Easy Recipe: Creamy Pork Chops with Mushrooms

Here is a simple and quick recipe that takes only 30 minutes to prepare! Everything is cooked in one pot, making cleanup a breeze! The meat is first seared to a perfectly golden crust, then combined with a succulent creamy sauce made with garlic and thyme. These delicious pork chops with mushroom sauce are perfect for a quick family dinner!

Here's how to prepare them.

Ingredients:

2 pounds (900 g) of boneless pork loin chops, about 4 chops

1 teaspoon (5 g) of Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons (30 g) of flour

2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil

8 ounces (226 g) of sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil

A pinch of salt

Freshly ground coarse black pepper

1.5 cups (375 ml) of heavy cream

5 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of paprika

3 tablespoons (45 g) of fresh thyme

What type of pork chops to use?

Boneless pork chops cook more evenly and are much easier to cook than bone-in pork chops. With their excess fat and bones removed, they cook much faster.

Bone-in pork chops are generally larger than boneless pork chops and require longer cooking times. If you go for bone-in chops, use a meat thermometer and you may need to cook them in batches.

Boneless pork chops are easy to overcook, so make sure to use a meat thermometer. Bone-in pork chops, on the other hand, take longer to cook because they are thicker and have a bone - also a good reason to use a meat thermometer. Pork chops are done when they register an internal temperature of 145 F using a food thermometer.

What type of mushrooms to use?

Crimini mushrooms are small and young portabello mushrooms, also known as cremini or baby bella, and are perfect for this recipe. The white button mushrooms, which are found everywhere, are also a great option.

Portobello mushrooms are actually mature crimini or cremini mushrooms. Portobellos have a rich and meaty flavor that will also work well in the creamy mushroom sauce.

Shiitake mushrooms also have a rich and distinctive flavor and work very well in sauces.

There are many choices!

The steps of the recipe:

1. Season the pork chops with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and dredge them in flour.

2. Sear the pork chops with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet until the pork acquires a nice golden crust and is well-cooked.

NOTE: Pork is well cooked when the meat thermometer reads 145°F in the thickest part of the chop.

3. Slice the mushrooms.

4. Sear the mushrooms with olive oil in the same skillet for 5 minutes.

5. Prepare the cream sauce by adding heavy cream, minced garlic, and paprika to the same skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce acquires a nice color and reduces somewhat.

6. Return the cooked pork chops to the skillet and top with fresh thyme.

Culinary tips

Use a cast-iron skillet. The results are markedly better than with a stainless steel pan. A cast-iron skillet is ideal for searing meats.

Preheat the cast-iron skillet. Preheat a large empty cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Then add the olive oil and pork chops.

Use heavy cream. Use full cream, such as heavy whipping cream. Milk is not suitable here.

Cook the mushrooms in heavy cream for at least 5 to 7 minutes before adding back the cooked pork chops so that the cream sauce acquires the flavor and color of the mushrooms.

Dairy-free option. If you wish to prepare this recipe without dairy, use coconut milk or coconut cream.

Why dredge pork chops?

Dredging the chops before pan-frying gives them a beautiful golden crust. You do not need much flour to create this beautiful crust. 2 tablespoons of flour are sufficient for 2 lbs of boneless pork chops. Use any type of flour - regular or gluten-free.

How to store and reheat the chops

Since the mushroom sauce for the pork chops is made with no cheese, this dish stores well and reheats well.

Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing changes the texture of the sauce, so it is not recommended.

It is best to reheat the creamy pork chops with mushrooms over low heat in the skillet on the stove to prevent the sauce from separating. When reheating, add extra heavy cream or half-and-half to thin the sauce.