Many people love these oven baked pork chops because they turn out incredibly tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. The chops are first seared on the stove to lock in all those delicious juices, then baked in the oven to perfection. Made with garlic, butter, and fragrant thyme, the seasoning creates a savory crust while keeping the meat moist and flavorful.
These delicious easy Baked Pork Chops are one of the best pork chop recipes I’ve ever made. But don’t just take my word for it. This is one of the most popular pork recipes on the internet, with over 500 comments and 4,000 positive-star ratings! It’s a winner in our home and a favorite among so many Primavera Kitchen readers.
I’ve been making this recipe for years now and my family really love it. I’m sure, you’ll make this baked pork chop recipe many times too since it’s the fastest and easiest way to make pork chops in the oven. In only 5 minutes, you’ll prep everything, and in 10-12 minutes, this baked pork chops will be done and ready to eat.
Want to try more pork chop recipes? I’ve created over 15 delicious variations for you to explore! Some of the all-time favorites include these Air Fryer Pork Chops, this flavorful Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin, the sweet and savory Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin, Pork Chops with Apples and Onions, and even Grilled Pork Chops—perfect for warmer days!
Recipe Ingredients
- Good quality butter – After making this recipe so many times, I’ve found that using good quality butter makes a huge difference. It adds a rich, creamy flavor that enhances the dish, while also helping to create a smooth sauce. I always recommend using high-quality butter to get the best texture and taste.
- Garlic – I’ve tasted this recipe with both fresh and jarred garlic, and I’ve found that fresh garlic gives the best flavor. When freshly minced or crushed, garlic infuses the butter with a vibrant, aromatic essence that really elevates the dish. It’s worth taking the extra step to use fresh!
- Fresh thyme – again, I highly suggest fresh thyme.
- Salt and ground black pepper – You can rub the pork chops with salt and pepper, but you also can use other spices like paprika and onion powder if you prefer. I prefer just salt and pepper because the garlic butter sauce is already very flavorful.
- Pork chops – Try to pick an evenly thick cut, so you don’t end up with overcooked tips. I like to buy at least 1 to 2 inches thick. Also, you make this recipe with boneless pork chops (loin chop or pork loin) or bone-in pork chops and even with thick cut pork chops. This recipe also works well with chicken breasts (see my baked chicken breast recipe for reference.)
How To Make Baked Pork Chops
- First, preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat dry the pork chops with a paper towel to remove any leftover moisture from the packaging. Then, season both sides well with salt and pepper. The amount of salt and pepper depends on your taste.
- Prepare the butter sauce by melting four tablespoons of butter in the microwave or stove. Once it’s melted, add the chopped thyme and garlic. Stir well, and set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and when the skillet is really hot, add the pork chops, and sear them until they have a nice golden brown look, about 2-4 minutes per side.
- Pour the garlic butter mixture over the pork chops, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145ºF. Don’t overcook them to avoid having dry pork chops.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Drizzle some of the tasty butter sauce from the skillet over the pork chops. Do this before serving. Enjoy!!
At 400°F, boneless pork chops should bake for about 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness, while bone-in chops need around 8 minutes per ½ inch.
So, for chops that are 1½ inches thick:
Bone-in: Bake for about 24 minutes. Again, I recommend you use a meat thermometer to determine doneness and not rely on the general cook time.
Boneless: Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.
How Do I Cook Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out?
In my experience, after testing this recipe many times, I’ve found that the sear-and-bake method is one of the best ways to keep pork chops from drying out.
But, why sear pork chops before baking? Searing the pork chops helps build a beautiful golden crust as well as helping lock in the moisture for when it bakes in the oven.
Why should I let the chops rest before serving?
Letting pork chops rest before serving helps the juices spread out, making the meat moist and tasty.
Do I Cover Pork Chops When Baking?
For this recipe, you don’t need to cover the pork chops. But once the pork chops are done, remove and cover them with foil. Let the chops stand three minutes before serving.
What To Season Baked Pork Chops With?
My favorite way to season pork chops is with salt, pepper and fresh herbs, plus of course butter and garlic. But you can also use other seasonings of your preference like paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and so on.
You can also play around with fresh herbs and use sage, rosemary, and coriander. So good!
My Favority
Cast Iron Skillets
They’re great for cooking on high heat, tough and super durable. Also, cast iron skillets retain heat evenly, which is great to cook perfectly any meal.
Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes! If you’re not looking to keep things low-carb, serve your chops with some starchy root veggies. Potatoes au gratin, mashed sweet potatoes, regular creamy mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or air fryer baby potatoes are some of my favorites.
