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Cooking pork to perfection is easier than you think with these tips for perfect, juicy and tender breaded pork chops every time. Top these pork chops with a lemon butter sauce for a delicious, elegant and easy meal!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A year ago my husband came home from a business trip raving about some breaded pork chops he had while out of town. I have heard about those pork chops on a regular basis for the last year.
I finally decided I needed to see if I could recreate them at home, never having eaten them myself. My husband described them as lightly breaded and covered with a buttery lemon sauce. Today’s recipe for Breaded Pork Chops with Lemon Butter Sauce received two thumbs up from my husband and although not exactly like his dream pork chops, they were pretty darn close!
Ingredients Needed for Breaded Pork Chops
- Pork. I used boneless pork loin chops but you could use bone in pork chops. You want them about 1 inch thick.
- Eggs
- Milk. Whatever kind you have on hand.
- Bread Crumbs. You can use panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs.
- Parmesan Cheese, shredded
- Italian Seasoning or a combination of parsley, basil, oregano and marjoram
- Salt and Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Parsley, dried
- Olive Oil
What to Look for When buying Pork
Freshness: Always check the expiration date. Buy your pork no more than a week prior to using it to ensure good coloring and flavor.
Color: Look for a reddish pink color which indicates a high water holding capacity which translates to a juicy and flavorful cut of pork. You do not want pork that is pale or grayish white.
Marbling: Marbling is an indication of fat content. The more fat the more flavor.
Hormone Free: All pork, by law, is hormone free. It is illegal to use hormones in pork production.
How to Cook Pork Tips from Leigh Anne
- One of the most important things to remember when cooking pork is do not over cook it! Most people overcook their pork and I admit I use to be one of them. I’ve always treated pork like chicken and would cook it to 160-165 degrees F.
- Cook pork more like a steak. Pork is cooked and safe to eat at 145 degrees F. Not only is it safe to eat, but it is so much more delicious! The National Pork Board along with the FDA promote cooking pork to 145 degrees F and then giving it a 3 minute rest which will allow the temperature to rise to 145 degrees F. Yes, your pork can be pink!
- Using a meat thermometer ensures your pork is the right temperature.
What Temperature Should I Cook Pork To?
You will be amazed with what a difference this makes in the flavor, texture and tenderness of your pork.
- 145-160 degrees F – Medium Rare
- 150-155 degrees F – Medium
- 155-160 degrees F – Medium Well
- 160 degrees – Well Done
How to Make Breaded Pork Chops
- Beat together two eggs and milk in a dish.
- Mix together bread crumbs, cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Dip both sides of your pork chop into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture.
- Cover both sides completely with bread crumb mixture. This is a nice light breading made by combining bread crumbs, shredded Parmesan cheese, parsley, and Italian seasoning.
- Put olive oil into a heavy pan, I like to use my cast iron skillet. Be sure the pan is oven safe as you will put the pan directly into the oven after browning the pork chops.
- Heat the pan and oil over a medium heat and brown the pork chops on both sides, about 3-4 minutes a side until golden brown. Be sure and do it over medium heat so they don’t brown too quickly.
- After browning, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. Be sure and insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chop. The temperature will probably be around 120 degrees F.
- To finish the cooking process, put your pan into a 350 degree oven and continue baking until meat reaches 145 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes.
Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
While the breaded pork chops are finishing up in the oven make your lemon butter sauce. This sauce is delicious and the perfect accompaniment to the breaded pork chop.
- Combine wine, lemon juice, whipping cream, shallots and garlic in a pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture reduces by about 70 percent.
- Whisk in butter and stir until it is nice and smooth. It will thicken up more as it cools.
- Serve the sauce poured over the top of the pork chop. Or just add it to the pan the pork chops are in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I substitute for white wine?
Because we are not wine drinkers and I don’t have it in the house I use a substitute for white wine.
Use equal parts white wine vinegar and chicken broth.
For this recipe I used 1/4 cup white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Although the flavor is not the same when using wine, it is a good substitute and still delicious.
What is the best way to store leftover breaded pork chops?
Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
How do you reheat breaded pork chops?
To reheat, you can use an air fryer or an oven at 350 degree F. You can also reheat in the microwave or in a frying pan on the stovetop.
Check out more of my favorite recipes:
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Breaded Pork Chops with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 boneless pork loin chops 1 inch thick
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp parsley dried
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup white wine dry or substitute 1/4 cup white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp shallots finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl place eggs and milk and beat together.
- In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese, seasonings.
- Dip pork chops into egg coating both sides and then into breadcrumb mixture. Coat well.
- Heat oil in a heavy, oven safe pan. Add pork chops and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Check temperature of pork, should be about 120 degrees F. Place pan in a 350 degree F oven and finish cooking process. Remove pan when pork reaches 145 degrees F. Allow it to rest for 3 minutes before serving. Be sure to check the temperature in the thickest part of the pork chop.
Lemon Butter Sauce
- In a small sauce pan combine wine, or substitute, lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, shallots, and garlic.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer until reduced by about 50-75 percent.
- Add in cubed butter and stir until it combines and is nice and smooth. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. Mixture will thicken slightly, it will thicken more as it cools.
Tips & Notes:
- One of the most important things I learned during our trip was that most people overcook their pork and I admit I use to be one of them. I’ve always treated pork like chicken and would cook it to 160-165 degrees F.
- Cook pork more like a steak. Pork is cooked and safe to eat at 145 degrees F. Not only is it safe to eat, but it is so much more delicious! The National Pork Board along with the FDA promote cooking pork to 145 degrees F and then giving it a 3 minute rest which will allow the temperature to rise to 145 degrees F. Yes, your pork can be pink!
- Using a meat thermometer ensures your pork is the right temperature.
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Curtis says
Great recipe, kids loved it! The lemony cream sauce helps cut through the heavy pan fried breading. Just wish I had a larger skillet. Batch fried/browned two at a time and finished in the oven at 375° convection roast on a wire rack in a sheet pan. Used thin cut bone in chops. Delicious!
Helen says
Enjoyed this recipe, was delicious!
Cat says
I’m thinking that I’d like to
make this gluten free – I have gluten free Panko. I don’t see why this wouldn’t work. Do you?
Leigh Anne says
Should work fine – enjoy!
Sharon says
Made this for dinner tonight. Easy and delicious. I might try using panko breadcrumbs next time to get a crunchier coating on the pork chops. Thank you for sharing.
Leigh Anne says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for letting me know.