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These baked pork chops are the best oven baked pork chops ever! They are easy to make, tender, super juicy, and flavorful. Rub them with a few pantry staple spices and pop them into the oven for about 18 minutes and dinner will be ready!
Turn these chops into a meal with a creamy cucumber salad and some smoky roast potatoes. And if you love pork recipes, also try our juiciest baked pork tenderloin, smothered pork chops, and pan-fried pork chops!
Table of Contents hide
Why you'll love these baked pork chops
Watch how to make baked pork chops:
How to bake pork chops
How long to bake pork chops at 400 degrees?
What spices are the best with pork?
Is this baked pork chop recipe healthy?
Does this recipe work with thin pork chops?
What to serve with your oven baked pork chops
Recipe FAQs
Favorite pork chop recipes
Juicy Baked Pork Chops Recipe
Let's give it up for easy and delicious pork chop recipes! This one is our family's favorite pork recipe and the one we go back to time and again. The flavorful oven baked pork chops always turn out tender and juicy.
After you make these baked pork chops once you'll make them again and again. The recipe is really simple and is a great one to keep in your back pocket for when you need dinner stat or just can't figure out what to make tonight.
In this recipe, we don't sear the chops on the stove. Instead, they go straight into the oven. From our 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 veggies 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 healthy and 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 original recipe.
- Easily made with bone-in or boneless pork chops. Choose whichever you like best!
- They are low-carb, gluten-free, paleo, and a healthy dinner recipe!
Watch how to make baked pork chops:
How to bake pork chops
Making pork chops in the oven is super easy and takes minimal effort. When cooking pork chops, you can cook your veggies at the same time, making dinner quick and easy.
The trick here is to choose a baking dish that's not too big. You want the pork chops to be fairly snug so their juices don't evaporate while cooking. It makes the chops juicier.
- Measure your pork chops so you know how thick they are – their thickness will determine the baking time.
- Mix up a simple pork chop spice rub.
- Rub a littleolive oil and spices over the pork chops.
That's it! Seriously, these are easy pork chops at their best. See the full recipe in the recipe card below.
READ MORE: Pineapple Pork Stir Fry
How long to bake pork chops at 400 degrees?
The biggest ‘trick' to making oven-baked pork chops is to not overcook them. Since pork chops are lean meat, they will dry out if you leave them in the oven for too long. And no one wants dry chops! But don't worry, here's an easy way to know exactly how long you should cook your chops.
In a 400-degree Fahrenheit preheated oven, thick boneless pork chops need to cook for 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness. If you are using bone-in chops, add an extra minute for each ½ inch.
If you're new to making roasted pork chops, the best way to tell if they are fully cooked is to use aninstant-read meat thermometer. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that the internal temperature of the pork chops should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit when they're finished cooking. For the best results, we use an instant-read thermometer – it'll become your best friend when cooking meat to ensure the meat doesn't overcook.
It's important to try not to cook the pork chops to more than 145 degrees Fahrenheit as they will continue to rise in heat after they come out of the oven – this is known as carryover cooking.
Note that other factors, such as if the pork chops are chilled or at room temperature, the elevation you're cooking at, the size of your baking dish, and fluctuations in oven temp may affect bake times. A great idea is to check the pork chops at the minute mark (1 minute before they should be done) and then add a few extra minutes of cooking time if needed.
For an extra special pork dinner, try making ourporchetta recipe!
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 our go-to recipe and we've made it so many times and we 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. We 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 tender pork chops.
Is this baked pork chop recipe healthy?
Yes! Pork chops are lean meat and are low in calories and fat and high in protein. This is a healthy pork chop recipe as it is made without any sugar. Pork recipes will often call for brown sugar, but it is really not necessary. There is no reason to take a healthy cut of meat and add a bunch of sugar to it. These chops are sugar-free and delicious. Create a healthy and easy dinner recipe by pairing these easy baked pork chops with a side salad!
They are also low-carb, gluten-free, and paleo.
READ MORE: Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs
Does this recipe work with thin pork chops?
This recipe works best with pork chops that are at least 1 inch thick. We prefer to use thickpork chops that are closer to 1 ½ inches thick. If your pork chops are thinner, we recommend using ourthin pork chops recipeto cook them quickly on the stovetop
What to serve with your oven baked pork chops
We 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 our favorite side dishes:
- Smoky Roast Potatoes or Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
- Spicy Honey Roasted Carrots
- Whole Roasted Brussels Sproutswith garlic and lemon
- Sauteed Asparaguswith garlic and parmesan
- Sauteed Green Beanswith garlic
- Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Broccoli
- Basmati Riceor brown rice
For a summer-friendly version of these perfect porkchops, try thisjuicy grilled pork chopsrecipe. It's the BBQ version of this one!
Recipe FAQs
Do I need to use thick chops?
This recipe does work best with chops that have at least 1-inch thickness – we prefer 1 ½ inches. If your chops are thinner, we recommend using our thin pork chops recipe instead!
I don't have extra virgin olive oil, what can I use instead?
Any cooking oil will work in this recipe. We sometimes use avocado oil.
How can I store leftovers?
We love a good pork chop sliced over a salad for lunch, so sometimes we make extra just to have leftovers. They will keep for 3-4 days kept in an airtight container in your fridge.
Can I freeze cooked pork chops?
Yes! If you'd like to meal pre, these baked pork chops will keep for at least 3 months in the freezer.
What cuts of pork should I use to make this recipe?
We love using rib chops. Pork loin chops and center cut chops also work great. If the pork chops you buy don't indicate what type they are, don't worry! This recipe works great with all thick chops.
Do I need to cover the pork chops with aluminum foil when baking?
No! There is no need to cover these chops when baking.
I like to dip pork chops in bread crumbs. Will that work in this recipe?
For a breaded pork chops recipe, we recommend making our Italian dressing pork chops!
Can I make these in a cast iron skillet?
If you don't have a baking dish that is the right size, you can use an ovenproof skillet. Just make sure that the pork chops nestle fairly tightly in the pan.
Can I use a different spice mix?
One of the best parts about this recipe is how flexible it is. While we love the spice mix in the recipe, you can definitely use one that you have in your pantry!
Favorite pork chop recipes
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Juicy Baked Pork Chops Recipe
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 18 minutes mins
Total: 23 minutes mins
Rate RecipePrint
Thesebaked pork chopsare the best oven baked pork chops ever! They are so easy to make, super juicy, and flavorful. Rub them with a few pantry staple spices and pop them into the oven for about 18 minutes and dinner will be ready!
4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons EACH: onion powder and garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt, pepper, and oregano
- 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.
In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano.
1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons EACH: onion powder and garlic powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt, pepper, and oregano
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 and 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. Once you remove them from the oven, let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Equipment Used
Video
Notes
This recipe works best with pork chops that are at least 1 inch thick. For thin pork chops, we recommend using our thin pork chops recipe.
Try to choose a baking dish that is just the right size for the pork chops. You don't want there to be too much room between the chops or the juices will evaporate in the oven.
Bake your pork chops for 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness. Add an extra minute for each ½ inch if you're using bone-in pork chops.
NOTE: this recipe has been tested at sea level. As elevation affects cooking time, you may need to cook your pork chops a little longer if you live at a higher elevation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 pork chop, Calories: 275kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 29g (58%), Fat: 16g (25%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 90mg (30%), Sodium: 647mg (28%), Potassium: 523mg (15%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 78IU (2%), Vitamin C: 3mg (4%), Calcium: 11mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
© Author Kristen Stevens
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
We absolutely adore pork chops for dinner. If you love them too, make sure to check out all of our pork chop recipes!