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!
I did not have onion powder, and used onion salt instead. I think I would have given this recipe 5 stars if I had followed it exactly, but it was just too salty the way I made it. I could tell that the flavor profile would be delicious if less salty. I’ll make it again, but follow the recipe exactly.
Mary, when giving value to one’s recipe, via a star rating, it is mandatory to evaluate on the recipe shared. lol. We cannot take stars away because we did not have the proper ingredients on hand. In your review you stated that you replaced onion powder (non salty) with onion salt ( your choice) then complained that your recipe was too salty. Does this make sense? I believe that your changes gave your (deferred) recipe a 3 star rating and not deserved a lower rating here, when it is followed as stated. Glad you learned your lesson about salt though. I have made that mistake in the past as well, but with guessing how many red pepper flakes a fresh pepper would yield. hahaha. Needles to say my spaghetti sause was so hot is was inedible.
I made these pork loin chops tonight thinking they would probably turn out the way all the other pork turns out, dry and tough. They were absolutely so juicy and tasted so good! I’m so glad I tried this recipe and will use it again!
Wow, this recipe looks like it’ll be so delicious to make for myself! I’ll have to try it out one of these days. Thanks for sharing. ?
I have made these twice both times perfectly juicy and delicious! Thanks for an awesome recipie!
This a ridiculously easy recipe and the results are amazing! I made this tonight and my husband said they were the best pork chops he had ever tasted. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome!!
They came out awesome and oh so tasty…
Great tasting pork chops. Very easy to prepare and cook. This will be the recipe I will use from now on. After baking them in the oven, I transferred to to a skillet and browned them for a few minutes.
Just great!!!!
I’m confused. Why 18 minutes but then it said 7 minutes ? Which is it?
It’s 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness. You’ll have to measure your chops and do the math. 18 minutes is for pork chops that are 1 ¼ inch thick, which is pretty average.
Simple and taste great!
They were delicious, I put a can of mushroom soup wit it melts in your mouth. thankyou for the recipe ??.
I randomly picked this recipe off of the internet and took a chance. I am very glad I did. Historically when I make pork chops they are dry and tough. This recipe did not mislead. The pork chops were tender, flavourful and moist and so easy to do. highly recommend
Everyone in our family loves these pork chops. Even the little kiddos who are soooo picky!
These were a HIT last night for dinner! Had 1 leftover that my boyfriend ate for lunch today and it was still so juicy. That never happens! So happy with how easy, simple and tasty these were.
Absolutely the best pork chops I’ve had in like forever! Sooooo easy, flavorful (nice little kick with the Paprika), JUICY and TENDER. These had been frozen which can ruin meat. And at 400^ I could make a baked potato right along with it (which came out with a crisp shell and creamy inside I might add). An all around winner of a dinner.
Made my pork chops exactly as the recipe, and boy they were the juiciest chops ever. Can not wait to make again.
Made my pork chops exactly as the recipe, and boy they were the juiciest chops ever. Can not wait to make again.