using an instant-read meat thermometer is the best way to determine whether they are fully cooked. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. We use our meat thermometer to make sure the meat doesn’t overcook.
What spices are the best with pork?
This spice blend is made with simple ingredients and you can use it on both chicken and pork. It’s a delicious way to create flavorful pork chops. It’s my go-to recipe and I’ve made it so many times and never get tired of it. Here are the pantry staples it is made with:
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Oregano – you can substitute Italian seasoning if you’d like
- Salt – sea salt or kosher salt
- Black pepper
It’s a basic spice rub that takes only a couple of minutes to make and has so much flavor. I recommend doubling (or tripling) the amounts so you can have some on hand for other dinners. Try sprinkling a little bit on some potatoes or sweet potatoes and baking them at the same time as your chops.
Pork recipes often call for brown sugar, but it is really not necessary. There is no reason to take a lean cut of meat and add a bunch of sugar. These chops are sugar-free and delicious.
What to serve with your oven baked pork chops
I like to serve these with a simple green salad and a veggie side that gets roasted on a baking sheet in the oven alongside these delicious pork chops. For a great meal that the whole family will love, try adding one of my favorite side dishes:
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Broccoli
- Basmati Rice or brown rice
Store and Reheat
Store: I love a good pork chop sliced over a salad for lunch, so sometimes I make extra to have leftovers. They will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in your fridge.
Reheat: I like to slice them thin and warm them briefly in a pan over medium heat. You can also use a microwave.
Freeze: Yes! If you’d like to meal-prep, these baked pork chops will keep for at least three months in the freezer.
Watch how to make baked pork chops:
Juicy Baked Pork Chops (easy recipe that always turns out tender)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 4 boneless pork chops
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure the thickness of your pork chops so you know how long to bake them – see notes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano.1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over both sides of the pork chops. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over both sides of the pork chops, then place them in a baking dish – see notes. Drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 boneless pork chops
- Bake the pork chops uncovered for 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit – for 1 ½ inch pork chops, you'll bake them for 21 minutes. Once you remove them from the oven, let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Last step:
- After you make this recipe, take a picture with your phone and share it in the comments section below. I love seeing it when you make my recipes!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Delicious! Made this exactly as instructed. So tasty and juicy. Husband loved it and wants it again very soon. Thank you for sharing this. Definitely a keeper!
It took a lot longer to bake them as after seven minutes they were still undone. I baked them three or four minutes longer and they were tough to cut. The taste was good but I probably need a pork chop with bone in. These were boneless and had no fat on them at all. My daughter bought them but I will never buy them myself. They were expensive too. I tried them with other recipes and they are too dry and tough, look good raw though!
It sounds like they overcooked in those few extra minutes. Extra lean pork chops are pretty finicky and overcook quickly.
“…look good raw though!”
I had to laugh at this because I fully agree. Today’s pork chops are so lean that they will likely be dry if you cook them at all. I much preferred the chops my mom made when I was a kid. Back then pork was much fattier. It also tasted better. I rarely buy pork chops because they end up chewy and dry as a bone no matter how I cook them. They aren’t worth the effort.
These are fantastic! Perfect seasoning and bake time!
That’s wonderful to hear!
This recipe is totally awesome! I have been looking forever for a pork chop recipe that would not turn out dry and tasteless. This one is the answer to my prayers! I used bone-in pork chops and the spice rub you recommended in the recipe. It was delicious…my husband can’t stop raving about it!
It has become his new favorite dinner. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Yay! That’s so great to hear, Anne!
Just got through cooking and eating this for the first time, and we’ve definitely got a keeper here! Thank you!
You are very welcome!
Hello Kristen , could you tell me with bone in pork chops , what degree and how long to bake ? Trying this recipe tonight 🙂 Thank you
Bone in pork chops will need to be cooked for 8 minutes per half inch of thickness. 🙂
I would love to try this recipe but don’t have onion powder. Would onion soup mix work?
I’d be worried that the bits of onion in the soup mix might burn. I’d simply omit the powder. 🙂
Delicious and easy. I like the spice mixture and there was a nice bit of sauce created.
That’s wonderful to hear, Sandra!
Is the 400 degrees based on convection or regular? I feel convection is a better way to roast but also don’t want to over cook.
Regular oven. You should be able to reduce the temp to 375 with a convection oven and achieve the same results.
Excellent and tender. Never had luck before with making tender chops in the oven.
That’s so great to hear!
These are a must have in my family now I make them at least once a week sometimes I sweeten them up with a little bit of honey but they are fantastic so juicy thanks for sharing your recipes
Honey sounds like a nice addition!
Incredibly delicious and simple! My son wouldn’t eat pork chops before this recipe now he is a convert and a fan of this seasoning. He wants it on everything. Thank you!
That’s amazing to hear! Yay!!
The first bite my husband took of his pork chop, he said, “Oh, this is so good What did you do? I had all of the ingredients on hand so I went right by the recipe. They are juicy, very, very tasty! Love this recipe!!!
I love hearing that! Horray!
One word……AMAZING!!!!!
Yay! So happy to hear that!
The chops were juicy and flavorful. I used 1/2 tablespoon regular paprika and 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika. I will be trying the seasoning on baked chicken.
Oh yes … the seasoning is wonderful on chicken, too! We use a variation of it on our Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs and our Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts. 🙂
I followed the instructions for 7 min per 1/2 inch of thickness but the chops came out dry and tough. Will not use this recipe again.
I’m sorry to hear that the recipe wasn’t a hit for you.
dry and tough chops just means you over-cooked them. Use a thermometer. Its a good recipe.
Made this for dinner with 2” thick boneless chops so it took about 20 min to cook. Kids loved it. I like it but, the next day I loved it. Leftovers were even more flavorful so next time I will marinate the meat before cooking.
That’s wonderful to hear. Thanks, Tricia!