These smothered pork chops are seared until golden, then simmered in a creamy onion and mushroom gravy until they’re tender and coated in flavor, a lot like the pan sauce magic in these Southern pork chops. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, feeds the whole family, and has that stick-to-your-ribs comfort everyone comes back for.
An Easy Skillet Dinner That Tastes Like It Simmered All Day
Smothered pork chops are the kind of supper that looks fancy but comes together in one pan on a busy weeknight. You season and sear the chops, build a quick gravy from the drippings and the leftover seasoned flour, then let everything simmer together so the pork soaks up all that creamy, savory sauce.
The gravy is where it earns its name. Butter, onion, mushrooms, and garlic cook down into a rich base, and a splash of Worcestershire gives it that deep, savory finish. If you love a good homemade gravy, you’ll want to bookmark this pork gravy too. It’s the same idea, built for spooning over everything on the plate.
This one fits right in with the other cozy dinners in the family rotation. If you like these, you’ll also love baked BBQ pork chops for the nights you want the oven to do the work, Swedish meatballs in a creamy sauce, and this Cracker Barrel country fried steak. Serve the chops over rice or mashed potatoes with a side of crack green beans, and you’ve got a plate straight out of a church cookbook. You’ll find plenty more in the full collection of easy comfort food recipes.
FAQs
Smothered pork chops are chops that get seared, then simmered (“smothered”) in a gravy until tender. Here that’s a creamy onion and mushroom gravy made right in the same pan.
Savory and rich, with browned pork, earthy mushrooms, sweet cooked onion, and a creamy gravy rounded out by Worcestershire sauce. It’s classic comfort food, not fussy or overly seasoned.
This recipe uses ½ to ¾-inch boneless pork chops. Boneless keeps the cook time short so the meat stays juicy.
You can. Bone-in chops take longer to cook through, so sear them over medium heat instead of medium-high. That gives them more time in the pan without the outside burning.
Yes. The recipe calls for sliced brown mushrooms, but white button mushrooms work just as well. Swap in whatever your store carries.
They’re made for steamed rice, which soaks up the gravy, but mashed potatoes or egg noodles are just as good. Add a simple green vegetable and dinner’s done.
This one’s best fresh off the stove while the gravy is creamy and the pork is juicy. You can prep by whisking the dredge and slicing the onion and mushrooms earlier in the day to make dinner come together faster.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the gravy has thickened too much.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below that has the printable, full ingredient list and instructions.
For the Pork Chops and Dredge
- 2 tablespoons canola oil – Gets the pan hot for a good sear.
- ½ cup all-purpose flour – Coats the chops and later thickens the gravy.
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt – Seasons the dredge; most shakes off with the excess.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder – Savory depth in the coating.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder – Rounds out the seasoning.
- 1 teaspoon paprika – Adds color and a mild warmth.
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper – A little bite.
- 4 (½ to ¾-inch) boneless pork chops, set out at room temperature about 15 minutes – The star; resting them out helps them cook evenly.
For the Gravy
- 3 tablespoons salted butter – The base for cooking the vegetables.
- 1 small yellow onion, diced – Sweetness and flavor in the gravy.
- 1 ½ cups sliced brown mushrooms – Earthy flavor and texture.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh, savory punch.
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth – The body of the gravy; low-sodium lets you control the salt.
- ⅓ cup heavy cream – Makes the gravy rich and creamy.
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce – Deep, savory finish.
For Serving
- Chopped parsley, for garnish, optional – A little color on top.
- Steamed rice, for serving, optional – Soaks up the gravy.
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Lightly dredge each pork chop in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Reserve the flour mixture.
- Place the pork chops in the pan, careful not to overcrowd them. Work in batches if needed. Sear each side about 2 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. They won’t be cooked all the way through yet.
How to Make the Gravy
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter, then add the diced onion and 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the 3 cloves minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of the reserved dredging flour. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
- While whisking, slowly pour in 1 cup chicken broth, followed by ⅓ cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, until combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the pork chops back into the pan. Once the mixture starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the pork chops reach 145°F. Careful not to overcook the meat.
- Serve over rice with a garnish of parsley, if desired.
Tips
- Set your pork chops out at room temperature about 15 minutes before dredging. This helps them cook more evenly.
- Don’t crowd the pan when searing. Give each chop room and work in batches if you need to, so they brown instead of steam.
- Use the reserved flour from the dredge for the gravy. It’s already seasoned, and it cuts down on waste.
- Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt. Taste the gravy and add more only if it needs it.
- Use a thermometer and pull the chops at 145°F. Overcooking is what dries them out.
- For bone-in chops, sear at medium heat so they can cook longer without burning.
More Recipes
If you love easy comfort food dinners like this one, then you’ll also love these:
Recipe
Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 4, ½- ¾- inch boneless pork chops set out at room temperature for about 15 minutes
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 ½ cups sliced brown mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- Steamed rice for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed or cast-iron pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- In a shallow bowl whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper.
- Lightly dredge each pork chop in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Reserve the flour mixture.
- Place the pork chops in the pan, careful to not over-crowd. You can do this in batches if needed. Sear each side of the pork chop for about 2 minutes or until nicely browned and seared. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. They will not be cooked all the way through yet.
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan, melt the butter and add the onion and mushrooms. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and 3 tablespoons of flour from the pork dredging. Stir for 2-3 minutes.While whisking, slowly pour in the broth followed by the cream and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Add the pork chops back into the pan.
- Once the mixture starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the pork chops are fully cooked to 145 F. Careful to not overcook the meat.
- Serve over rice with a garnish of parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Set the pork chops out at room temperature about 15 minutes before dredging so they cook evenly.
- Use the reserved seasoned flour from the dredge to build the gravy.
- Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt. Taste before adding more.
- Pull the chops at 145°F to keep them juicy.
- For bone-in chops, sear at medium heat so they cook longer without burning.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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