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!
Made this recipe for the first time tonight and my husband loved it; will definitely make again. I served it with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and cinnamon apples. Yum ?
Oh my gosh!! I wasn’t too sure about trying this recipe, but so happy I did!! The chops turned out tender and juicy and are now a favorite!! My chops had bones so I followed the directions and cooked them a few more minutes. They turned out perfect!! No more breading chops or frying — not even grilling! This is the best ever recipe!! Thank you for sharing it!
You’re very welcome!
you are so right me too!
We loved this. I aged the pork in the marinade for 24 hours prior to cooking – it was great!
would this recipe work for bone-in pork chops?
Thanks
Yes! 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.
Temp./time indicated isn’t even close! Half way through I needed to turn up to 425 and add 15 more minutes; it wasn’t even browning at this point. Pork sirloin boneless steaks 1″ thick.
The pork chops won’t brown with this recipe. The best way to tell if they are done is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. 🙂
My family loved the recipe. I was a little nervous about all the spices and everything coming out overly seasoned, but that wasn’t the case at all. The chops were wonderfully juicy. This is definitely a repeat recipe! Thank you for sharing.
You’re very welcome!
Amazing thank you
my new go to baked pork chop recipe! they were soo juicy and tender and my picky child devoured without dipping in ranch!
Awesome recipe!!! This will go into my collection. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
So tasty and juicy! My first time baking pork chops..
Well, this was a life savor because I was going to have everyone over for shake and bake pork chops and I didn’t have any! The family loves fresh corn on the cob and pork and beans and my pork chops. I panicked and then said, “Well let me see what I can find on here instead. This recipe was great! I did cook it on my toaster oven and made sure the boneless pork chops were touching.
Delicious and thank you
That’s so wonderful to hear!!
“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. ”
Following this guide was a disaster! I had two inch-thick bone-in pork chops, and after 16 minutes, they were still mostly RAW! And my oven tends to overdo things, as it is. After looking at a few other recipes online, they all seem to suggest longer cooking times than this one.
I’m curious, what was the temperature on your instant-read thermometer when you checked them?
I haven’t had pork chops in years and bought some yesterday. Today I Googled Pork Chops in the oven and found this recipe. I paired it with the Garlic Asparagus recipe and my husband said its the best meal I’ve ever made! Thank you!!
You are very welcome!!
This will be my new go-to recipe for cooking a quick dinner after work. These pork chops were tender and delicious. I used less of the seasonings because I don’t like a lot of it my pork chops. Yet, it was so easy and great tasting.
Love it! Thanks for letting us know, Kelley!
Did you bake them on the bottom or middle rack of the oven?
I bake them in the middle.
I usef this recipe tonight and it worked out wonderfully. Thank you for the guidance. I’m not very experienced so I surprised myself! I added mustard, soy sauce, and honey to the rub mixture.
I like the sound of the extras you added. Yum!
This was my first time baking pork chops and wow!! Loved them and wayyyyy easier! So juicy and tasty. I paired them with a mango and jalapeño salsa and we all loved it. Thank you!!
Good call on the salsa pairing!