Any side salad! A simple arugula salad would pair really nicely with these pork chops. You could also do quinoa salad, couscous salad, broccoli salad or some fresh, creamy coleslaw.
Bread is always a winner. Add crunchy garlic bread or some cornbread would also be super yummy!
Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops Recipe – Juicy and Tender!
Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized pork chops
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the pork chops. Sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
- Pour the garlic butter mixture over the pork chops. Place the skillet in the oven, and cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145ºF, about 10-14 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of your pork chops.*
- Remove from the oven. Using a spoon, pour some of the butter sauce left in the skillet onto the pork chops before serving.
Notes
- Thick cut pork chops are ideal as they won’t overcook as easily.
- When using a cast iron skillet in the oven, use a heat-resistant glove or oven mitt to safeguard your hands when handling the skillet. It gets extremely hot and can cause burns if touched without protection.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Made this tonight and everyone loved it thanks
Awesome! I’m so thrilled to hear everyone enjoyed this recipe!
How do you make this for a family of 5. Sorry, I have no imagination.
You can make it with 4 pork chops and double the amount of butter.
Super simple to make and had tons of great flavor.
Sure thing!
I do not own a cast-iron skillet, will I be able to still try this recipe using a normal skillet and something like a baking sheet? I would really appreciate the guidance. This recipe sounds delicious and I would love to try it.
yes you can make this recipe even if you don’t have cast iron skillet. Any skillet would work. Thanks for your question.
Nice and easy recipe to follow and make. My mom used to make pork chops when I was a child and I really miss her making them. I look for recipes that help capture memories from my childhood, and this is as close as it gets for pork chops. Thank you for sharing!
Aw so sweet. I’m so happy to hear that. Hope this recipe brings you some childhood memories 😉
Can this dish be used as a freezer meal
yes you can!
My new way of making pork chops. I love this recipe
So glad to hear that!
Outstanding receipe. I had two packages of beautiful boneless pork chops. there were a total of 16 nice sized chops.
I had to play with the ingredients due to the amount of chops that I was making. The results were fantastic. The only thing that I did while they were baking in the oven was to sprinkle a little cheese on top. This is the best receipe for pork chops that I have ever tried. They were moist and very tasty. I served them with grilled asparagus and pan fried white potatoes with butter and garlic.
That’s amazing.
I’m so happy to hear it’s a hit, Micheal! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
I have been making garlic butter recipe for years. I use it on all meats, grilled, pan fried of baked. I always use one stick of unsalted butter along with 6 cloves of roasted garlic along with 6 cloves of minced. Salt and pepper to taste. I also add 1 bunch of finely chopped cilantro. I mix all together and roll into a log on wax paper. Secure the ends and freeze. Slice as needed.
My husband and I are making these together tonight, they smell really good can’t wait to try them. Thanks for the recipe
You’re very welcome. Hope you enjoys it 😉
Really nice recipe, looks delicious. Thanks for posting :’)
You’re very welcome.
Awesome recipe. The entire family enjoyed it. Easy prep and great taste. Definitely a keeper .
So happy to heat that 😉
This was my first time cooking pork chops and I was honestly kinda nervous because I have never had a non-tough/overcooked pork chop in my life. This recipe delivered! My knife just melted through the chop during dinner. Might never use another recipe again!
That’s absolutely awesome! So happy to hear that!
These are in the oven for the next 5 min as we speak. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re very welcome 😉
Easy and delicious! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!
You’re so welcome 😉
Don’t have fresh herbs. Would I sabotage the recipe using dried thyme?
It’ll works even with dried thyme.
Made this last night and it was a big winner in our house. Didn’t have a cast iron pan so I used a regular pan instead to brown the pork chops in batches. Then I threw them into a glass baking dish and baked for 20 minutes. They came out right around 150 degrees or so and were cooked perfectly.
That’s awesome. Thanks for your feedback!
Going to try this for supper tonight. I’ll come back and leave a comment letting everyone know how it turned out. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
While reading the instructions, there are two conflicting direction on searing the pork chops. Which is the right one, 2 minutes per side or 4 minutes per side?
Also, is it okay to transfer the pork chops and the sauce (Both mixed already) from the hot skillet to a glass baking tray to be baked?
2 minutes each side. And yes it’s olay to transfer the pork chops to a glass baking tray.
Can i use dried thyme instead of fresh and Garlic Powder instead of real garlic?
Yes you can.
Can I use Garlic Powder instead of real garlic?
Yes you can.
I have everything this recipe calls for except fresh garlic. I do have the minced, jarred kind. How much of that for 4-5 chops?
1 full tablespoon.