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 the baked pork chops tonight for dinner! Not only was this the easiest recipe and virtually not much preparation and it smelled SOOOO good; but the pork (boneless) chops were very juicy! I also made oven roasted string beans & carrots as a side dish — YUM! My family enjoyed them very much! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!! This is a definite keeper!
You are very welcome, Pauline!
Just made! Smells soooooo good and even better ??
Love it! Thank you for letting us know!
This was delicious! So quick and easy to prepare. I took the ultimate lazy route, and mixed the oil and spices in the dish, and then just mixed the chops around. Paired with some cheesy mashed potatoes, and we had the perfect dinner! I had everything on hand, so I didn’t have to go out during the pandemic. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you were able to make this without a trip to the store. Thank you for staying home and staying safe!
Delicious! Turned out perfectly. Made pork chop sandwiches with this recipe and my family loved them!
Pork chop sandwiches sound amazing!!
Very flavorful and tasty! A nice change from ordinary pork chops. I will make these again.
That is so wonderful to hear! Thanks, Deborah!
Love, love, love pork chops fixed with this recipe! I fix them on the grill in the summer time, and in the oven in the winter. They are yummy either way!!!!
That is so wonderful to hear! Thanks, Linda!
Best pork chops EVER!! So moist, delicious and easy, did I say easy?
Yay! I’m really happy that you like them!
We liked them a lot! Nice and juicy packed with flavor. Made them with garlic parmesan asparagus and mashed taters. Thanks for the recipe!!
Yay! That’s so great to hear, Rebecca!
Can I make these at noon and will they still be moist warmed up at 5??
I’m personally never a fan of reheated meat. When we have leftovers I always serve these chops thinly sliced over a salad. I’d recommend prepping them (putting the spices on them and setting them in a baking dish) at noon then taking them out of the fridge around 4:30 when you start warming up your oven to cook them. 🙂
Pork chops labeled “excellent” by a very picky husband and I have to agree. I believe it should be eaten immediately but I’ll see if there are leftovers tomorrow. I didn’t have traditional paprika, but had smoked paprika and it was great!
Wow that’s amazing! So happy to hear that you both loved the recipe!
Very easy. No mess to bake.
Reduced liquid after baking
for tasty sauce.
Good call on reducing the liquid. Yum!
These chops are really good. A little too much pepper for me, I’ll reduce next time. And I had trouble getting them to 140 degrees, probably my oven. It’s a new one, and we’re still getting to know each other.
Thanks for the recipe!
New ovens are so hard to cook with! I recently got a new one so I can sympathize. Happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
hands down, the best pork chops I’ve ever eaten!! well, actually it was pork steak, but incredibly delicious!! just wondering if you flip them half way through the cooking time? the first time I didn’t, the 2nd time, I did. didn’t seem to affect the taste either way. husband even loved them and asked me to make them again (the day after, lol)
That’s amazing! I always keep the chops on the same side and they turn out well that way for me. 🙂
Have you ever cooked more then four chops at a time I have the family pack bone in sirloin chops
I haven’t but I would suspect that they may need a bit more time. Usually, when you cook more things at once they take longer. Check them after 18 minutes (if they’re 1 ¼ inch thick) and leave them in a little longer if needed. 🙂
just wondering if you cover the chops while baking, i am making these tonight
Nope! I bake them uncovered. 🙂
As with any meat, you should allow it to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before you cook it. You shouldn’t go right from the refrigerator to the pan.